How Instagram Users Are Making Money Off Of Bans

New Instagram banning loophole methods are beginning to emerge. Various reports cite that some deep-market servicers can now ban any account for just $60. 

The first method, which involves a trick within Instagram’s impersonation system, is straightforward. 

The providers will use a verified “host” account to mimic their target by copying their bio, profile, and name, then file a report with Instagram saying that the target’s page mimics the actual, verified entity. 

Instagram will see that two accounts with the verified blue mark are the same when reviewing the report. Subsequently, the non-verified page will be taken down. 

Other methods include having Instagram lock an account that they think represents someone deceased. If one can provide Instagram with falsified death reports of a user, the account will be transferred to a “remembering” state where no user can use it again.

Instagram is reportedly investigating these banning occurrences and encourages all users to report suspicious activity or services that they may find. 

Sometimes, people behind the bans will also offer to unban services that restore the user’s account. Such a service is usually provided through direct contacts to Instagram support networks.

Those unbans may cost thousands of dollars. 

Providers may also use custom scripts to mass report an account. They can design an interface that will file thousands of reports on a particular page through simple programming, almost guaranteeing that it’ll be taken down. 

The bans are impacting thousands of victims around the world. Ex partners, personal rivals, or others may be the primary targets. 

Instagram is now pushing people towards their support pages and account recovery forms, but those same forms may be useless if their interface is flooded with other fraudulent reports.