How Do Instagram Accounts Get Hacked?

What’s worse than growing your brand just to have a nefarious, shady character come in to steal it all? Have you been active when it comes to growing your page? The last thing you want is for someone to jeopardize it all. Content creation can be fun, but there is a serious side to it, too. It’s not all stories and reels. Sometimes, it’s security code and two-factor authentication. It’s not the most exciting part of social media platforms, but it’s arguably the most critical. How do Instagram accounts get hacked so easily? Well, the hackers are evolving. It means that we need to stay on our game, too.

A strong password could save you a lot of headaches, and dodging a third-party app could preserve your account. Keep reading for all the information you need to protect your account!

How Do Instagram Accounts Get Hacked: The Telltale Signs

While building your brand, you’re going to have to keep your head on a swivel. We’re not saying everyone is out to get you, but you need to be alert. How do people’s Instagram accounts get hacked when they aren’t that big a brand? If your page security is weak, you could be at risk. It could happen so fast if you don’t look carefully enough. You can’t overlook the signals that your Instagram account is a victim of hacking. If you just don’t know what to look for, we have you covered. Keep a look out for the following:

Weird Activity on Your IG Page

This way of hacking your account is pretty sinister. After gaining access, certain cybercriminals do not right away request you to change your password. They prefer to slither in and use your account. This way, Instagram won’t notify you of changes made to your account. This leaves the hacker to utilize your account to do as they please. So, how do you know if they’re wreaking havoc? Check the recent activity on your account. You do that by going to the hamburger menu (three horizontal lines) on your profile. Pick the option that says “Your activity.”

If a hacker isn’t discrete, they may alter information on your feed. They could put up content that doesn’t align with your brand and ostracize you from your core group.

Login Activity You Don’t Recognize

Instagram is good at keeping records of your login activity. To check if someone else has access, you should review the login activity that has occurred on your account. In this section of the app, you can view a list of all devices that have access to your account. You can also see their locations. You should know what devices have access to this account. Maybe you have a social media manager. Make sure you know what kind of device she uses.

Don’t recognize a device? Did it sign in a time you knew you were asleep? Well, it’s a dead giveaway that someone hacked your account if some of these don’t look like yours.

You Receive an Unexpected Email

Some hackers go for jugular and attempt to change your information. While this is shocking behavior, at least you know when it’s happening. Instagram will send you a notification after updates to things such as your password or email address. You can go to your email and check if you have a communication from “security@mail.instagram.com.” It should pertain to modifications to your login information.

Does it state that you changed the email address or password connected to the IG account? If you don’t recall making such changes, then it means that somebody hacked your account.

So, what do you do in this situation? Clicking the “Secure my account” link in the email should be the start to fixing the situation. You can contact Instagram and request that they send a security code or login link to that email. This way, you can regain access to your compromised Instagram account.

Instagram is always watching, too. They may also send an email if they see login activity coming from a device not normally used by you. This may happen as well when you log in using a different device for the first time. Think about this when you upgrade your iPhone. 

If you are getting notifications, it means that it’s not too late for your account.

How Do You Get a Hacked Instagram Account Back From the Hacker?

We hope you haven’t seen one or more of the indicators listed above. A hacked account could mean everything you worked for going down the drain. Still, don’t panic. You’re probably asking, “How do you get a hacked Instagram back?” You can implement some fundamental security measures to prevent the hacker from taking control of your account. 

Do you still have access to your account using the login data you saved? With this information, it will be much simpler to regain access. If you still have access, here is how to reclaim your account:

Turn on the “Two-Factor Authentication” System

To further strengthen your IG account’s security, you should also activate your two-factor authentication. How does this feature work? Simply put, logging into your account is only possible if the user uses a different platform to verify log in credentials. It gives an extra layer of security.

This could come in multiple forms. One could be a security code sent by text message or even an authentication app provided by a third party. You get to decide ultimately. Make sure that whatever technique you use for two-factor authentication is one that only you can access.

There is no denying that utilizing two-factor authentication is an additional step. You’ll have to have additional time to complete each time you connect to your account. The bright side is that this does a lot to improve the safety of your IG account. It should stop a hacker in their tracks the next time they try to break into your account.

How To Activate Two-Factor Authentication

If you don’t know how to get this extra layer to secure your account, we can help. Follow these steps to activate two-factor authentication on Instagram:

1. Navigate to the Accounts Center by selecting “Settings” in the IG app.
2. Select “Password and security.”
3. Then, choose “Two-factor authentication”.
4. Select the Instagram profile you want the feature for.
5. Instagram users may now get security codes by:
   • Authentication applications
   • Text message
   • WhatsApp confirmation

With these choices, decide which authentication method works best for your account. 

Now, you can rest assured that your account is safer than before. Hackers will have a much harder time trying to access your account.

Change Your Password

If a hacker somehow accessed your IG account, you should act fast to change your password. Hopefully, you discover your Instagram account has a security issue before your password changes. Create a strong password immediately. Never use simple passwords that are easy to guess.

As soon as you have the right password in mind, change it using these simple steps:

1. Go to your IG profile and select the hamburger menu (three horizontal lines) in the top right corner. 
2. Then click “Settings.”
3. Find the Accounts Center and then choose “Password and security.”
4. Go to the page where you may “Change password” and enter both the old and new passwords that you wish to use. 
5. Make certain that your password is incredibly difficult for someone to guess. Get creative by including letters, numbers, and any unusual characters. You may need to write it down somewhere if it’s that hard.

Something great happens when you change your password. IG immediately locks you out of all of your other devices. This includes the hacker’s devices, too. They will be promptly booted out of their session. They would have to access your account with your new password.

IG directs them to the login page. There, IG will ask them to reenter their credentials. Otherwise, they won’t regain access to their account. If you have a robust password and two-factor authentication, you won’t have to worry about people hacking your account successfully.

How To Contact Instagram Support When Someone Hacks Your Account

Sometimes hackers are quick and promptly modify your email address and password after gaining access to your account. Before you know what’s happening, you’re locked out. You need to know how to contact Instagram support. Just know that this won’t be a quick process.

If you have lost access to your hacked Instagram account, there is still a chance to get it back. The app lets you send a report of the breach to Instagram. This way, their team can assist you as soon as possible. Here is where you may contact Instagram to request help once someone hacks your account.

There are still more steps to go. Instagram will need proof. They will provide you with a list of extra procedures to do. This is to demonstrate that you are the legitimate owner of the account that someone compromised. They will also provide you with a login link or a security code.

IG will ask you to do something you likely have a lot of experience in. They will ask you to shoot a video selfie. They will match this with photos of yourself on your profile. They need to take this precaution to validate your identity as the person who is reporting the hacking.

Users of Instagram should know that these video selfies go through human inspection. IG uses them for purposes related to security. This is part of why IG started offering verification of IG accounts. That extra protection should save you all this trouble.

How Often Do Instagram Accounts Get Hacked? Knowing the Risk Level

You may be wondering if you’re really at risk of hacking. How often do Instagram accounts get hacked? What are the odds of someone hacking your account? Well, according to Notch, someone could hack your account by the time you’re done reading this blog. They say that every 10 minutes, some shady character infiltrates an unsuspecting IG account. Can you believe it? How do people’s Instagram accounts get hacked that often? Some people just have that much time on their hands.

After hearing those numbers, you may be a bit more nervous about your IG page security. No hack victim saw it coming, after all. It’s better to be safe than sorry. You don’t want your page to become a statistic. Taking some security measures will help.

Plixi Has the Growth Hacks You’ve Been Looking For

You’ve been limiting yourself for too long! It’s time to grow that page of yours. A strong, effective plan for developing your Instagram account is all you need. For that, you’re in the right place. Here at Plixi, we can make one for you, so you don’t have to do the guesswork. Your Instagram account can become the latest social media sensation with our help. We can make these big claims, and you can trust that your account is safe with us. Our company has dedicated itself to producing results. The secret is our platform of Instagram influencers and our in-depth research.

You can use both to increase your online following quickly. We can help with organic growth. Achieving the recognition you want as an Instagram influencer may not be easy, but it’s possible. You can get that large, interactive following that you’ve always wanted. By making use of modern, trustworthy technology, you can grow your numbers. How do Instagram accounts get hacked? IG users use sites that they shouldn’t trust. Luckily, Plixi has a track record of quality. Now is the perfect moment to start. With Plixi’s growth skills, grow your Instagram following rapidly!