The Instagram Scams Designed to Steal Your Account

Instagram is a hugely popular social media platform for sharing photos, videos, and stories. Because it has such a large user base, it’s a prime target for scammers. Recent Instagram scams include phishing for password details, fake giveaways, and fake ads.

Here are some Instagram scams you may come across and how to avoid becoming a victim.

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Instagram Scams: Fake Password Reset Requests

If you receive an Instagram password reset that you didn’t request, don’t click on any links in that email. The likelihood is that it’s come from a scammer who is trying to trick you into entering your password on a fake web page. These pages can look incredibly authentic, but they will steal your account details and use them to log in to your real Instagram account.

From here, the scammer can use your account to spread misinformation, perform identity theft, and perpetrate further scams. For example, romance scams often prey on vulnerable people by using accounts that have been stolen, so the actual scammer is virtually untraceable.

Avoid password-reset Instagram scams by:

Never clicking links in unsolicited emails
Heading to your Instagram account using your usual app or browser to check if there are any security alerts or other issues
Regularly changing your account passwords for all platforms

A genuine password reset email looks like this:

However, remember that scammers can make their fake emails look very real, so never click a link if you didn’t request the password reset yourself.

Instagram Scams: The Giveaway Scam

There are so many giveaways and competitions on Instagram, and many are legitimate. Some are designed to gather personal details, while others are more nefarious.

A classic example of an Instagram giveaway scam works as follows:

After entering a competition or giveaway, by commenting or sharing a post, you’ll receive a direct message from the account running the giveaway
They’ll congratulate you, but tell you they need a shipping fee to process the prize
They may provide a payment link that asks for your Instagram login details to “verify your identity.”
You enter your details, and the scammer immediately gains access to your account and will shortly lock you out.

Never click through a link in a direct message or give out your username and password. Also, reputable brands will rarely ask for fees to complete a competition or giveaway.

Instagram Scams: Fake Ads

Another way scammers may try and grab your account login details is via ads for fake products and services. A good rule of thumb here is that if it looks too good to be true, it probably is. Laptops and tablets for $20 are unlikely to be genuine. But if you’re tempted, you may click on the link, only to reach an additional security page.

If you enter your login details on this page, you’re effectively handing them over to the scammers. They can now steal your account and use it for potentially criminal purposes.

Rather than clicking links in ads, search for the product or brand name in a separate browser to find out if it is genuine. You can also use services like TrustPilot to check reviews for dubious service providers.

Stay Informed About Instagram Scams

Instagram scams like these shouldn’t put you off using the platform. If you practice good “security hygiene,” by regularly changing passwords and avoiding links in unexpected emails, Instagram is a fun place to be. Keep yourself informed about new Instagram scams and other social media concerns by signing up for Scam Detector’s Scam Alerts. You’ll get regular updates on scams and digital crimes directly into your inbox, so you can stay in-the-know and protected.

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