If you are here looking for help for your hacked Instagram account , know that this condition is common to many users who, like you, are no longer able to access their social profile. There are no particular reasons why a hacker has specifically interested in your profile: the reason is simple, to ask you for a cash ransom to get your profile back!
In this guide, I will therefore show you some attempts to try to recover your profile. The attempts vary according to the (so to speak) “type” of hacking your Instagram profile has suffered. If you are lucky, you can solve everything in a matter of minutes ; otherwise the procedure is a little more annoying (due to the timing), but still easy to follow.
Content index
- Instagram account hacked: how did they do it?
- Instagram account hacked: how to recover it
2.1. Quick and easy way to recover your password
2.2. Another method: request assistance from Instagram
2.3. Other method: retrieve accounts from a friend’s profile
- What to do after recovering the account
Instagram account hacked: how did they do it?
Unfortunately, the answer is simple, because in the vast majority of situations the hacking takes place ” making you bite the hook ” with a simple message in Direct on Instagram or through a fake email through which you entered your credentials, literally giving them to an attacker .
This is the method most used by these individuals, and it is for this reason that it is called Phishing (precisely “to fish” in English). In fact, in most cases, the attacker sends you a message after – for one reason or another – asking you to click on a link and enter your login credentials. If you “take the bait” , he will have full access to your Instagram account; especially if you didn’t activate two-factor authentication (which would have blocked the attack in the bud).
Now, however, it is useless to ruminate, because as I told you unfortunately you are not the only one and there are tens of thousands of people in the same situation. Just remember that in many Phishing attacks the attacker pretends to be one of the Instagram staff. However, the Instagram staff never contacts via Direct , but always and only via email with a verified account (so always check the sender of the emails). So let’s see how to try to recover your hacked Instagram account:
Hacked Instagram account: how to recover it
In the following paragraphs I will show you three alternative methods to attempt to recover your hacked Instagram account. The first will be the simplest and fastest, but you can only follow it if you are lucky enough (I’ll explain in what sense shortly). The other two methods are quite simple, but require some time from the Instagram staff to analyze your problem and help you. Let’s see them in detail:
Quick and easy way to recover your password
The first attempt you can make to recover your hacked Instagram account is to reset the password . In fact, right on the “login” page of the Social you can click on the ” reset password ” option , and follow all the subsequent procedures.
In short, you will have to act just as if you had forgotten your password, asking Instagram to reset it and help you set a new one. Then enter your personal data (phone number, email or username and the last password you remember) and try to recover the password.
At this point you will receive a secure email from Instagram on the account you used to register on this social network. Inside you will find a link to follow, thanks to which you will be able to set a new password and then recover your Instagram profile.
Didn’t the mail arrive? Bad news. If no email has arrived (and a few minutes have already passed) then the attacker who stole your profile has also changed the reference email address, not allowing you to receive more emails from Instagram. You can verify that this has happened because when the hacker tried to change the email address associated with Instagram, you will have received an email in which you will be informed that “ the email address linked to the profile has been changed “. In the same e-mail message, you can cancel this change by pressing the Cancel this change button . In the event that, in addition to the email address, other parameters have been changed (for example the password) and you are unable to change the email address, then you will have to follow the next procedures.
Another method: request assistance from Instagram
In case the email address has also been changed, you will need to try to request assistance from the Instagram team. Here is the complete procedure that you can follow from your smartphone:
- Go to the Instagram app.
- Tap Request assistance to log in.
- Enter the data: username, email or phone number.
- Tap on Need further assistance .
- Select your Instagra account ,.
- Enter your email address or phone number
- Tap Send security code .
This is the standard procedure for recovering a hacked Instagram account. It may happen that you do not have the security code. At this point, tap on ” I can’t access this e-mail address or phone number “. The option is located under Send security code.
Other method: retrieve accounts from a friend’s profile
Another possible way to recover is to get help from an acquaintance, trying to access the Instagram profile of a friend or relative and click on the item ” options ” (the wheel at the top right of the application). Now click on ” assistance ” and then on “report a problem” .
Now, on the item ” something does not work “, where in a text box you can explain in detail what the problem is , possibly attaching photos, and then send your report. Wait now for the response from the Instagram team. Remember to leave an email to which the Instagram team can contact you to help you solve the problem.
The assistance does not respond immediately: it often takes a few days. Wait and don’t worry: you have done everything possible and most likely you will be helped to recover your account since, as we have already told you, there are many other accounts in your situation and Instagram knows it well.
What to do after recovering the account
As soon as you have recovered your hacked Instagram account, you will need to immediately activate two-factor authentication . This technology allows you to log into your account more securely. In fact, with this authentication method, you will not only have to enter the password but you will also have to enter a security code that will arrive via SMS on your smartphone.
In short, to evade such a system, the attacker will have to know your email, steal your password and get hold of your smartphone (complete with an unlock code). Very unlikely, don’t you think?
To activate two-factor authentication, follow the instructions from the official Instagram page .
