Is that Instagram verification or account recovery message a scam?
Instagram and social media verification scams take several forms. The most common: a message (often in your DMs, sometimes via email) claims to be from Instagram or a brand partner, stating that your account has been selected for a blue verification badge. To receive it, you must provide your username, password, and often a two-factor authentication code.
A second variant impersonates Instagram's support team: 'Your account has been flagged for a terms violation and will be permanently disabled unless you complete a verification form.' The form captures your login credentials and sometimes your phone number and date of birth.
A third version offers fake 'brand ambassador' deals — a major brand or influencer network has 'chosen your profile' for a paid partnership. To onboard, you must log in through a link that's a phishing page.
🚩 Red flags to watch for
- ▶An unsolicited DM, email, or message offering you a blue verification badge.
- ▶Any message claiming your account will be disabled or suspended unless you 'verify' through a link.
- ▶A link to a site that isn't instagram.com — watch for instagram.support.com, instagram-verify.net, or similar lookalikes.
- ▶A request for your Instagram password or a two-factor authentication code.
- ▶A 'brand deal' offer that requires you to log in through a third-party link to 'sign the contract'.
✅ What to do
- 1Instagram's verification system is entirely managed within the official app (Settings → Account → Request Verification). It is free and requires no password confirmation to anyone other than Instagram itself.
- 2All genuine Instagram communications about policy violations arrive via the official 'Support' section of the app — not via DMs or external emails.
- 3If you've entered your credentials on a suspicious site: change your Instagram password immediately, revoke all authorised third-party app access (Settings → Security → Apps and Websites), and enable two-factor authentication.
- 4Report the phishing account or message directly within Instagram using the '...' menu on any post or DM.
📣 Where to report (by country)
🇺🇸 United States
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
- Action Fraud
- Police Scotland — call 101
🇦🇺 Australia
🇨🇦 Canada
🌍 Everywhere else
- Contact your local police and your bank immediately
- If money was sent, ask your bank about a recall request — act within hours
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Common questions
Does Instagram offer verification? How do you actually get it?
Yes — the blue checkmark (Meta Verified) is available via paid subscription or through an application process for notable accounts. The application is made through the official Instagram app's Settings → Account → Request Verification. It is free to apply, and Instagram never contacts you to offer it proactively.
A 'brand' offered me a paid deal and asked me to log in through their link. Is that normal?
No. Legitimate brand partnerships do not require you to hand over your Instagram credentials. They communicate through official brand email addresses (not Gmail), use platform-native tools for collaboration, and do not need your password. Any 'partnership' requiring login credentials is an account takeover attempt.