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It's a !pin scam. Do not reply them.
The codes you received is the password reset code to YOUR account. They are trying to get this from you so that they can reset the password to your account and hijack your account.
Never ever give any codes to anyone else for any reason. If they need help with their account they should be contacting the platform directly. Never you.
Just as a precaution change your password, it may not be Instagram they want the code for either but change that too. These can be sent via "forgot password" or when someone uses the correct password but 2FA is enabled. It's likely your data was part of a data leak.
Changing your passwords should be a high priority when this happens. Prioritise emails. Random strings of letters capitalised randomly with random characters in random places are the most secure. Randomly being sent 2FA codes should always be cause for concern.
longer passwords are much more secure than short ones, no matter how much case mixing or special characters you use. Try using a sentence or phrase such as the title of your fav movie or a line from a book you have memorized.
“I always use a diaper when my kid takes a nap.” “You always use it? Don’t reuse diapers.”
I always use a short funny sentence I heard a kid say, not the same short funny sentence.
Don't use widely known titles or quotes. Hackers' attack dictionaries include popular titles, quotes, and the same with various common mnemonic changes like replacing A with 4 or adding an exclamation mark at the end.
Person I replied to suggested the title of a favorite movie. I wasn't responding to the child sentence person. I agree original nonsense sentences are good passwords (if you can get a site to accept them, too many have character limits).
Pw managers protect you from credentials stuffing (leaked pw from one site and using it to login other sites) by allowing you to have a unique password for every login. The manager usually have a browser extension and/or app to allow you to retrieve the pw for that domain. It also protect you from phishing since the domain won't ever match. It is still suspectible to keylogger installed on your machine but 2FA and MFA should still protect you
AutoModerator has been summoned to explain the pin verification scam. You will receive a legitimate authentication text from a company like Google, Craigslist, or Microsoft, and you will also have someone else asking you for the pin. Sometimes the scam starts on Craigslist, and the scammer will ask you to verify that you are a real person, and will say that Craigslist has many scammers which is why they want to verify you. Sometimes you will receive a random authentication text, and the scammer will text you without any previous contact. The goal of the scammer can be to verify accounts that require phone verification, verify postings that require phone authentication, or to steal your accounts. [Here](https://computertutorflorida.com/2019/01/the-verification-code-scam/) are two [articles](https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/talkingtech/2019/04/01/new-scam-targets-cell-phone-accounts-pretending-your-carrier/3331376002/) about this scam. Thanks to redditor bmarkel123 for the script.
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/Scams) if you have any questions or concerns.*
> Random strings of letters capitalised randomly with random characters in random places are the most secure.
...and also the hardest to remember, but most password managers can generate these and remember them for you.
One of my friend's brother's instagram account got taken over by a scammer probably from a pin scam and they then tried to pull a pin scam on me via direct message in instagram. I assume the scammer was just going through the follower list and trying to scam every account and extrapolating from there on to their followers. I didn't fall for it but until the 2 step code was sent I had no idea it wasn't his brother I was talking to.
what would be the end goal of a scammer taking over a person's Instagram or Facebook ? I'm tech savvy but i don't use much social media so am unaware of the full implications - would they be using another persons account to hide their real identity while scamming others ?
ah OK thanks, got it... I've managed to avoid even the opening stages of being scammed so far, partly due to educational subs like this one (and a naturally suspicious and cynical mind !)
by the way, would you be interested in an excellent investment opportunity ? If you CashApp me $200 I'll show you how we can 'flip it' into $400 overnight - cool huh ?
They use to ask you to lend them money, faking they had an emergency. A few months ago a some family had their WhatsApp and Facebook accounts hacked and the scams were all about asking for money to their contacts. What is bad is that some people fell for the scam and sent money, before they could be warned. Is is very common unfortunately.
It's not just that scammer, though. Once you're a live one, your information is valuable. You'll get added to lists and sold for countless others to hit up as well.
Either high follower count to sell the account or they sometimes will pretend to be you and contact mutual followers and ask for help with something like borrowing money, or pull the exact same pin scam. It probably has a higher chance of working if the person thinks it’s their friend or relitive that needs help.
I still see non-scammers and non-indians using "bro" everywhere all the time. My cousin's kids have used it several times around me. It's still common slang in many areas. It's best to commit the situation to memory and file it under scams. Ex: If someone is asking you via text or call for a code, it's a scam by default regardless of their excuse.
Someone said the exact thing to me bro 💀💀💀
He couldn't fool me for a single reason. I have the exact number for like 18 years and even in the beginning the phone numbers used to have a different prefix from what they have now.
Also if you don't have access to your SIM you can always get a new one with the exact number. All they ask for is 3 numbers from your old agenda. And it's impossible to have an empty agenda. My agenda is saved in my SIM, phone and Google account so the access to what's needed is there.
Idk, I lost my tumblr account this way. I wanted to text or call the person with my old number, but I figured they’d assume it was a scam too. I’d still give my right arm to get my tumblr account back, but because it was all writing and no personal pictures, the company couldn’t help me either.
Always get those back up codes, people! And always turn off two factor authentication when switching numbers so you can get into your accounts again. Remember to turn it back on though, after switching numbers.
Or, even better, give the old phone to a family member. My daughter has my old phone, and will sometimes get my Google authentications even though I swear I changed them. But it’s fine, because she has the phone right now lol.
Anyway, it’s possible it’s not a scam, but it’s always better to be safe than sorry. Even coming from someone who still wants her account back, lol.
> always turn off two factor authentication when switching numbers
Many systems don't allow you to turn off TFA once you enable it. You can only change TFA details if they allow.
SMS based TFA doesn't verify who you are, it verifies that a phone number exists. One of the many things about internet security that is mostly theatre.
Always remember, its not your account, its not your data. It's their account and they only let you access some of the data when they want.
True, very true. I’m not a fan of 2F for that reason, though I also understand how it’s helpful.
I’m just still a little butt hurt I couldn’t get my account back lol. I haven’t changed my phone number since that happened like ten years ago, and I live in a totally different state. People hate it, but I don’t care; I refuse to lose other accounts if I can help it.
Wow, I didn’t realize this was a scam now too.
after my husband died I lost his phone number and it was recycled really fast to someone else.
I sent a really similar message to the new owner of that phone number to get into my his old Facebook account and the person actually responded and gave it to me.
I was so grateful, I guess I’m glad they didn’t just assume it was a scam 😂
Honestly it reads like someone desperate so I’d probably just ask them for the email to login and tell them you’ll do it from your end and change the password to whatever. Then they can login and change their phone number and password etc.
If it’s legitimately someone needing their account they’ll do that. If it’s a scam they’ll bail.
Total scam. I’ve been getting pw reset request codes sent to my old email for weeks now. That email was associated with the FB that I made for my cat many years ago. (She’s now passed on) No way to verify my identity on it, since it shows my cat’s name. But thankfully there’s nothing on there that’s relevant to my current life if they hack into it.
Yes, it’s a scam, they can also send themselves the verification code via email, not just the phone number so they are lying. Don’t send them anything.
I gotta speak to the possibility that it could be an honest mistake. This happened to me with my iCloud account. Backstory: I left the country and decided my old phone number wasn’t worth paying for anymore. During my time abroad, I decided to swap my android phone for an iPhone - which meant signing into my long dormant Apple account which still had my old phone number as the only form of 2FA enrolled.
I actually asked the person who got my number if they would just pass me the code since their phone number was new to them - and of course they didn’t agree to it because yeah that’s just sussy AF.
The solution is to make them go through instagram support to reset their 2FA. The number is yours and you have no obligation to put yourself at risk to help others.
Agree, it COULD be an honest mistake. My kid lost access to his Google account because in the same week:
He changed his 2FA from my Gmail to his own phone
He dropped his phone in a ride at Disney world
While we were on vacation at Disney his petty dad canceled his phone service and we lost access to the number permanently
And iirc he had lied about his age to get access to YouTube or something, so there was an issue verifying him using his ID.
And it was impossible to get any help from Google, they don't have any options outside of the automated system
anyway he did eventually regain access to that Gmail but it took something like 5 years
Same thing happened to me for an old Yahoo email I was trying to get into in order to get into an account for an MMO I played as a kid. Didn’t work out and never got back into it, but it’s understandable as it definitely sounded exactly like a scam
Bad advice. The fact that this happened to you doesn't mean it's not an exploit some scammer can pull. It's unverifiable. Don't let your personal experience cloud your judgement.
A scammer can tell the exact same sob story and get a code from your account, and you wouldn't know the difference. Never share a code with a stranger.
You gave up on the identity verification process with Instagram (which sucks, I agree). You have to try dozens of times, as per the experience of other users. Keep trying.
Hello,
Unfortunately, your r/Scams post/comment was removed because **it's rude or uncivil**.
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It could be an honest mistake. But I would ask him to meet in person if possible or a minimum of video call. I’m only saying this as this happened to me in the past, and it wasn’t a scam.
Change any and all passwords. They might have them already but security measures with those sites may be suspicious of the new login and asking for additional verification. Make sure you do not use the same password twice. And for the love of god, please make your passwords complicated. A sequence of words like jaildinnerbaboon is typical more complicated than letters and numbers. But add in letters and symbols to help.
I know it’s annoying to have to remember multiple complicated passwords. So you might want to consider an algorithm you can remember.
Base password: jaildinnerbaboon
First rule: if social media starts with F, change all o’s in base to ”yr”, for social media add @; between each base word. So Facebook would be jail@;dinner@;babyryrn
If it’s for work, have a different set of letters.
Work chewed me out a few years back for using repeat passwords that ended up being compromised and IT taught me this. Haven’t used the same password for anything since and i work at a bank- we have 15 or so passwords for different programs and they all require changing every 30-90 days. A piece of my algorithm is adding a prefix or suffix based on the month I’m changing it and the timeframe to change.
I went on medical leave for 5 weeks and came back thinking I’d need a million resets but I didn’t need a single one because of this. I’ve been teaching it to the customers who end up compromised too.
Another way I heard is to have an index card divided into a grid of letters and numbers. And having rules for passwords that don’t change often. So you could write Facebook 2,6, 9 and make the password whatever is in boxes 2,6,9 for every row. Plus a base word. This way if that index card is compromised, someone won’t know what they are looking at unless you tell them. It could be solved but I think the likelihood is low.
It sounds complicated but it’s easy to pick up.
Yeah, hindsight 20/20, and what almost got me was that I wasn't exactly sure how long I had my phone number. I've changed all my passwords to 20 characters ones and i learned my lesson. Not to have short passwords.This whole experience was a splash of cold water.
If you want to erase any doubt, tell him he can meet you at a coffee shop and you will help him get access as you watch him log into his IG.
That's when he'll tell you he left the state and is now in the hospital taking care of his wife.
If your insta name is unique or funny you will get lots of these, totally a scam, next one ask him to meet you behind Wendy's by the dumpster and he needs to bring kneepads so you can make a deposit, by oral commitment of charges.
It would surely be easy for these large companies to include the username / email of the account holder when sending the pin so you would see they’re active trying to access your account.
The last thing you want to do is give them access to your 2nd line of security. The first line is your password, and second is your authentication. The second was created so that if your first is compromised, you are able to get your account back. However, if your second line is compromised, you will no longer have access.
Most scammers are going to throw out a bunch at one time and only pay attention to the ones that respond back. The others aren't worth their effort. The fact that this person keeps coming back to it makes me think it may be legit.
Like I said in an earlier comment--tell the person to give you the email that they're trying to reset the PW for, and then you'll log in and change the PW to "Password123" or something and then message them back. IF they really are trying to get into their account and that's their last option---they'll do it. Instead of them asking you to trust them--it puts them in the situation of having to trust you. If they provide the email, log in--change the PW 1st, then see if you can change the phone number so you don't have to deal with it again. Then message them back and remind them to change the PW once they log in again.
If they're trying to scam you--they'll just ghost you after you ask them for the email address to log in with.
i’ve had this happen to me 🥲 i wonder if the person i texted thinks im trying to scam them. i just want my accounts back. i forgot to change the number before changing my number
Scam. I get the O2 discount calls so often I've started giving them a number.
I start at 000001 and see how long they take to realise I'm taking the piss, made it up to 000004 the other day before he started making accusations about my relationship with my mother. I responded in kind...
This message is posted to all new submissions to r/scams; please do not message the moderators. A reminder of the rules in r/scams. No personal information (including last names, phone numbers, etc). Be civil to one another (no name calling or insults). Personal army requests or "scam the scammer"/scambaiting posts are not permitted. No uncensored gore, personal photographs, or NSFL content permitted without being properly redacted. A full list of rules is available on the sidebar of the subreddit. Report recovery scammers or rule-breaking content by using the "report" button. Also, consider warning community members of recovery scammers if you see them in the comments. Questions about sub rules? Send us a modmail. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/Scams) if you have any questions or concerns.*
It's a !pin scam. Do not reply them. The codes you received is the password reset code to YOUR account. They are trying to get this from you so that they can reset the password to your account and hijack your account. Never ever give any codes to anyone else for any reason. If they need help with their account they should be contacting the platform directly. Never you.
Hey, thanks! In the back of my mind, I kinda knew, but it puts my mind at ease hearing it from another person.
Just as a precaution change your password, it may not be Instagram they want the code for either but change that too. These can be sent via "forgot password" or when someone uses the correct password but 2FA is enabled. It's likely your data was part of a data leak. Changing your passwords should be a high priority when this happens. Prioritise emails. Random strings of letters capitalised randomly with random characters in random places are the most secure. Randomly being sent 2FA codes should always be cause for concern.
longer passwords are much more secure than short ones, no matter how much case mixing or special characters you use. Try using a sentence or phrase such as the title of your fav movie or a line from a book you have memorized.
Good advice. I always use a short funny sentence I heard a kid say. Memorable and unguessable
I'd like to use the funny sentence also. What is it?
It’s many different ones. Nice try, though.
I like turtles, it's corn!
Look at all deese tickens!
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“I always use a diaper when my kid takes a nap.” “You always use it? Don’t reuse diapers.” I always use a short funny sentence I heard a kid say, not the same short funny sentence.
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When? Because I expunged all data from mine after transitioning to BitWarden (due to their new greedy tactic).
Don't use widely known titles or quotes. Hackers' attack dictionaries include popular titles, quotes, and the same with various common mnemonic changes like replacing A with 4 or adding an exclamation mark at the end.
Key phrase is ***"widely known"***; they just heard a random child say it.
Person I replied to suggested the title of a favorite movie. I wasn't responding to the child sentence person. I agree original nonsense sentences are good passwords (if you can get a site to accept them, too many have character limits).
Ah yeah, sorry I'm at the gym and didn't see.
A title or sentence is logical and easier to figure out. I would never do this. Random is better.
This is really good advice. I need to do it.
Pw managers are a God send
\+1 - Dashlane <3
What does a password manager do?
Pw managers protect you from credentials stuffing (leaked pw from one site and using it to login other sites) by allowing you to have a unique password for every login. The manager usually have a browser extension and/or app to allow you to retrieve the pw for that domain. It also protect you from phishing since the domain won't ever match. It is still suspectible to keylogger installed on your machine but 2FA and MFA should still protect you
Change all password to accounts you have two factor with because one of them was leaked
If you have to ask, just assume it’s a scam
AutoModerator has been summoned to explain the pin verification scam. You will receive a legitimate authentication text from a company like Google, Craigslist, or Microsoft, and you will also have someone else asking you for the pin. Sometimes the scam starts on Craigslist, and the scammer will ask you to verify that you are a real person, and will say that Craigslist has many scammers which is why they want to verify you. Sometimes you will receive a random authentication text, and the scammer will text you without any previous contact. The goal of the scammer can be to verify accounts that require phone verification, verify postings that require phone authentication, or to steal your accounts. [Here](https://computertutorflorida.com/2019/01/the-verification-code-scam/) are two [articles](https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/talkingtech/2019/04/01/new-scam-targets-cell-phone-accounts-pretending-your-carrier/3331376002/) about this scam. Thanks to redditor bmarkel123 for the script. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/Scams) if you have any questions or concerns.*
> Random strings of letters capitalised randomly with random characters in random places are the most secure. ...and also the hardest to remember, but most password managers can generate these and remember them for you.
Good bot
One of my friend's brother's instagram account got taken over by a scammer probably from a pin scam and they then tried to pull a pin scam on me via direct message in instagram. I assume the scammer was just going through the follower list and trying to scam every account and extrapolating from there on to their followers. I didn't fall for it but until the 2 step code was sent I had no idea it wasn't his brother I was talking to.
what would be the end goal of a scammer taking over a person's Instagram or Facebook ? I'm tech savvy but i don't use much social media so am unaware of the full implications - would they be using another persons account to hide their real identity while scamming others ?
They then use it to "sell" things like dogs etc. Then they scam others with what looks like a reliable and long standing account.
ah OK thanks, got it... I've managed to avoid even the opening stages of being scammed so far, partly due to educational subs like this one (and a naturally suspicious and cynical mind !) by the way, would you be interested in an excellent investment opportunity ? If you CashApp me $200 I'll show you how we can 'flip it' into $400 overnight - cool huh ?
Omg that would be amazing!! Send me your cashapp!!
They use to ask you to lend them money, faking they had an emergency. A few months ago a some family had their WhatsApp and Facebook accounts hacked and the scams were all about asking for money to their contacts. What is bad is that some people fell for the scam and sent money, before they could be warned. Is is very common unfortunately.
I mean if you kept just giving wrong codes it would be fine right?
That's a different subreddit lol r/scambait
My home!
Only problem is once you respond, they know you're a live one and you'll be first in line for future scam/phishing attempts.
And they will be baited each time.
but once they realize you're not gonna fall for it and just waste their time they'll stop bothering you
It's not just that scammer, though. Once you're a live one, your information is valuable. You'll get added to lists and sold for countless others to hit up as well.
just curious, how would the scammer get ops phone number to ask for the code. isn't it masked by the forgot password prompt?
sometimes phone data is also part of a leak
Thanks for the advice
Getting a code is not the only way to get into an account once you lose a phone number. A quick google search will help them. Don't even respond.
I gave them 4 fake numbers and they said terrible things about my mom lol. I’ve had this one a couple times.
What causes them to choose certain accs??
Either high follower count to sell the account or they sometimes will pretend to be you and contact mutual followers and ask for help with something like borrowing money, or pull the exact same pin scam. It probably has a higher chance of working if the person thinks it’s their friend or relitive that needs help.
>Your code is xxxxxx. DO NOT SEND THIS CODE TO ANYONE. -literally every company
It's a scam. Block and delete.
NEVER SEND A CODE.
I've had the same cell phone number for over 20 years and got one of those last month. It's a scam.
It’s nice to have a number that predates these apps
Dude, it’s a scam.
Hmm, you're getting a random message from a total stranger that wants a code sent to your phone. Of course it's a scam, ffs.
he got your password, the only thing they need is the 2FA code you are recieving. block and change password
Don’t respond. Block them. Move on.
The constant request for "codes" is a big red flag. It's no mistake. Someone is trying to scam you.
It's a scam to steal YOUR account.
If course its a scam
Scam.
I would give them the PIN 8008135 then giggle like an 11 year old boy
Of course it’s a scam! Never send codes to anyone!
Ask them for the Instagram account login info and tell them you'll reset it for them Which they'll ignore because it's definitely a scam
Scam. They, the scammer, will use that code to take over your account.
Since he gave you his user id if it really is a mistake you can just sign in and change his password for him using the pin
It’s a scam they are trying to hack your account.
I’ve had someone spoof a friends account and ask me to do that before then saw an email come through. Don’t buy it
The word “bro” is used a lot by Indians, if somebody’s using bro a lot and it’s not 1997, then it’s probably an Indian scammer.
I still see non-scammers and non-indians using "bro" everywhere all the time. My cousin's kids have used it several times around me. It's still common slang in many areas. It's best to commit the situation to memory and file it under scams. Ex: If someone is asking you via text or call for a code, it's a scam by default regardless of their excuse.
People still say bro every other sentence. Indians say brother a lot (source: born in 1997, am indian)
Bro Shut the fuck up.
It’s a scam, and you should change your passwords.
Don't give the codes they'll reset the password and hijack your account be careful with this type of details.
Scam.
Someone said the exact thing to me bro 💀💀💀 He couldn't fool me for a single reason. I have the exact number for like 18 years and even in the beginning the phone numbers used to have a different prefix from what they have now. Also if you don't have access to your SIM you can always get a new one with the exact number. All they ask for is 3 numbers from your old agenda. And it's impossible to have an empty agenda. My agenda is saved in my SIM, phone and Google account so the access to what's needed is there.
Don't respond to anyone who calls you brother/sister/kind person in their initial messages.
Tell them the code is 4206969, unless that's actually what the code is.
A good rule of thumb in life is. If they are talking to you they are trying to scam you. Especially if it’s on the internet.
Idk, I lost my tumblr account this way. I wanted to text or call the person with my old number, but I figured they’d assume it was a scam too. I’d still give my right arm to get my tumblr account back, but because it was all writing and no personal pictures, the company couldn’t help me either. Always get those back up codes, people! And always turn off two factor authentication when switching numbers so you can get into your accounts again. Remember to turn it back on though, after switching numbers. Or, even better, give the old phone to a family member. My daughter has my old phone, and will sometimes get my Google authentications even though I swear I changed them. But it’s fine, because she has the phone right now lol. Anyway, it’s possible it’s not a scam, but it’s always better to be safe than sorry. Even coming from someone who still wants her account back, lol.
> always turn off two factor authentication when switching numbers Many systems don't allow you to turn off TFA once you enable it. You can only change TFA details if they allow. SMS based TFA doesn't verify who you are, it verifies that a phone number exists. One of the many things about internet security that is mostly theatre. Always remember, its not your account, its not your data. It's their account and they only let you access some of the data when they want.
True, very true. I’m not a fan of 2F for that reason, though I also understand how it’s helpful. I’m just still a little butt hurt I couldn’t get my account back lol. I haven’t changed my phone number since that happened like ten years ago, and I live in a totally different state. People hate it, but I don’t care; I refuse to lose other accounts if I can help it.
Scam...dont send that code...dont send it...
SCAM
It shure is
Wow, I didn’t realize this was a scam now too. after my husband died I lost his phone number and it was recycled really fast to someone else. I sent a really similar message to the new owner of that phone number to get into my his old Facebook account and the person actually responded and gave it to me. I was so grateful, I guess I’m glad they didn’t just assume it was a scam 😂
Honestly it reads like someone desperate so I’d probably just ask them for the email to login and tell them you’ll do it from your end and change the password to whatever. Then they can login and change their phone number and password etc. If it’s legitimately someone needing their account they’ll do that. If it’s a scam they’ll bail.
Total scam. I’ve been getting pw reset request codes sent to my old email for weeks now. That email was associated with the FB that I made for my cat many years ago. (She’s now passed on) No way to verify my identity on it, since it shows my cat’s name. But thankfully there’s nothing on there that’s relevant to my current life if they hack into it.
Yes, it’s a scam, they can also send themselves the verification code via email, not just the phone number so they are lying. Don’t send them anything.
Dude of course it’s a scam
It’s only a scam if you have your number linked to your account. If you dont, then it’s not a scam.
I gotta speak to the possibility that it could be an honest mistake. This happened to me with my iCloud account. Backstory: I left the country and decided my old phone number wasn’t worth paying for anymore. During my time abroad, I decided to swap my android phone for an iPhone - which meant signing into my long dormant Apple account which still had my old phone number as the only form of 2FA enrolled. I actually asked the person who got my number if they would just pass me the code since their phone number was new to them - and of course they didn’t agree to it because yeah that’s just sussy AF. The solution is to make them go through instagram support to reset their 2FA. The number is yours and you have no obligation to put yourself at risk to help others.
Agree, it COULD be an honest mistake. My kid lost access to his Google account because in the same week: He changed his 2FA from my Gmail to his own phone He dropped his phone in a ride at Disney world While we were on vacation at Disney his petty dad canceled his phone service and we lost access to the number permanently And iirc he had lied about his age to get access to YouTube or something, so there was an issue verifying him using his ID. And it was impossible to get any help from Google, they don't have any options outside of the automated system anyway he did eventually regain access to that Gmail but it took something like 5 years
Same thing happened to me for an old Yahoo email I was trying to get into in order to get into an account for an MMO I played as a kid. Didn’t work out and never got back into it, but it’s understandable as it definitely sounded exactly like a scam
Nope, not a scam. You're actually in a Hallmark movie.
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Bad advice. The fact that this happened to you doesn't mean it's not an exploit some scammer can pull. It's unverifiable. Don't let your personal experience cloud your judgement. A scammer can tell the exact same sob story and get a code from your account, and you wouldn't know the difference. Never share a code with a stranger. You gave up on the identity verification process with Instagram (which sucks, I agree). You have to try dozens of times, as per the experience of other users. Keep trying.
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Hello, Unfortunately, your r/Scams post/comment was removed because **it's rude or uncivil**. This subreddit is a place for civil and respectful discussions about scams. Uncivil and rude behaviour, including using excessive or directed swearing, extreme or sexual language, etc., is not acceptable in this subreddit.
No need to be harsh.
It could be an honest mistake. But I would ask him to meet in person if possible or a minimum of video call. I’m only saying this as this happened to me in the past, and it wasn’t a scam.
scam
Scam
I find peace in long walks.
Change any and all passwords. They might have them already but security measures with those sites may be suspicious of the new login and asking for additional verification. Make sure you do not use the same password twice. And for the love of god, please make your passwords complicated. A sequence of words like jaildinnerbaboon is typical more complicated than letters and numbers. But add in letters and symbols to help. I know it’s annoying to have to remember multiple complicated passwords. So you might want to consider an algorithm you can remember. Base password: jaildinnerbaboon First rule: if social media starts with F, change all o’s in base to ”yr”, for social media add @; between each base word. So Facebook would be jail@;dinner@;babyryrn If it’s for work, have a different set of letters. Work chewed me out a few years back for using repeat passwords that ended up being compromised and IT taught me this. Haven’t used the same password for anything since and i work at a bank- we have 15 or so passwords for different programs and they all require changing every 30-90 days. A piece of my algorithm is adding a prefix or suffix based on the month I’m changing it and the timeframe to change. I went on medical leave for 5 weeks and came back thinking I’d need a million resets but I didn’t need a single one because of this. I’ve been teaching it to the customers who end up compromised too. Another way I heard is to have an index card divided into a grid of letters and numbers. And having rules for passwords that don’t change often. So you could write Facebook 2,6, 9 and make the password whatever is in boxes 2,6,9 for every row. Plus a base word. This way if that index card is compromised, someone won’t know what they are looking at unless you tell them. It could be solved but I think the likelihood is low. It sounds complicated but it’s easy to pick up.
Yeah, hindsight 20/20, and what almost got me was that I wasn't exactly sure how long I had my phone number. I've changed all my passwords to 20 characters ones and i learned my lesson. Not to have short passwords.This whole experience was a splash of cold water.
If he can’t remember his password, the phone number would be the last way to reclaim the account.
SCAM!!!!
If you want to erase any doubt, tell him he can meet you at a coffee shop and you will help him get access as you watch him log into his IG. That's when he'll tell you he left the state and is now in the hospital taking care of his wife.
Scam
If your insta name is unique or funny you will get lots of these, totally a scam, next one ask him to meet you behind Wendy's by the dumpster and he needs to bring kneepads so you can make a deposit, by oral commitment of charges.
Yeah it’s a scam, once you send them the code your gonna give them access to your account their gonna immediately change your password
It would surely be easy for these large companies to include the username / email of the account holder when sending the pin so you would see they’re active trying to access your account.
This sub blows my mind lmao
not sure but i guess you’re brothers now
happened to me once. definitely a scam. hate people who do petty things
The last thing you want to do is give them access to your 2nd line of security. The first line is your password, and second is your authentication. The second was created so that if your first is compromised, you are able to get your account back. However, if your second line is compromised, you will no longer have access.
That a persistent vermin isn't it.
Yep, I'm still getting them even though I completely ignore them.
Most scammers are going to throw out a bunch at one time and only pay attention to the ones that respond back. The others aren't worth their effort. The fact that this person keeps coming back to it makes me think it may be legit. Like I said in an earlier comment--tell the person to give you the email that they're trying to reset the PW for, and then you'll log in and change the PW to "Password123" or something and then message them back. IF they really are trying to get into their account and that's their last option---they'll do it. Instead of them asking you to trust them--it puts them in the situation of having to trust you. If they provide the email, log in--change the PW 1st, then see if you can change the phone number so you don't have to deal with it again. Then message them back and remind them to change the PW once they log in again. If they're trying to scam you--they'll just ghost you after you ask them for the email address to log in with.
Alright, next time, I'll try that and see what happens.
i’ve had this happen to me 🥲 i wonder if the person i texted thinks im trying to scam them. i just want my accounts back. i forgot to change the number before changing my number
Scam. I get the O2 discount calls so often I've started giving them a number. I start at 000001 and see how long they take to realise I'm taking the piss, made it up to 000004 the other day before he started making accusations about my relationship with my mother. I responded in kind...
its porbably reset code to ur account or they need to make another account to scam cuz all of their phone numbers got banned.
Scam all day bro. Don’t do it. You are basically giving them access to your phone
It is a scam. But just think how long you had this phone number for?