Instagram has grown from a niche photo-sharing platform to one of the most popular social media platforms, with over 2 billion monthly active users as of the last update in 2022.
Due to the platform’s growing popularity, many companies are now considering Instagram as their main online marketing channel.
Here, they collaborate with influencers to advertise their products and obtain user evaluations, among other things.
But there are still a lot of fake accounts that pose as well-known individuals and brands, which criminals might use to sell fraudulent goods while posing as a genuine company providing a special price.
Also, they can scam them, for instance, by emailing them a link to a phishing website. Do you ever wonder how to get someone’s Instagram taken down?
If you’re looking for additional information about Instagram, we’ve put up a helpful guide that will lead you through how to report an Instagram account that is harassing you or a friend. Not just that, I’ll also show you how to delete the account after reporting it.
Here’s how to do it.
How to Report An Instagram Account
There are a couple of different methods that you can follow. The one that leads to the quickest method and resolution is sending a report via the Instagram Help Center.
This process asks for a full breakdown of the issue and why the account is being reported, with Instagram requesting your name and email address and some form of verification to prove that you are a real user.
The alternative method of reporting an Instagram account is inside the app itself.
To report a profile or account on Instagram, follow these steps:
- Head to the profile that you want to report
- Click on the row of dots in the top right-hand corner and select ‘Report’
- A pop-up window will ask if you want to report the account itself or a specific post. Follow the relevant steps according to your issue
These reports are anonymous and the account holder (if they are human) will never know that you reported them.
However, they will receive a notification that one of their posts or their activity has been deemed inappropriate. For a genuine user, this is a warning that their account will be deleted unless the action is rectified.
How Does Instagram Decide Which Accounts to Delete?
It’s important to note that there is no minimum number of complaints that Instagram needs to receive to take action and delete an account.
One report can suffice, so long as the app deems the reported account to violate its terms.
Having said that, multiple reports of a single account can stand out and push the report and the issue to the top of Instagram’s outstanding issues.
This is why, especially in the case of fake profiles and fraudulent accounts, you will see that those affected will ask as many of their followers as possible to report the fake account.
Generally, Instagram determines the outcome of a report based on how severe the violation is. Those accounts that are most likely to be swiftly deleted include those that share violent imagery, unlawful content and explicit content.
If you want an account to be deleted and removed from Instagram altogether, following the above steps and submitting a full report is the best and most effective way to do so.
Alternatively, if you simply no longer want to see their content or allow them to engage with you, you can block and restrict the user so that they can’t message you or see or interact with your posts.
FAQs
How many reports does it take to remove an Instagram account?
According to multiple sources, Instagram does not have a policy regarding termination. In reality, if Instagram believes an account has violated its standards, it has the authority to delete the account solely based on a single complaint!
How can I contact Instagram to have my account deleted?
- Navigate to the profile of the inactive account you wish to report.
- Click on the three dots in the upper-right corner.
- Select “Report”.
- Select “Inactive account” as the reason for reporting.
What happens if you report an account on Instagram?
Possible outcomes include a ban or deactivation of the reported account. You, as the person reporting the account, will always remain anonymous to the account being reported.
They will not be alerted that you reported them, so there is no need to be concerned about being caught.
Conclusion
So, we hope you have understood how to report an Instagram account and get it deleted with these detailed steps.
You can let us know any queries or suggestions about any other topic you want us to make an article on. Drop them in the comments section below for us to know.
We hope this helps!
