Overview

• Katja Krasavice and Evelyn Burdecki have been locked out of their Instagram profiles since late June after cybercriminals breached their accounts.
• They have pursued recovery through Instagram’s online tools and, in Burdecki’s case, legal assistance but have not regained access.
• Instagram chief Adam Mosseri has released public guidance on verifying identity and securing compromised accounts.
• Consumer watchdogs report one in three users face similar breaches as hackers deploy phishing emails, fake login pages and SIM-swapping tactics against high-visibility accounts.
• Hijacked profiles are frequently exploited for fraud, extortion or fake giveaways, causing reputational harm and protracted restoration battles.