Instagram & Facebook recovery scam

"I can get your hacked account back" — for a fee, and your password.

How it works

After an account is lost, victims post publicly asking for help. Within minutes, 'ethical hackers' and 'recovery experts' reply with testimonials from accounts they also control. They ask for a fee up front, then your login details or the code sent to your phone. Nothing is recovered. The same crooks also run the initial takeover, using fake copyright-violation notices to harvest logins.

Red flags

Anyone who replies to your public plea offering paid recovery
Payment requested in crypto, Cash App or gift cards before any work
Requests for your password or the six-digit code just texted to you
A DM claiming copyright violation with a link to 'appeal' in 24 hours

Real-world example

"Hello, I am a certified recovery agent. I have helped 3,400 people restore hacked pages. Send $150 in Bitcoin and your login email to begin."

What to do

01Only use the platform's own account recovery flow — it is free.
02Never share a verification code, even with someone claiming to help.
03Turn on two-factor authentication with an authenticator app, not SMS.
04Warn your followers from another account so they are not targeted next.

Related scams

Hacked friend / 'is this you?' scam

A message from a friend's real account, sent by someone else.

Email phishing

Fake emails impersonating brands to steal credentials.

One-time passcode (OTP) scam

Someone talks you into reading out the six-digit code you just received.

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