Scammers find way to block Instagram and demand money
Scammers are exploiting Instagram's complaint system to block large accounts and extort money. Attackers mass-report copyright violations to trigger restrictions, then offer to stop the attack for payment. Victims, including an account owner with 1.5 million followers, report losses in the thousands of dollars. Meta says it is aware of the issue and taking action.
Scammers have found a way to exploit Instagram's complaint system to block large pages and extort money. Attackers mass-report copyright violations to trigger account restrictions. They then contact owners and offer to stop the attack for payment. According to the BBC, the problem is particularly painful for bloggers and content creators who rely on Instagram for income. One victim with about 1.5 million followers paid the attacker $50 in an attempt to restore normal page operation, but said the blocking cost him thousands of dollars in potential revenue. Ollie, creator of the historical page Lost in Time History with over 1.5 million subscribers, also faced an attack. Throughout 2026, dozens of claims were filed against his posts, all from the same email address. A person then contacted him, suggesting they continue the conversation on Telegram, where money was demanded to stop the flood of complaints. Meta stated it is aware of user complaints, has restored affected content, and is implementing additional protective measures. Page owners are advised not to transfer money and to challenge decisions through Instagram's official tools.