Social networks have undoubtedly been great news for all of us. The opportunities they offer are many (you can keep in touch with distant people, allow you to inform yourself in a timely manner, even for many they have become a full-fledged job) and it is now impossible for anyone to imagine an “offline” life. However, this should not make us let our guard down: it is important to always keep in mind that these tools also have negative and, in some cases, even dangerous aspects. An example of this is phishing , an attempt at fraud that can be found quite easily on social networks, in particular on Instagram.
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If you are here, it is because you fear that you have been a victim of phishing on Instagram or simply because you have heard about it and you are alarmed. Either way, you’ve come to the right place: I’ll tell you what you need to know about this topic and tell you how to protect yourself.
Index
- What’s this
- How does it work
- What to do if you are a victim
- How to defend yourself
What’s this
In general, the word phishing indicates a web scam through which an attacker pretends to be a reliable and authorized entity and, in doing so, tries to steal the victim’s sensitive data (for example personal information, financial data and access codes) . Not surprisingly, the term phishing derives from “fishing”: through this practice, in fact, you try to “fish” for data.
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Specifically, on Instagram we talk about phishing when someone tries to obtain the login data to enter your account.
How does it work
Phishing on Instagram occurs by sending a suspicious message or link , through which the scammer requests the inclusion of some personal information (i.e. sensitive data). Normally, no one would be inclined to do this; indeed, I think we would all be tempted, instinctively, not to pay attention to such a strange request. However, in these messages it is often and willingly indicated that, if the request is not taken into consideration, the Instagram profile will be blocked or – even – deleted.
Also, remember that phishers are getting better and better at not getting caught and, in some cases, recognizing fraud can be very difficult indeed. In short, there is no shame if you have been “fooled”! The important thing is to run for cover immediately .
What to do if you are a victim
If, by reading these lines, your suspicion of being a victim of phishing has been confirmed, then it is good to act now to stem the damage. Here are some things you can do in cases like this:
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- Report the problem to the address [email protected] find someone from the official social team who can help you;
- If the username and / or password are incorrect , try to recover your Instagram account . Also see this Instagram support page for more information;
- If you manage to log into your account, protect it by logging out of any devices you don’t own and, most importantly, by changing your Instagram password .
How to defend yourself
Even if you have never been a victim of phishing, it is still very important to know this problem, just to avoid falling into the “trap”.
Here are some things you can do to protect yourself from phishing on Instagram:
- Beware of messages that make you suspicious , especially those offering gifts and prizes, or those threatening to block or delete your account. In cases like these, my advice is to block and report the profile to Instagram ;
- Remember that if there ever were any official communications relating to your Instagram account, they would arrive by email from addresses with a domain @mail.instagram.com. All other emails are almost certainly a scam, so just ignore them. In any case, it is good to specify that it is never recommended to follow the links or open the attachments contained in the emails , unless you are 100% sure of the authenticity of the sender;
- Change your password periodically . It might seem like a hassle, but changing your password often is a great way to protect your account (and this rule not only applies to Instagram, but also to other social networks, as well as to your email address and all other virtual accounts you own). Of course, the more complex the password , the more secure it is, so use a combination of letters, numbers, and punctuation marks that are hard to guess. And, again speaking of passwords, don’t reveal it to someone you don’t totally trust;
- Don’t leave your profile linked to devices that aren’t yours or that you share with other people. Have you logged into Instagram on your school or office computer? Have you used your friend’s smartphone to check your feed and DMs? No problem, but remember not to check the “Stay logged in” box when you log in and disconnect your account when you’re done;
- Enable Instagram two-factor authentication . If you do, you will be asked to enter a code or to confirm the login attempt every time someone tries to log into Instagram with your account from an unrecognized device (even if they know the password).
