S1E9: What to do if your Instagram account has been hacked?

  • 8 Dec 2022

Synopsis: This is a special 10-part podcast series by The Straits Times to raise greater public awareness of the modern scourge of scams in Singapore and globally.

In Singapore, nearly $1 billion has been lost by scam victims since 2016. Mutating and spreading, different types of scams have infiltrated every aspect of our lives, from romance to work. The police are cracking down on offenders. What can you do to protect yourself?

In the series’ ninth episode, ST’s deputy news editor Andre Yeo, crime correspondent David Sun and journalist Jessie Lim speak with Ms Verena Chin, owner of home-based bakery Le Artisserie.

During the episode, Ms Chin recounts her experience of having her Instagram business account taken over by scammers and how she regained it within two days.  

She also advises Instagram users on the steps they can take to recover their accounts -  such as immediately requesting a change in e-mail address and asking friends to report to Instagram, if their accounts have been hacked. 

Highlights (click/tap above):

1:28 How scammers took over Ms Verena Chin’s Instagram account in Sept 2022

7:23 Why home-based business owners depend heavily on Instagram for orders

10:50 How Ms Chin regained access to her Instagram account within a day

18:11 Warning signs someone may be trying to take over your Instagram account

23:48 What scammers can do after taking over your Instagram account 

Read ST's Stop Scams articles: https://str.sg/wWt9

Produced by: Andre Yeo (andrey@sph.com.sg), Jessie Lim (ljessie@sph.com.sg), David Sun (davidsun@sph.com.sg), Ernest Luis, Teo Tong Kai and Eden Soh

Edited by: Teo Tong Kai

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Andre Yeo's articles: https://str.sg/wWtC 

David Sun's articles: https://str.sg/wWty

Jessie Lim's articles: https://str.sg/wWtF

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Special edition series:

True Crimes Of Asia (6 eps): https://str.sg/i44T

The Unsolved Mysteries of South-east Asia (5 eps): https://str.sg/wuZ2 

Invisible Asia (9 eps): https://str.sg/wuZn 

Stop Scams (10 eps): https://str.sg/wuZB 

Singapore's War On Covid (5 eps): https://str.sg/wuJa 

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