How To Avoid Being Hacked on Instagram: Tips for Protecting Your Account

Imagine waking up one day and realizing your Instagram account has been hacked. This very real and all too common scenario can be a literal living nightmare, causing absolute fear and total despair.

Trust me, I know. I’ve been there.

All those hours (years even!) of crafting the perfect caption, selecting the most flattering filter, recording endless videos, and engaging with your followers… down the drain. 

And let’s not even get started on the potential loss of sales if you use IG for your business/brand.

Let’s be real, everyone is vulnerable to some sort of online attack. And since social media platforms, including Instagram, have seen a surge in disabled, deleted, or hacked accounts lately, it’s way better to be safe than sorry.

So, how can you protect and avoid your Instagram account from being hacked? 

Well, I’ve got some tips for you…

Don’t Click on Links Sent via DM

Never, under any circumstances, click on a link that is sent to you via DM (direct message). I don’t care if it’s from your best friend, your mom, or someone claiming to be a representative from Instagram. Just don’t do it. 

My team and I have a strict rule that we never click on links that we didn’t request. 

Pro tip: Don’t click on links in emails either. Speaking of email…

Be Wary of Phishing Scams

Another common tactic that hackers and scammers use is phishing. This is when they send an email or DM that appears to be from Instagram (or insert _______ social media platform) and ask you to enter your password or provide other sensitive information. 

To avoid falling victim to a phishing attack, always check your Instagram settings to see if there is a record of the communication being sent. Because if there isn’t, it’s likely a scam.

Now, let’s say you’ve been careful not to click on any suspicious links and you’ve avoided falling for a phishing scam. Well, you’re in the clear, right? Wrong. 

The reason being, there are still a few more tricks that these awful bots/evil geniuses may try to pull. 

Don’t Fall for Comments Promising to Help with Engagement 

For example, they may leave a comment under one of your posts saying something like,

“Hey, it looks like your engagement is down! If you reach out to [insert scammer’s name here], they can help you.”

This is a trap, my friends. Don’t fall for it. 

Never Give Out Your Login Information

No matter how much they promise to…

• increase your engagement
• give you a blue check
• perform an Instagram audit

…it’s not worth the risk.

In review: 

• Don’t EVER click on links sent via DM
• Check your Instagram settings to verify communications that appear to be from the platform
• Never engage with comments promising to help your account
• Don’t give out your login information to anyone, no matter what they promise in return

Sure, doing everything in your power to protect your Instagram account from being hacked isn’t foolproof. Let’s be real, there are always going to be people out there trying to take advantage of others online. Nonetheless, following these simple tips can reduce your risk of falling victim to an attack.

For much more related to this topic, like:

• Step-by-step walkthrough of the Instagram app to ensure your settings are best re: protection
• Why you need to download a password manager
• How to practice good password hygiene

Then, you must check out this episode of Build Your Tribe:

And don’t forget to subscribe to BYT for weekly shows dedicated to your social media growth!