Fake Instagram Accounts: How to Block And Spot Them

Why is spotting and blocking fake Instagram accounts such a big deal?

Imagine this: You think your clients are getting genuine engagement, and the numbers look pretty good, but then…

…SIKE!

Your clients’ apparent followers and engagements are actually from fake Instagram accounts, skewing their engagement metrics.

Fake accounts also mislead genuine followers and pose security risks via spamming and phishing scams, ruining the integrity of your client’s brand presence. 

So, how do you avoid disasters caused by phony profiles? 

The answer?

Spot and block fake Instagram accounts. 

Continue reading to learn how to identify and block fake IG profiles, ensuring accurate performance insights while protecting your clients’ communities and reputations. 

What you will learn

• Types of fake Instagram accounts 
• Best ways to spot fake Instagram accounts
• How to block fake Instagram accounts
• Stay safe from fake Instagram accounts

Types of fake Instagram accounts 

Fake Instagram profiles can take the following forms.

• Impersonation accounts imitate real users using their Instagram names, personal information, and photos. Most impersonators aim to steal identities, deceive followers, and damage the real user’s reputation
• Catfish accounts are Instagram profiles that use fake identities, stolen photos, and personal data to scam other users into forming relationships. The accounts are typically used for financial scams or emotional manipulation
• Bots are automated IG accounts programmed to do specific actions such as following other users, liking posts, and commenting. Bots are commonly used to spread spam or boost engagement metrics
• Scam accounts are designed to defraud other Instagram users through get-rich-quick schemes, fake products, or personal information phishing 

Some users create fake Instagram profiles for non-malicious reasons, usually for privacy or testing, and they don’t scam or spam other users. 

[Must read: Can You See Who Views Your Instagram Profile? [2024]]

Best ways to spot fake Instagram accounts

Spot those red flags on fake Instagram accounts effectively with these tried and tested tactics. 

Check for inconsistent content

Inconsistent content on the Instagram user’s profile and feed can be tell-tale signs of a fake account. 

For instance, if the description says the user is a food content creator but has no photos or videos of food on the feed, the account is likely fake. 

Using many irrelevant, non-related hashtags on posts can also indicate that the account may be fake. 

If you want to ensure your clients post content consistently and are not deemed as posers, use Vista Social. 

The sophisticated social media management platform has everything you need to streamline content publishing and other core tasks. 

For instance, the platform’s social media publishing feature makes creating and scheduling your clients’ posts and branded content easy. 

Vista Social offers more features, from social listening tools to analytics and reports. 

[Must read: How to Use Instagram Branded Content]

Use the About this account Instagram feature

You can check the profile’s history by checking the About this account option. 

Go to the profile you want to check and click or rap the three dots icon ( ⋮ on the mobile app and ⋯ on the web app) in the top right corner. 

Select About this account to see details such as which country the Instagram account was created in, the number of past usernames the profile had, and the date it was created. 

Important note: Some accounts will hide this option. 

Watch out for the following details that could indicate that the account is fake:

• The country that the account was created in doesn’t match what it says in the profile
• The account suddenly has tons of content on its feed when it was created very recently
• The Instagram account changed its username frequently within a short time

Review the Instagram bio

Phony IG accounts often have user bios that are inconsistent with the common patterns of real users. 

Some of these inconsistencies include:

• Vague or incomplete profile information. The IG profiles of many fake accounts typically use generic statements, have spelling errors, or have sparse details
• Copied bios. Many fake accounts use bios they copied from genuine accounts but with slight tweaks. For example, some fake accounts will use IG handles similar to real users but with added numbers, symbols, or characters
• Irrelevant and overly promotional content. Instagram bios that focus only on promotions, include questionable-looking external website links, and content unrelated to the user’s “identity” are huge red flags   

If you want to make your clients’ Instagram bio URLs look legitimate and professional, use Vista Social’s link in bio tool, Vista Page. 

The tool lets you create and customize stunning landing pages that contain brand, product, and conversion-related tools and content. 

Spot spammy messages

A lot of fake Instagram accounts will slide into user DMs pretending to be or imitating reputable brands. 

Fake users often send generic messages encouraging you to DM another user with your personal information or click a website link. 

For example, the image below shows a DM from a user offering free items as part of a “brand ambassador” deal.

The fact that the DM came from a user without a profile photo and a username unrelated to the supposed brand they represent should ring alarm bells. 

Always check the user’s profile, including how often the account posts content and how many followers and users they follow. 

Side note: The account in the image above has zero followers and doesn’t follow any account. 

Legitimate users, especially those representing brands, will use the brand’s official account to DM potential ambassadors and provide more details about the collaboration before offering something.

Watch out for random comments on posts

If an account often leaves unrelated comments and uses random emojis on your client’s posts, the chances are high that it’s fake. 

You can verify this by checking the account’s profile and the comments on its posts to see who engages with their content. 

Check whether the comments and engagement on their posts are authentic and look for spammy language, such as all caps, nonsense emojis, and repetitive words. 

Using Vista Social’s Social Inbox, you can easily manage, review, respond to, and delete comments and messages. 

The social media engagement feature centralizes all your clients’ social media messages and comments, simplifying engagement management. 

How to block fake Instagram accounts

You can block and report fake Instagram accounts using two main methods. 

Method 1: Block and report fake accounts through their IG profiles

Go to the fake user’s profile, select the three dots icon ( ⋯ or ⋮ ), and tap or click Block.

Confirm by clicking Block in the popup window. 

You’ll be prompted to block other accounts the user may have or create. 

You can also report an account that’s impersonating you on Instagram.

Method 2: Block and report fake accounts through their DMs

Another option is to block fake Instagram accounts when they send you (or your clients) DMs. 

The message typically appears in the Request tab in your Instagram Inbox.

If you haven’t accepted the message request, you can see and select the option to Block the user below. 

You can also click the details icon (🛈) and select block or report.

Follow the prompt to finish blocking the account. 

You can also remove potential spam accounts from your list of Instagram followers. 

Stay safe from fake Instagram accounts

Learning to spot and block fake accounts promptly keeps your clients and their followers safe and secure.

It also helps ensure your clients’ audience engagement is real and provides a spammer and scammer-free community for followers. 

Manage your clients’ social media content, profiles, and engagement efficiently with Vista Social. 

Start your FREE Vista Social account to explore the platform’s advanced social media management features.