Could you imagine logging into Instagram, only to find out that your account had been hijacked?
Thalia Almodovar is a makeup artist who gained notoriety for being told she looks like and has been mistaken for Kim Kardashian West. Now, as the breakout star of VH1’s reality series ‘Beauty Bar,’ Thalia is also an avid Instagram user with a following of more than 18,000 followers on her account, however she was in for a rather crude awakening when she noticed something strange over a month ago: she had been logged out of her account.
When she tried to log back in, she got a message that her login details were incorrect. She soon realized her bio and photo had both been changed, as had the email address and phone number associated with her account. She tried to request a password reset, only to see the new email linked to her account was now an email she didn’t recognize. Spoiler alert (you guessed it): Thalia had been hacked.
As a television personality with a verified Instagram account (@dashingthalia), one would think it would be fairly easy for Thalia to get in contact with Instagram and regain access, however when her reps spoke out exclusively to itsKenBarbie.com to provide details, they shared it’s been the exact opposite.
“Thalia has sent Instagram a photo of herself holding a code they provided her via email as proof of her identity, we’ve visited Instagram headquarters in NYC numerous times, only to be told that these problems are handled by computer automated systems.”
What are the hackers looking for from Thalia’s account you may ask? According the rep, the apparently Turkish hackers (based on their language used via their Instagram direct messages from Thalia’s account) are requesting 500 US dollars or nudes of the reality star in exchange for the access to her account and email. Thalia and her team hope her story will bring awareness to what is apparently becoming an ongoing issue, one that Instagram denies, stating they haven’t noticed the increase of hacked accounts on the platform. (Despite a quick search of ‘hacked instagram’ on various other social networks revealing otherwise)
“We work hard to provide the Instagram community with a safe and secure experience,” an Instagram spokesperson said in a statement. “When we become aware of an account that has been compromised, we shut off access to the account and the people who’ve been affected are put through a remediation process so they can reset their password and take other necessary steps to secure their accounts.”
Still, a nearly two months since the initial hacking, Thalia remains hopeful that justice will be obtained for herself and many others with similar experiences.
“We urge that Instagram puts a plan in motion that will protect influencer accounts when they are hacked, so that they can get in contact with Instagram and communicate directly,” continued Thalia’s rep.
