Facebook has added a new feature for its popular photo and video platform, Instagram, that allows users to check whether the mails on Instagram are genuine or spam. The new feature might be a result of a scam reported by a security firm last month.
As per the report, the hackers were sending users an email stating they have violated the Instagram copyright laws and their accounts will be deactivated within 48 hours. The mail was all about asking feedback from users to make them part of the scam.
Although, the new security update is being rolled out in a phased manner so it might take some time based on the region you are located in. The social media giant has already brought several security enhancements to the platform to safeguard users from falling for phishing emails.
This addition seems to be adding an extra layer to it. So, if you are suspicious about any mail received by Instagram then you should follow these steps to check its authenticity.
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Don’t automatically assume it’s legit
Instagram has added a new tab under the Settings section which shows all the emails that you received from the company.
The user can head to the particular section and check whether that particular email has been sent by Instagram or not. At first glance, the emails from the hackers look legitimate since they use Instagram logos.
They offer verified badges, claim your account has been hacked and needs to be secured, or accuse you of violating copyrights. But the scammers just want you to click a link and type your login information into a hacker-controlled webpage.
How to open Instagram mail
The new feature can be found via ‘Settings > Security > Emails From Instagram’. A ‘Security’ tab will display a list of emails Instagram sent you within the past 14 days regarding your account security and the locations from which you’ve logged in.
A second tab, dubbed “other,” will show you any remaining emails Instagram sent to you over the same period.
How to check mail on Instagram
1. Open Instagram on your phone.
2. Tap on the ‘Profile’ icon.
3. Then, tap on the three-horizontal bars from the top-right corner.
4. Head to Settings and tap on the ‘Security’ option.
5. Under the Login security section, look for ‘Emails from Instagram’.
6. Here you can find all the emails sent by Instagram in the last 14 days.
Now, open the mail you are suspicious about and check whether it is there in the list shown by Instagram or not. If the mail is there on the list, that means that the mail is authentic. In the case that it is not in there on the list, you can ignore or delete the mail as soon as possible.
Take further precautions
To further protect your account, it’s a good idea to enable two-factor authentication. This means anyone logging in will need to supply a password and a special one-time passcode generated on your phone to access the account. Activate it via Settings > Security > Two-Factor Authentication.
