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My friends Instagram was hacked and deep-fake videos posted in less than 6 hours

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Re: My friends Instagram was hacked and deep-fake videos posted in less than 6 hours

#51
post #21
post #19

Are you sure it’s a deepfake? A common version of this scam involves extorting the hacked user to record a video in exchange for getting their account back.

I've been on voice chat with her throughout the day trying to help her fix the problem. So I've seen it happen in real time, from the suspicious login in Nigeria to the deep-fake video that happened later.

It's so very hard to believe that it would be the notoriously unsophisticated Nigerians¹ pulling off high-end deepfakes. These guys weren't smart enough to use a proxy, but were supposedly smart enough to produce a good deepfake.

If this really happened, there must be some easy to use public tool they used. I'd really love to see the video.

¹ There's no way anyone else would log into a stolen account from a Nigerian IP.

Re: My friends Instagram was hacked and deep-fake videos posted in less than 6 hours

#52
post #40

frankly, i think this is where decentralized networks can help us. 1. networks where global reach to total strangers is not even possible, or at least is not the default. the vast majority of people only really want to reach their “friends of friends” anyway. this eliminates a lot of would-be hackers from even knowing you exist. 2. accounts that are unhackable because users log in with private keys instead of user/pa…

>the vast majority of people

i think the concept of followers shows that your premise isn't exactly true and people with more followers than just family, friends, and friends of friends is also another clue.

Re: My friends Instagram was hacked and deep-fake videos posted in less than 6 hours

#53

I was doxxed and harassed for my Insta account. Eventually one day it was just taken even though I had 2 factor auth on Insta and email. There is basically no recourse. Oh and it was given to one of mr beasts (from YouTube) helpers…

Probably inside job at IG tbh. Multiple reports over the years of desirable IG usernames being taken from legit users and handed to the friends of IG employees

Re: My friends Instagram was hacked and deep-fake videos posted in less than 6 hours

#54
post #48
post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

hacker news is not social and not media? :)

Hacker News doesn't even allow you to delete your account.

or edit/delete comments, ah the permanence of it all is strangely... terrifying?

Re: My friends Instagram was hacked and deep-fake videos posted in less than 6 hours

#55
post #51
post #21

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I've been on voice chat with her throughout the day trying to help her fix the problem. So I've seen it happen in real time, from the suspicious login in Nigeria to the deep-fake video that happened later.

It's so very hard to believe that it would be the notoriously unsophisticated Nigerians¹ pulling off high-end deepfakes. These guys weren't smart enough to use a proxy, but were supposedly smart enough to produce a good deepfake. If this really happened, there must be some easy to use public tool they used. I'd really love to see the video. ¹ There's no way anyone else would log into a stolen account from a Nigerian…

Why would Nigerians be unsophisticated? Are you assuming someone from Nigeria wouldn't be smart enough to make deepfakes?

Re: My friends Instagram was hacked and deep-fake videos posted in less than 6 hours

#56
post #8

Well, there really isn't anything preventing this from being massively automated. Except for the natural limit of influencers vs. target wallets. Your friend should take this as a complement to her appearance, she's been deemed attractive and trustworthy-looking, after all. That's why her account has been targeted. Contact IG to wipe it, and acquire stronger auth habits, and better backup habits. Nothing else you cou…

> Your friend should take this as a complement to her appearance, she's been deemed attractive and trustworthy-looking, after all. whew boy, I was not expecting this on this website

[deleted]

Re: My friends Instagram was hacked and deep-fake videos posted in less than 6 hours

#57
post #11
post #5

I've had my account hacked, too. I used to own: https://www.instagram.com/kaler/ Have owned it since Instagram launched and it was connected to my Facebook account which I've had since 2005 or so. There is no hope with contacting Instagram/Facebook support.

If you know someone who works there (Kafkaesque absurdity surrounding social-media operators) you can recover an account asking for help politely.

As far as I know, that's actually how these 'high profile' takeovers work. You know someone at Insta and politely ask/silently pay to get your account "back" or take over an "inactive" account.

Re: My friends Instagram was hacked and deep-fake videos posted in less than 6 hours

#59

i've been seeing this trend lately. it's not limited to the crypto niche. i've seen other ways they were trying to hijack people's identity to sell whatever thing they're trying to promote edit: also there was an instance in the past where my account got disabled and it took me months to get my account get reactivated again. the first issue is that they have a huge backlog of other people they are assisting. so you n…

> the first issue is that they have a huge backlog of other people they are assisting. so you need to find a way around that

If that is true, that is a deep cut against their account security.

Re: My friends Instagram was hacked and deep-fake videos posted in less than 6 hours

#60
post #51
post #21

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I've been on voice chat with her throughout the day trying to help her fix the problem. So I've seen it happen in real time, from the suspicious login in Nigeria to the deep-fake video that happened later.

It's so very hard to believe that it would be the notoriously unsophisticated Nigerians¹ pulling off high-end deepfakes. These guys weren't smart enough to use a proxy, but were supposedly smart enough to produce a good deepfake. If this really happened, there must be some easy to use public tool they used. I'd really love to see the video. ¹ There's no way anyone else would log into a stolen account from a Nigerian…

The phone number linked to the instagram account is also a +234 number now which is Nigerian based.
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