Ever heard of Finsta? It’s short for Finstagram and represents Fake Instagram Accounts that browse the platform incognito.
You know, the ones sneaking around to avoid parents, friends, colleagues, or partners, maybe just for some quiet online spying.
However, in the eyes of Instagram, these are the infamous Spam Accounts. And here’s the kicker – sometimes, a fake Instagram account goes beyond mere lurking and pulls some illegal moves on the platform.
Regardless of the intent, it’s crucial to be on the lookout for these fake profiles on Instagram and kick them to the digital curb due to their associated risks.
In this blog, I’m diving deep into this evolving phenomenon, tackling some burning questions like How to spot fake Instagram accounts and how to get rid of them. Hang tight – we’re about to unravel the mystery together!
What Are Fake Instagram Accounts?
Fake Instagram accounts, or profiles, are basically online personas crafted with made-up details. These profiles might skip using real names and actual profile pictures, occasionally choosing to pretend to be someone else.
To put it simply, these are Instagram accounts that don’t reveal the true identity of the person behind them.
Just a quick reminder: Fake Instagram accounts and ghost accounts are not the same. Ghost followers are real but inactive, meaning there’s no activity on Insta. On the flip side, fake accounts are deliberately made to trick or deceive.
Why Do People Create Fake Instagram Accounts?
Now, let’s dive into the various reasons people create these fake accounts on Instagram.
#1. Having Fun
Messing around with family and friends is a big reason why people create fake Instagram accounts. It’s all about having a good time!
Some even take it up a notch by making fake Instagram DMs to pull off funny pranks. And there are even fake Instagram accounts makers- apps and online tools- that make it easier.
But here’s the deal – while having fun is awesome, it’s super important to be careful with this stuff.
#2. Keeping it real
Posting real and unfiltered life moments is what Lara Williams talked about in a 2016 article for The Guardian.
“Behind many Instagram accounts featuring filtered selfies and sunkissed beaches is a second account reserved for close friends and full of wilfully unattractive shots”.
Typically, these fake accounts belong to someone with a real Instagram account. However, this second account is all about sharing maybe not-so-glamorous, unfiltered selfies. Usually, only a handful of close friends follow these accounts.
#3. Stalking others
Some folks just want to watch others from the shadows. Take Olivia Rodrigo, the singer, for instance. In an interview with the Independent, she casually mentioned that she uses her fake Instagram account solely to “stalk her crushes.”
#4. Impersonation
Sometimes, fake profiles pretend to be famous people, regular folks, or even organizations. I came across a situation where a fake account pretended to be Cyber Security officers, snagged 14k followers, and offered dispute resolution services to traders.
#5. Illegal activities
Some fake Instagram profiles are up to more than just stalking or being real. They’re out to trick people for money.
For instance, as reported by the San Francisco Chronicle, there’s a fake account tricking customers into sending money, pretending it’s for a dinner discount or asking them to click on a link that’s actually a phishing scam.
#6. Cyberbullying
It’s not great news, but as per Digitaltrends, more young people face cyberbullying on Instagram than anywhere else, hitting 42 percent.
Fake accounts often use their hidden identity to send mean messages, spread embarrassing stuff, or do other hurtful things online.
Sadly, cyberbullying through fake accounts can seriously mess with someone’s feelings and mind.
How many fake accounts are on Instagram?
That’s an interesting question. I tried to dig up the latest stats on fake IG accounts, but the freshest numbers I found are from 2020. They said one in ten Instagram accounts is fake, and there are around 95 million bot accounts (pretty high, huh?). No doubt those numbers have gone up since then.
How to know if an Instagram account is fake (built-in features)
Instagram doesn’t have specific features to directly spot a fake account. However, the app recently introduced some features that can be pretty helpful. Let’s check them out.
- Engagement rate: Fake accounts often have tons of followers but very few likes or comments on their posts. Now, with a new Instagram feature, you can check this info when you open a profile on your computer.
- Date of joining: If you check out the posts on a fake account, you’ll probably see that most of them joined the platform recently.
To see the joined time, just go to their profile, tap the three dots at the top corner, and select “About this account”. You’ll see the date the account joined Instagram.
- Account Location: Just imagine a certain account claims to be in a specific location, but the account shows otherwise. Checking an account’s location is also possible through the About this account feature.
- Number of username changes: Changing things often might mean someone’s trying to hide who they are or just mess with their followers (Check this out via About this account, too).
Note: The “About this account” feature is available on both the Instagram app & desktop.
Also, fake accounts never have a blue tick on them, free verified Instagram accounts have gone through the Instagram verification process, so you know there is a real person behind that account. [Unless they’ve tried one of those Instagram blue tick hacks!]
How to Tell If an Instagram Account Is Fake (Other Signs)
If you’re on the lookout for a magic trick, like a fake Instagram account checker, I’ve got to break it to you — there’s no such thing.
We’ve talked about tools that help check fake followers, but a specific checker for fake accounts? Nope, doesn’t exist. Sorry about that! All you can do is trust the signs, like:
- Incomplete profile, not enough info in their bio, maybe just a little.
- Their username could be odd – like, really strange, with repeating letters or numbers.
- Check the profile picture that if it’s not a regular human’s face, or if the photos are generic or look like stock images.
- They’ve got zero or just a few posts, and those posts usually don’t fit the account or seem kinda meaningless.
- They have too many followings with few followers.
- Fake Instagram accounts usually drop random comments on public posts, leave promotional comments promising big money overnight, or advertise strange products or services.
- They send you spam DMs offering you unusual offers, requesting personal info, or making urgent requests.
- At times, fake profiles share pictures of other people instead of themselves. They might use images of attractive girls or handsome guys that you can easily find on the internet.
How Should I Deal With Fake Accounts on Instagram?
When dealing with a fake Instagram account, you’ve got two options: Report them or block them. You can do these things on both the app and the computer. Let’s check out how.
Also read: How to remove bot followers on Instagram
How to Report Fake Instagram Accounts?
Follow these simple steps to report a fake profile:
- Visit the profile of the account you suspect is fake, tap on the three dots at the top right corner, and select “Report”.
- Now, choose the second option and head over to the next step.
- Here, you should select What you want to report about the account.
- In the end, you can choose to do things like block, restrict, unfollow, or even mute the account.
How to Report an Impersonation on Instagram (Web)?
Impersonation goes against Instagram’s terms of use, and that’s why they’ve set up a special form to report it. This form asks for your details and info about the account you’re reporting. Once you fill it in, you can send it.
How to block a fake account on Instagram?
If you believe the account is just fake without impersonating or causing harm, you can simply block it and move on. Just go to the profile, tap the three dots, and choose “Block.”
Here, find how to block/unblock someone on IG.
What if someone sends me spam DMs?
Fortunately, with Instagram’s message settings, you can control who can message you. If you choose not to receive messages from unknown accounts, they’ll end up in message requests.
If a fake account sends spammy DMs, you can easily block it, preventing them from messaging you again.
FAQs
Let’s check out some frequently asked questions about this topic:
Can I Identify Fake Instagram Accounts?
Even though there’s no surefire way to spot them, some signs like having almost no posts, minimal info on the profile, a weird or missing profile picture, following too many accounts, and a low engagement rate can help you figure out if an account might be fake.
Is There An App to Detect a Fake Instagram Account?
No, despite some apps claiming to be fake account checkers, there’s no actual app or tool for that.
Should I report a fake Instagram account to Cyber Crime Organizations?
No, It’s not necessary to involve cyber authorities unless the fake impersonation is tied to serious crimes or threats.
Someone Is Impersonating Me on Instagram. What Can I Do?
If someone made a fake account using your info or pictures, just report the account or the content on it.
Is it illegal to have a fake Instagram account?
Making a fake Instagram account or impersonating breaks Instagram rules, but it’s not against the law. Yet, if you use these accounts for illegal stuff, it’s against the law and could get you in trouble.
Why do fake accounts follow me on instagram?
Fake accounts follow you for a couple of main reasons: either to grab your personal info or to increase their own followers.
