Instagram spam has become a serious problem. It's not uncommon to routinely receive spam messages in your Instagram account which clog up your inbox with requests to visit websites and buy stuff. The good news is that you can take back control of your Instagram account's inbox and minimize the spam you receive.
In general, Instagram spam is easy to recognize, because it's probably something you didn't expect to receive and don't actually want. In most cases, these messages are trying to sell you something, literally or figuratively. Here are three tell-tale signs that you've encountered Instagram spam:
If you're tired of being inundated with spam in your Instagram inbox, here are a few things you can do to slow the flow of spam into your account, or stop it entirely.
While this is akin to swatting flies one at a time, you can (and should) block spam accounts when you receive messages from them. This won't stem the flow of messages from other accounts, but it will keep you from getting more from each one you block. To block a spam account, open the message and tap the account name at the top of the page. On the account details page, tap Block account. In the pop up window, choose Block the account name and other accounts they may have or create, then tap Block
You can also make your account somewhat harder for spammers to find. By default, your account is public and your posts will potentially appear to all Instagram users, making it easy for spammers to target you. But you can make your account private. If you do that, your account will be harder to find – only your approved followers will see your posts. It's not a perfect solution, though, because private accounts still appear in Instagram search results, so spammers can find and message you that way.
If you want to go private, though, tap your account icon at the bottom of the Instagram app and then tap the three-line menu at the top of the page. In the pop-up menu, tap Settings, then Privacy. Turn on Private account by swiping the button to the right, and confirm you want to do this in the pop-up window by tapping Switch to private.
The last, and most effective solution, is to deny all message requests. The downside to this approach is that you won't be able to get messages from anyone, but it might be worth it if you get a lot of spam messages.
To enable this feature, tap your account icon at the bottom of the Instagram app and then tap the three-line menu at the top of the page. In the pop-up menu, tap Settings, then Privacy. Tap Messages. In the Potential connections section at the top of the page, tap Your followers on Instagram. In the Deliver requests to section, tap Don't receive requests and confirm the change by tapping Update Settings