How to recover your hacked Instagram account: Check details here

If someone gained access to your Instagram account or if you are unable to log in, then there are several ways you can take necessary action through the website or the app to recover your account and protect your social media account from hackers.

Once your Instagram account is hacked, the scammers, with access to your account, can impersonate you, affect your online reputation, misuse your personal information for identity theft, and put your friends and family in trouble. Most importantly, a hacked Instagram business account can result in financial losses as well. 

How do you know if your Instagram account has been hacked?

There are some revealing hints that indicate that your Instagram account has been stolen. If you notice any of the following changes in your Instagram account, it is certainly possible that someone else has gained access to your Instagram account:

• A different profile picture and feed images appear on your account
• Following people that you are not aware of
• New messages are being sent to unknown people
• Your account stops accepting your password and you are unable to log in

Here are the steps to be followed to get your hacked Instagram account back

Check your email for a message from Instagram

The Instagram support team will send you an email (security@mail.instagram.com) informing that your email address was changed. You can undo this by choosing the 'secure my account' option in that email message. In case, some additional information was also changed, then you can request a security code or login link from Instagram.

Request a login link from Instagram

To help Instagram confirm that you own the account, you can request Instagram to send a login link to your phone number or email address 

On the login screen, click on 'Get help logging in' (Android) or Forgot password? (iPhone or Web Browser)

Enter username, email, or phone number linked to your account, then tap 'Next'. 

Note: If you don’t have access to the username, email, or phone number registered with your Instagram account, enter the login information you most recently used, then select 'Can't reset your password'? below the 'Next' button and follow the on-screen instructions

• Enter the captcha to confirm that you are a human 
• Select either your email or phone number, then tap 'Next'
• Click the login link from your email account or a text message (SMS) and follow the instructions
• Request a security code or support from Instagram
• If you're unable to recover your account with the login link, you may be able to request support from Instagram

To request support from Instagram:

Enter a secure email address that only you can access. After submitting your request, you will receive an email from Instagram with the next steps

Verify your identity

You will receive an auto-response email from the Support Team at Meta asking you to verify your identity by providing the phone number or email address you signed up with and the type of device you used at the time of sign-up.

• Change your password and send yourself a password reset email
• Turn on two-factor authentication for additional security
• Confirm your email address and phone number in account settings are correct
• Check 'Accounts Center' and remove any linked accounts you do not own or recognise
• Revoke access to any suspicious third-party apps

Steps to avoid getting phished

• Ignore suspicious emails or messages
• Don't open and trust messages or emails demanding money, offering gifts or threatening to delete or ban your Instagram account.
• Emails from Instagram or Facebook about your account will only come from @mail.instagram.com or @facebookmail.com.