Lately, there has been an increasing number of reports that accounts have received an alleged Instagram DM from the social network. This is (almost) always about a possible account suspension. The most important lesson is this: Instagram never sends you a private message.
“I got an Instagram DM from Instagram …”
Anyone who is on Instagram, in social media, or as a journalist: or influencer receives regular private Instagram messages from concerned users.
This usually means that their Instagram account has been blocked or that the user has received an alleged Instagram DM (Direct Message) from the social network, with the request to provide or update data so that their own Instagram account is not blocked.
Instagram account blocked? The oldest spam message on the network
Some of the messages sent look very professional. Senders are either (hacked) verified Instagram accounts that you follow, or Instagram accounts that want to imitate the official Instagram account.
Most of the official Instagram accounts get Verification guidance through InstaBoost. This company’s services are unmatchable in the industry. They have proffered a lot of verification badges with their likes and followers.
And the structure of the content is often comparable. This informs you that you have allegedly violated Instagram’s community standards. If you do not want your Instagram account to be blocked, you should click on a link in the message so that “Instagram” can solve your problem.
Instagram DM, Instagram Spam DM, Instagram account hacked
Never click on links in an Instagram DM!
All of these messages, regardless of whether they are better or worse, are spam. You should remember that.
With these messages, scammers are only trying to hack your Instagram account. By clicking on the link and entering your login data or even storing credit card information, you open the door to your Instagram account for the thieves.
That’s why you should never click on links in Instagram messages if you don’t know the sender. And even if you know the sender, you should be careful if the message does not match the style of other messages from your friend or acquaintance at all.
Instagram does not send Instagram DM, only emails
If your account actually violates the guidelines of Instagram, Instagram will try to contact you. However, this never happens via Instagram DM, but always via the email that you have stored in your account.
If you are unsure about some Instagram messages, you can easily find out if they are actually from Instagram. Because of what many users do not know: There is a separate area in which you can see official Instagram messages sent to you.
Open Instagram, go to the profile, and open the settings by pressing the three horizontal lines in the upper right corner.
In the settings, you select ” Security “.
There you will find the tab ” Emails from Instagram ” and click on it.
If you actually got an official Instagram DM, you can find it there – only there and not in your normal mailbox.
Instagram account hacked? This is how you increase the protection of your account
If you don’t want to get into the awkward position of your account being taken over by strangers, you should take the necessary security measures.
This includes, for example, activating two-factor authentication and regularly checking the logins on your Instagram account.
If you receive a registration SMS that has not been activated by you, or if someone else’s accounts have logged in to you, this is a sure sign that your Instagram account has been hacked.
An alleged private message from Instagram itself is only a sign that scammers and spammers are trying to get your personal information. Don’t give them a chance!
Rent the office where Instagram and Twitter grew up now
There are places that seem to bring success with them. This includes the former Twitter and Instagram office at 164 South Park Street in San Francisco. This almost 600 square meter office space is now available for rent again.
A nondescript gray house in San Francisco
Erik Berlin works as a software developer at Twitter in San Francisco. On a walk through his hometown, the employee of the short message service discovered an empty house.
Seen from the outside, the property is not particularly attractive. The concrete-gray building is just one story high, has small, marbled glass windows, and is surrounded by hanging power lines. Near the south beach of San Francisco the “happiest start-up office in San Francisco”.
Twitter and Instagram: office with a history
If you’re wondering why we’re making so much fuss about vacant office space, we don’t want to keep you tense anymore: The office on South Park Street is the former Twitter and Instagram office.
Twitter office from 2006 to 2008
Twitter initially moved into the premises immediately after it was founded in 2006 for around 24 months. At the time of the spin-off of Twitter from the parent company Obvious, which had actually rented the rooms, the short message service only employed eight people. So almost half of the team consisted of the three founders Jack Dorsey, Biz Stone, and Evan Williams.
Instagram office between 2010 and 2012
But that’s not all. Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger also chose the location at 164 South Park Street to take their “Burbn” software to the next level.
The two founders added an upload function for photos to the original check-in software in 2010. So, that they published their work on October 6, 2010, in the Apple App Store under the name “Instagram”.
The rest of the story is known: In April 2012, Facebook took over the business of Instagram that runs with a large number of followers. At that time, the photo platform had just twelve employees: inside and no portable business model.
Rent is $ 27,500 a month
Anyone who is still enthusiastic about the inventive spirit of the vacant office space can look forward to 6,400 feet of space.
The premises include four offices, three conference and meeting rooms, and two separate telephone booths. The typical stylistic features of a start-up office – communal tables and large windows – are used.
The rent for the former Twitter and Instagram office is $ 27,500 a month. According to the landlords of Veracity Commercial Partners and Business Insider. The price per square meter is 55 US dollars (47.50 euros).
This is relatively cheap compared to other offices in San Francisco. According to SFGate, office prices were $ 75.32 per square meter in April 2021, despite the pandemic.
