New scam using offensive comments on Instagram: how to protect your account

A new scam has appeared on Instagram. Bots write you hateful comments from a private profile, mostly in Russian. Then, out of curiosity, you go to the hater's page and see a link to a Telegram channel. Clicking on this link leads to account hacking or malware infection of the device.

Be careful and always think a little. There has been a lot of this in my feed in the last day. The scheme is very simple – by clicking on the link, you are helping to hack the page. And in general, never forget that behind such emotional manipulations there is almost always some kind of fraudulent scheme.

Important aspect. Such a link may appear in your feed from a good friend who just a few hours earlier clicked on the same link. His account was hacked in a matter of minutes and he started receiving spam emails from scammers.

Writer and founder of the “How Not to Become a Vegetable” initiative, Oksana Moroz, warns against clicking on the suggested links:

“Please do not click on such comments/accounts/links. There is one rule here – if you turn on your emotions, something is wrong. You need to be careful,” emphasizes Oksana Moroz.

In a comment to the Institute of Mass Information, Moroz noted that the purpose of hacking can change: first, fraudsters gain access to the account, and then they can use it to collect information, sell, or commit financial fraud.

Blogger and columnist Maya Tulchynska shared a similar incident. She almost fell victim to scammers, but she noticed the danger in time and didn't open the link.

“They send bots to people's pages with the task of writing nasty things specifically about the author of the page. Without political messages, without even linking to the topic of a specific post. It is stupid to write nasty things about a person and it is desirable to get into the topic that hurts them the most (according to their theoretical assumption). This is done with the sole purpose of offending, stirring up emotions,” Tulchynska wrote.

Tips on how to protect your account:

Do not follow suspicious links: Especially if they lead to unfamiliar Telegram channels or other external resources.

Ignore offensive comments: Don't respond to hateful comments from unfamiliar accounts.
Check for bot profiles: Private profiles with a small number of followers and suspicious content may be bots.

Enable two-factor authentication: This adds an extra layer of security to your account.

Use a strong password: Create a unique and complex password for your account.
Don't share personal information: Never give your password, phone number, or other personal information to strangers.

Be wary of phishing messages: Scammers may impersonate Instagram or other well-known companies to get your information.

Update your software: Make sure your phone and apps are updated to the latest versions.

What to do if your account has been hacked:

• Change your password immediately.
• Report the hack to Instagram.
• Check your device for malware.
• Let your friends and followers know about the hack so they can be careful.

Remember: Scammers are constantly inventing new ways to deceive, so it is important to be vigilant and attentive.

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Sourse: Source