Hackers took over my Gail Hastings’ Studio Instagram account. Their likely aim is to infiltrate accounts that follow the now hacked GHS account. This is how they will hack your account.

1. You will receive a message from hackedGHS;
2. You will think it is me — Gail Hastings — that has sent it to you; 
3. The message will ask for your assistance. If you agree, you will receive another message that will ask you to copy, paste and send them a link that Instagram will send you shortly;
4. Instagram will then send you a link;
5. You will think it is legitimate since it is Instagram that has sent it;
6. The problem is, the link IS legitimate because it is YOUR link to YOUR account;
7. The hacker triggered Instagram to send it by clicking ‘forgot password?’ in the log-in panel;
8. The link is to YOUR account, not the account to which you’ve been helping;
9. But, because you’ve been tricked to think it belongs to the account you’ve been helping, you will copy, paste and send it to them;
10. They then log in to your account through the link Instagram officially sent you but which you’ve been tricked to send on;
11. They will change the account name and email, at which point you will be jettisoned and unable to re-log back in;
12. If you use the ‘forgot password?’ link to regain entry as Instagram advises for hacked accounts, you will see a pop-up message saying the account (YOUR ACCOUNT) does not exist. 

My new Instagram account is here:
Art by Gail Hastings

The account will be all about colour space for the time being (while still trying to encourage myself to keep with it).