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How to Remove Bot Accounts (and Protect Yourself from Hackers)

2025-10-07

If your feed feels spammy, giveaways look sketchy, or friends’ accounts suddenly hawk “home goods” and “crypto flips,” you’re not imagining it.
A wave of bot and compromised accounts is inflating everyone’s follower graphs — and cluttering your “following” with junk.

This guide shows you exactly how to:

  1. identify likely bots or compromised profiles,
  2. remove them cleanly, and
  3. harden your account so you don’t get hit next time.

I’ll also drop the step-by-step YouTube walkthrough here once it’s live:
🎥 (Video) How to Remove Bot Accounts on Instagram — link coming soon.

TL;DR

  • Use your official Instagram export (not your login) to safely analyze your network.
  • In DontFollowBack you can now tag: 🤖 Bots/Compromised, 🙈 Ignored, 🪫 Deactivated, 📌 Watchlist — all reversible.
  • After cleanup, re-export your data and re-scan to confirm they’re gone.
  • Lock down your account: change password, enable 2FA, review sessions, and revoke shady app access.

Step 1 — Get Your Official Instagram Export (Safe Method)

  1. Open Instagram → Settings & privacy › Your information and permissions › Download your information.
  2. Choose “Some of your information” → select Followers and Following.
  3. Format: JSON, Time range: All time → Create files.
  4. Instagram emails you a download link — save the ZIP file.

We never ask for your IG login. Your export stays on your device.

Step 2 — Load It Into DontFollowBack (No Login, No Signup)

  1. Visit DontFollowBack.com.

  2. Click Upload ZIP → choose your export.

  3. Tap Load Snapshot if you’ve saved one before (restores your previous clean slate).

  4. Explore tabs like Unfollowers, Following, plus utility buckets:

    • 🤖 Bots / Compromised
    • 🙈 Ignored
    • 🪫 Deactivated
    • 📌 Watchlist

Step 3 — Spotting Bots & Compromised Accounts

Here’s what to look for — these red flags usually add up fast:

  • Follower/Following imbalance: e.g., 8 k followers / 0 following on a generic giveaway or promo page.
  • Handle/name mismatch: sudden promos or rebranding on an account that used to be a realtor, creator, or someone you personally know.
  • Bio and grid swap: bio now lists a giveaway, WhatsApp, or Telegram link; old posts archived or replaced with a few “promo” reels.
  • Recent burst behavior: hundreds of follows or story mentions in a short window.
  • Comment patterns: generic praise, emojis, or copy-pasted phrases across unrelated posts.
  • External links: sketchy shorteners (bit.ly, taplink, etc.) or off-platform storefronts.
  • Profile content mismatch: username or bio says “official brand” but profile photo and old tagged posts tell another story.
  • Friends hit too: you notice multiple mutuals following the same “new” giveaway or crypto page — usually a sign they were hacked together.
  • Inconsistent media age: all posts within a week, yet the account claims to be “est. 2015.”

If two or more apply, assume the account is compromised or automated.

Step 4 — Mark, Move, and Restore (Fast)

Inside DontFollowBack, gestures and menus make cleanup quick:

Gesture / Action Result
Swipe ← 🙈 Move to Ignored
Swipe → 📌 Add to Watchlist
Swipe ↓ (on selected row) 🪫 Mark Deactivated
Long-press row Choose 🤖 Mark as Bot/Compromised
Any strong swipe within a bucket ↩️ Restore to Home
Undo toast (5 s) ⏪ Revert last move

Batch actions are supported — tap multiple rows, then use the Actions menu.

Step 5 — Save a Snapshot (Your Clean Slate)

Once your lists look right:

  1. Click Save Snapshot → local only, no cloud.
  2. When you re-export later, Load Snapshot to instantly restore your “safe” lists.
  3. New junk stands out right away.

Step 6 — Double-Check They’re Gone

A few days after blocking/removing junk in IG:

  • Re-download your export (Step 1) and re-scan.
  • If the marked handles no longer appear, you’re clean.
  • Anything lingering can be blocked or reported in Instagram directly.

Step 7 — Where Bot & Hack Attempts Actually Come From

Even careful users get hit — most compromises start with DM phishing or fake “support” messages.

⚠️ Common DM Scams

  • Fake copyright or suspension notices
    “Your account will be deleted in 24 hours unless you verify.”
    → leads to a fake login form.

    ✅ Instagram never DMs about copyright or verification.
    Check Settings › Emails from Instagram for official notices.

  • “Brand collab” invites
    “We’d love you as an ambassador — apply here.”
    → cloned site steals your credentials.
    Real brands use email or influencer platforms, not random DMs.

  • Giveaway shortlists
    “Congrats, you’re one of 50 winners!”
    → asks you to send a “verification code” — that code gives them access.

  • Crypto / investment / OnlyFans bait
    Comes from hacked friends’ accounts: “Can you help me verify my page?” or “I made $4k in a week.”
    → clicking the link can inject cookies or tokens that hijack your session.

📧 Off-Platform Traps

  • Fake Meta Support emails
    Look real but domain is off (@metasupports.com, @instagrarn.com, etc.).
    Always confirm inside the app under Emails from Instagram.

  • Shortened links
    Random bit.ly / tinyurl / taplink URLs = high risk.
    Never enter credentials after a redirect.

🧠 How It Spreads

  1. One user clicks the fake link.
  2. Attacker takes over and DMs all their followers.
  3. Those followers click, log in, and repeat.
  4. Attacker changes the bio/pic to look like a brand and continues farming.

If you suddenly see multiple trusted mutuals following the same “promo” account — that’s the chain in action.

🛑 If You Clicked a Link by Accident

  1. Immediately change your password.
  2. Revoke suspicious app access:
    instagram.com/accounts/manage_access
  3. Review login activity: Settings › Login Activity › sign out of unknown sessions.
  4. Enable 2FA (Authenticator app recommended).
  5. If your account sends DMs automatically, revoke “Authorized Apps” — that’s the bot.

Step 8 — Security Hardening (Always Worth Doing)

  1. Change your password to a unique one (12 + chars).
  2. Turn on Two-Factor Authentication.
  3. Check Login Activity for strange devices.
  4. Review Connected Apps and remove old integrations.
  5. Verify official messages under Emails from Instagram.
  6. Keep recovery info (phone + backup codes) current.

FAQ

Will DontFollowBack ban my account?
No. We never ask for your login; all analysis is done on your export locally.

Why mark bots instead of blocking immediately?
It helps batch decisions and maintain a clean reference set for future exports.

False positives?
Use 📌 Watchlist if unsure. Everything is reversible via ↩️ Restore or Undo.

What’s Next

  • 🎥 (Video) How to Remove Bot Accounts on Instagram — coming soon
  • Want to test it? Upload your export at DontFollowBack.com.
    • No login ✅ No signup 🚫 No risk 🔒

If this helped, share it — the fewer compromised accounts floating around, the safer the platform for everyone.