How to get your Instagram account back from hackers (step-by-step instructions)
PART 2: How to Get Your Instagram Account Back if it’s Hacked (SPOILER— it has ZERO to do with Meta customer service)
When my Instagram was hacked this weekend there was virtually zero customer support from meta/Facebook/ @instagram to get it back. A friend of mine (@danaivy), unfortunately had gone through this and found a way to get it back. And it worked. The way we did this is found NO WHERE on Facebook or Instagram's site. In addition, once we got our accounts back there were a few things we had to do to make sure that they were secure.
Here are step by step instructions for getting your Instagram account back if it is hacked.
Logout of all accounts. Go to log into your account under its correct name, the one you are trying to restore. Whatever your ORIGINAL handle was. Use any password. Hit ‘login’ and keep hitting it and saying tryin again until you get a pop up that says "restore account"
Click restore account.
It’s going to verify by sending you an email or text to your original email or number. You can pick which one. Go through that verification.
When it goes to do a second verification, click the option that is NEED MORE SUPPORT. If you go through a second verification it will send to the current email or phone number, which most likely belongs to the hacker who stole your account.
It’s going to ask you some questions and choose: I've been hacked.
Then it will ask if there are pictures of you in your account and as long as there are, say yes. If there are NOT, it might be a good idea to put a couple on your feed so that they are there for this reason.
It will ask where to contact you. PICK A NEW EMAIL, not the one originally associated with your account. For me, I created a new email address JUST for my meta accounts. Then it has you do this selfie video and you submit it. It all goes through Instagram.
You will get an email to that contact email you provided that the selfie video was received. My friend got an email within 5-10 minutes to retrieve her account. It took me about twelve hours until I got mine.
Once I got my account back I went through it with a fine tooth comb, every single tab to make sure that the hackers didn’t leave traces of themselves (which they did.). They connected a Facebook account, which I removed. They blocked people and messages. The MOST IMPORTANT thing I did that @danaivy also told me to do was this. Once you have your account back:
Click the three bars on the top right.
Go to settings.
Scroll down, underneath the ABOUT there is a line and it says ‘ Meta.’ There is a link to ACCOUNTS CENTER. Click it.
Click the ACCOUNTS AND PROFILES. In this tab I found about 8 accounts the hackers tied to mine. They have all been removed.
One of the most common issue I have heard about hackers is that they later go into your account because they have left their traces and use your ads account. Make sure that you go through EVERYTHING, change ALL Meta passwords and make sure that there is no trace of the hackers remaining.
Please feel free to share this as honestly, everyone needs to make sure that they have this information. For more, follow me on Instagram @lindsaypinchuk.
