Your Instagram account is worth more than you think, and attackers know it

If you’re a creator or influencer, your Instagram account isn’t just a profile. It’s your portfolio, your shopfront, and often your primary source of income. And right now, it’s under threat.

In 2025 alone, 429 million social media accounts were compromised globally, with Instagram accounting for nearly a third of all attacks. That figure is projected to reach 580 million by the end of 2026. Attackers are increasingly targeting influencers and creators through phishing, SIM swapping, and session hijacking, seizing control of accounts and demanding ransoms, often in cryptocurrency, for their return.

Once locked out, creators face the agonising choice of paying up or enduring weeks of lost income and audience reach while platforms process recovery requests.

The copyright weapon

But account hijacking isn’t the only play. A growing wave of extortionists are now weaponising the copyright system itself.

Scammers file bogus copyright infringement reports against creators’ content, triggering automated takedowns. They then demand payment to withdraw the claims, knowing that repeated strikes can lead to account suspension or permanent removal.

As the BBC reported, creators are receiving dozens of “obviously fake” copyright complaints in 2026, with some paying ransoms in cryptocurrency as a “last resort” because Meta’s own recovery process can take weeks. The BBC spoke to individuals who openly admitted to filing copyright strikes despite not being the rights holders, and to creators who were hit by further strikes immediately after paying up.

In India, a Public Interest Litigation claim has been filed in the Delhi High Court alleging organised syndicates are running this exact racket at scale.

This isn’t a glitch. It’s a deliberate exploitation of platform rules designed to protect intellectual property, turned against the very people those rules should serve.

No one is immune

If you’re a non-verified creator, the stakes are especially high. Without the added protections that come with verification, a handful of false copyright strikes can result in permanent account deletion, wiping out years of content and audience-building overnight.

But verified users shouldn’t be complacent. Even with a blue tick, a sustained attack can cause serious disruption, including lost sponsorship income, damaged brand relationships, and weeks of uncertainty.

What you can do

First, never post content without proper permission or a clear licence. Doing so can it make you a softer target.

Second, if you’re facing a ransom attack or false copyright claims, don’t pay. It rarely ends there. If you’re willing to pay once, the extortionist will hit you again or share your susceptibility to pay to others. There is also the risk the ransom is used to fund terrorism, exposing you to potential criminal sanctions.

Third, act quickly. The sooner you get legal advice, the stronger your position.

There are real legal remedies available. False copyright reports can amount to fraud and, under the right circumstances, court orders can be obtained to unmask anonymous attackers, freeze assets, and compel platforms to restore accounts. HCR Law’s Technology and Innovation team have direct experience in:

• Resisting infringement allegations by filing counter-notifications, challenging false claims and protecting content through formal legal channels
• Escalating platform complaints by navigating Meta’s reporting and appeals processes and, where necessary, compelling platform action through legal proceedings
• Online international tracing to identify who is behind an attack through IP addresses or cryptocurrency wallets, wherever they are in the world
• Targeting and pursuing those responsible by obtaining injunctions, disclosure orders and other court remedies to hold attackers to account.

Your account is your livelihood. Don’t let someone else hold it hostage.