Spam and hacking are on the rise, and trust me… we are frustrated as well!
The Crystal Media team was locked out of Instagram for over two weeks, and it’s much easier to be proactive than reactive. Today we’re covering how to better protect your accounts, what to do if you believe you have been hacked, and the steps we took to get our account back!
Two Factor Authentication:
PLEASE – if you haven’t already, stop and take a moment to set up two-factor authentication on your Instagram and Facebook profiles to deter hackers from getting in. On Instagram, you can set it up for both your Facebook and Instagram accounts if they’re connected. To do so:
1) On your profile, select the triple lines on the top right of your page.
2) Select Settings and Privacy → Select “Accounts Center” → Select “Password and security” → “Two-factor authentication”
3) Go through the steps for your personal Facebook Page.
4) Go through the steps for your personal Instagram account.
You have a couple of options for two-factor authentication: Most commonly, a login code to your phone, but you can also download an authentication app. I personally use the Google Authenticator app as another level of security, on top of a texted login code, which populates a new backup code every 30 seconds! It’s really easy and I highly recommend you add this backup option. Once you download the Google Authenticator app, you can click the “+” on the bottom right, then follow the steps above (for both FB & IG) after selecting to add an Authentication app.
After that, you would proceed to copy the code from the IG authentication settings (still following the steps above) and paste it into the Google Authenticator App with the account name (I just named my accounts Facebook /Instagram). Once it’s pasted in there, go back to the Instagram app and select “Next”, and it will confirm with you if the authenticator has been added!
Trust me, the steps may seem daunting but once you’re going through it, they will make sense, and be oh-so worth it to add an extra layer of security to your social channels!
If You Have Been Hacked…
Lastly, if you believe your account has been hacked, IG has created a new form that can accelerate the process of getting your account back. You can go to Instagram.com/hacked and follow the instructions from there.
The Steps We Took To Get Our Account Back:
First we filled out a support ticket here. Eventually we heard this back from Meta and they shared directions with us on how to regain access to our account. Remember, the directions may be different for every one’s support ticket, as we weren’t hacked. Regardless, this was the message we heard from them:
In order for us to create this request, we need all three of the following in a single combined PDF file:
a. A copy of a valid government-issued photo ID, such as a current driver’s license or a passport, of the individual signing the statement. You can find the different kinds of IDs we accept here: What types of ID does Facebook accept? (Help Center)
b. A signed PDF statement from a person with sufficient knowledge and authority over this matter that includes all of the below items.
i. NOTE: For UNMANAGED clients (Instagram only), the following statement MUST BE
NOTARIZED. This is NOT a requirement for managed clients. This means that it has to be signed by a person (a notary) who is witnessing and attesting to the authenticity of the documentation.
ii. The Instagram handle, link of Account in Question (i.e. https://instagram.com/USERNAME/)
iii. The email address of an individual requesting access
iv. A description of your relationship to the Instagram account (and authority to request a change in the admin, as applicable)
v. The name of the current Instagram admin(s), as applicable
vi. The current admin’s original relationship to the Instagram account
vii. An explanation of your request, and whether there has been a termination of the employment and/or business relationship with the named admin(s), as applicable
viii. All documentation supporting the request. Acceptable Business documents: What type of business documents does Facebook accept to prove that I’m the owner? (Help Center). If acceptable documentation is not provided, advise the client that they will need the documents in order to proceed with the Disputed Admin request and can start a new chat once ready. Close case as Done – Not Policy Compliant.
Please note that If they do chat back in, it would not be considered a duplicate case. Do not click the Follow Up button. Work the case as new and escalate appropriately.
ix. The email address of an individual that you wish to have added as the new admin on the Instagram account. The email must not be associated with another Instagram account.
NOTE: Due to a checkpoint on the Account, the email MUST be a generic domain — @gmail.com, @yahoo.com, @hotmail.com, etc
x. A typed declaration under penalty of perjury that the information you have provided is true and accurate (the statement must include this language).
After following these steps we regained access to our Instagram page, but wow – what a headache! 🥴
What I Want You To Take Away From This Blog:
- Set up Two-factor authentication
- Never click on links from DMs, emails or recommendations from Facebook
- Fill out a Meta support ticket if you lost access to your account
Okay, over to you…
We hope this helps! Feel free to comment below if you found another helpful tip for staying safe on social media! We’re all ears!
Comment via Facebook