Is the Instagram DM Scam real or a scam?

This is a confirmed scam. Do not click any links, do not provide personal information, and do not send money. This is a phishing scam.

What should I do if I received the Instagram DM Scam?

Do not respond or click any links. Block the sender, report the message as spam, and delete it. If it came via text message, forward it to 7726 (SPAM).

What if I already fell for the Instagram DM Scam?

Change your passwords immediately, contact your bank if you shared financial information, place a fraud alert on your credit, and file a report with the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.

How do I report the Instagram DM Scam?

Report it to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov, the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) at ic3.gov, and your local law enforcement. If it impersonated a specific company, report it to that company as well.

Instagram DM Scam: Is It a Scam?

Very High Prevalence Type: Phishing

Yes, this is a scam. Do not click any links or provide personal information.

Scammers use Instagram DMs to impersonate brands offering sponsorships, friends whose accounts were hacked, or attractive strangers leading you into investment or romance scams. These messages often lead to stolen accounts or financial loss.

How This Scam Works

In one common variant, you receive a DM from what appears to be a brand offering a paid partnership. They ask you to click a link to 'register' which actually steals your Instagram login. In another, a friend's hacked account sends you a message asking you to vote for them in a contest or help them recover their account by forwarding a code. That code is actually the 2FA code for your own account, which the scammer uses to take over your profile. Investment scams start with a DM from an attractive profile showing off a luxury lifestyle, eventually pitching crypto or forex trading.

Red Flags to Watch For

Brand deal offers from accounts with few followers or no verification
Friend asking you to forward a code or click a link
DMs from strangers showing off wealth and mentioning investing
Any link that asks for your Instagram login outside the app
Urgency to act now before an offer expires

Example Scam Messages

DM: 'Hey! We love your content and want to offer you a paid collaboration with our brand. Please register at our influencer portal: instagram-brand-collab.com/signup' --- DM from 'friend': 'Hey can you help me real quick? I need you to vote for me in this photo contest. Click this link and log in: ig-photo-vote.com' --- DM: 'I just made $5,000 in 2 hours with crypto trading! My mentor taught me everything. DM me if you want to learn too!'

What to Do If You Received This

Never click links in DMs from unknown accounts
Verify brand deals through the company's official website
If a friend sends a suspicious message, contact them outside Instagram
Never share or forward login codes to anyone
Report and block suspicious accounts

What to Do If You Fell For It

Change your Instagram password immediately
Enable two-factor authentication
Revoke access to suspicious third-party apps in Instagram settings
If locked out, use Instagram's account recovery at instagram.com/hacked
Alert your followers that your account was compromised

How to Report This Scam

Report the account through Instagram's in-app reporting
Report to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov
File a complaint with FBI IC3 at ic3.gov
Report hacked accounts at instagram.com/hacked

Last updated: February 10, 2026