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Tue, 08 Sep 2026

Tue, 08 Sep 2026 Scammers demand ransoms from Instagram users over fake copyright claims

Users say they are losing money or risk having their accounts suspended because Meta struggles to identify scammers.

* Instagram creators are reporting thousands of pounds in lost income due to fake copyright claims, which are being used as a form of extortion.
* Scammers are submitting bogus complaints to Meta-owned social media platform Instagram, then asking for ransoms to withdraw them - knowing that repeated claims can lead to account bans.
* One creator with 1.5 million followers paid $50 (£37) in cryptocurrency to restore his account after it was temporarily taken down due to copyright strikes.
* The process of appealing against fake copyright claims is slow and ineffective, according to content creators who have spoken to the BBC.
* Meta's spokesperson said that their systems are designed to protect people from this type of abuse, but critics argue that the platform is poor at identifying obviously spurious cases.
* A group of scammers has been identified as filing copyright strikes against Instagram users, despite not being the actual copyright holders. They deny holding accounts to ransom and claim they file legitimate claims on behalf of copyright holders.
* Experts say that AI has made it easier for these types of scams to be carried out on a larger scale, making it harder for platforms like Instagram to police them effectively.
* Creators are calling for greater protection against fake copyright claims and more effective measures to prevent this type of abuse.