An elaborate phishing scam has hit some Instagram users who warn that the content appears, at least initially, to be a legitimate message from the platform. The scam involves sending a private message to Instagram users, warning them that they have infringed upon an image`s copyright and they need to fill out a form to avoid having their account suspended.
Phishing scams are attempts to acquire the victim`s personal information, typically login credentials for online accounts or information that could be used for financial fraud, such as a Social Security number. In the case of this latest Instagram scam, which was first reported by Fstoppers, the scammers seek login information for the victim`s Instagram and email accounts.
It`s unclear how broadly this scam may be deployed, but at least one seemingly legitimate account appears to have been hijacked to send these messages. Andy Day at Fstoppers reports having received a private message on Instagram from The North Face Chile account alleging that a copyright violation had been detected on his account.
The North Face Chile account behind the phishing message.
The phishing scam states that the user must `provide feedback` to the message or else their account will be suspended in 24 hours. The message includes a link to `InstagramHelpNotice.com,` a website that appears -- at first -- to be a legitimate Instagram website (at least if the victim is on mobile, which is the primary platform used by Instagrammers).
The first two screens presented on the phishing website `InstagramHelpNotice.com`
The phishing website first prompts the user to enter their Instagram username, then their password. This section of the website appears legitimate, but the next part seeking the user`s email address and email password is obviously a scam. In addition to the fact that Instagram would never ask for a user`s personal email credentials, the website also misspells `address` as ` ...
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