Egidio
Security · Instagram

Instagram scams: how to spot them and stay safe

Fake romantic relationships, fake influencer investments, DM account hacking: Instagram concentrates several well-documented scam types. Here's how to spot them.

Protect my messaging apps with Egidio Free for calls · 100% on your phone

The most common Instagram scams

Each variant activates one or more documented psychological levers — spot them under each card.

Most costly

Romance scam (pig-butchering)

A relationship builds over weeks via DM, then you're pushed toward a fake crypto platform. The displayed gains are fictional.

Fabricated bondUnexpected gain
Common

Fake influencer investments

An account mimics or impersonates an influencer or brand to promote a fake guaranteed investment scheme.

Borrowed authorityUnexpected gain
Technical

DM account hacking

A fake "Instagram support" account contacts you first and asks for your credentials or a login code.

Borrowed authority
One-off but real

Recovery tool flaw

In 2026, a flaw in one of Meta's AI-powered recovery tools compromised over 20,000 accounts — a reminder that even official tools aren't foolproof.

$234 million
lost to Instagram scams in 2025 based on reported losses — out of $2.1 billion lost to social media scams overall. According to the FBI, pig-butchering alone cost American victims roughly $8.7 billion in 2025, with Instagram cited among the platforms most affected.
Federal Trade Commission, Data Spotlight, April 2026 · FBI

How to spot a scam on Instagram

Why vigilance alone isn't enough on Instagram specifically. The most effective trap is almost never a suspicious stranger — it's the account of a friend or relative you actually know, hacked. You recognize the name, the photo, the conversation history — everything that normally builds trust. Being wary of strangers doesn't protect against that. The same applies to fake "Instagram support" accounts that message you first: Meta never does this, but the message format closely mimics real official communications.

What to do if you're targeted

  1. Never share your login code or password, even to "support".
  2. For a hacked account, use only the official form in the Instagram Help Center.
  3. Never deposit funds on a platform discovered via a DM.
  4. Report and block directly from the app.

How Egidio protects you

Egidio detects scam signals across more than 183 apps — including Instagram — on top of calls, and warns you before you open the trap.

Where others rely on a list of known numbers, Egidio detects the scam itself — even from an account it has never seen before.

An Instagram scam almost never stays on Instagram — it moves to WhatsApp, a text, or a bank transfer. See why filtering a single app is never enough.

100% on your phone. Egidio analyzes notifications locally: it doesn't store your conversations and sends nothing to a server. No ads, no account.

Download Egidio Call blocking is free · messaging protection is Premium

Frequently asked questions

How do I spot a scam on Instagram?

Be wary of a relationship that forms quickly then brings up a crypto opportunity, a "support" account that contacts you first, or an influencer promising guaranteed gains.

How do I recover a hacked Instagram account?

Use the official "Hacked Account" form in the Help Center, never a link received by message even if it looks like Instagram support.

What is pig-butchering on Instagram?

A trusted relationship builds over weeks via DM, then you're offered an investment on a fake crypto platform.

Does Egidio read my Instagram messages?

No. Egidio analyzes notifications on your phone to detect scam signals. It doesn't store your conversations and sends nothing to a server.

Learn more →
Is Egidio free?

Call blocking is free, forever. Messaging protection and Family mode are included in the Premium version.

Full price breakdown →

A successful scam costs an average of $19,300. Egidio Family protects 4 people for £49.99/year. Full breakdown →