The New Instagram Scam
There’s been a lot of cybercrime happening recently on social media. Plus, a new corporate Instagram scam is flourishing. A new study shows cybercriminals are targeting Instagram accounts of high-profile users and then attempting to extort them so they can get access back to their accounts.
It’s not just high-profile accounts that get hacked, though. Small businesses can get hit too. And influencers are some of the biggest targets. Why? Because influencers seek the opportunity to advertise a brand.
The frustrating part about dealing with a hacked Instagram account is how long Instagram takes to help you out, if they even decide to help you out at all. No content moderation goes into these white hat hackers. And no one should have to pay a tremendous amount of money to get the social media credentials back.
Spotting the Scam Firsthand
The first researcher to spot this Instagram hacking campaign was the cyber security firm SecureWorks. What caught experts by surprise was how deceptively it seems that the message has come from Instagram itself. The red flag is when you get a message looking like it’s from a moderator. The news will often tout something about copyright infringement. If the situation stalls, that person risks losing their account.
When asked to deal with copyright on Instagram, it’s like getting scammed on a phone call. So don’t click any weird links that you or your employees could get. It looks natural, but you will end up at some malicious fishing page and that’s how accounts get lost.
Cybercriminals look for contact via WhatsApp for a negotiation price or the account. At the same time, it seems like a colossal mess. Considering how Instagram sells products to consumers, it’s best to have awareness for cyber preparation.
In Conclusion
According to Gizmodo, criminals sell access to the hijacked Instagram accounts for up to $40,000. If your small business uses Instagram and wants to know more, contact a Managed IT premiere service provider. 1R Technologies has the tools to safely ensure you do business online with tech.