In today’s time, Instagram is not just a platform for sharing photos and videos. It has also become a means of identity and earning. This is why cybercriminals are targeting everyone on Instagram, from ordinary users to creators and business accounts. In the past few months, cases of Instagram phishing scams have rapidly increased. In this scam, cyber fraudsters try to hack users’ accounts by sending fake emails or deceptive messages. These fake emails/messages often state that your social media account is about to be closed or that you have violated a rule. Out of fear, people thoughtlessly click on the sent links. This is where the scam begins. Therefore, it is important to know how to keep your Instagram account secure. Therefore, today in the Cyber Literacy column, we will talk about Instagram phishing scams. Question- What is an Instagram phishing scam? Answer- This is an online fraud in which scammers steal user’s login details by sending fake emails, messages or links in the name of Instagram. After this, they hack the account. Question- How do scammers carry out Instagram phishing scams? Answer- In this scam, cybercriminals send emails or messages to users that look completely official. This message often uses intimidating language, such as Your account is violating community guidelines. Your Instagram account will be closed in the next 24 hours. Your account is about to be closed. Go to this link to avoid account block. This fake message also contains a link, which Understand this with the graphic below- Question- How do people so easily fall for this scam? Answer- There are several reasons for this. Such as- Question – What kind of damage can hackers cause by hacking an Instagram account? Answer – Hackers can take full control of the account by changing the password and can cause the following damages Question – Does Instagram ever send a message saying, “Your account will be closed within 24 hours?” Answer- Yes, if your account is suspended due to violating community guidelines, Instagram informs you through in-app notifications or official emails. However, emails threatening to ‘close your account within 24-48 hours’ via Direct Messages (DMs) are usually phishing scams. Question- How to identify phishing email IDs? Answer- To identify fake emails sent in Instagram’s name, first carefully check the sender’s email ID. See the list of valid email domains associated with Instagram/Meta below. notification@facebookmail.com noreply@facebookmail.com @business.fb.com @support.facebook.com @fb.com @meta.com @account.meta.com @internal.metamail.com @go.metamail.com advertise-noreply@facebookmail.com update@em.facebookmail.com @mediapartnerships.fb.com @global.metamail.com If the mail has not come from an official domain, it could be fake. Often, fake email domains have slight spelling variations. Therefore, read the domain spelling very carefully. Do not trust any mail or message that- Question – Does Instagram ever ask for a security password via message? Answer- No, Instagram never asks for your login details, OTP, or any security details via message, email, or call. Question- What precautions should be taken to avoid Instagram phishing scams? Answer- A little vigilance can keep your Instagram account secure. Therefore, pay special attention to some basic things. Understand it from the graphic given below- Question- What to do if you accidentally click on a phishing link? Answer- In such a situation, immediately change your Instagram password. Log out from all devices and turn on two-step verification. Also, secure your email and report suspicious activity to Instagram. Question- How to confirm an official email from Instagram? Answer- To confirm an official email from Instagram, open the Instagram app directly. Click on the Security option in Settings and go to Emails from Instagram. Here you will find a list of all genuine emails sent by Instagram, which tells you whether the mail is real or fake.
