Instagram sends urgent warnings to users after Meta AI hack attempts

In late May 2026, numerous Instagram accounts, including those of prominent figures, fell victim to a significant hacking campaign. Cybercriminals reportedly exploited the Meta AI support chatbot, manipulating it to modify or reset user credentials to gain unauthorized access. Despite Meta's claims of resolving the issue, reports of continued breaches have surfaced, prompting Instagram to issue urgent warnings to its user base. The alerts inform users of detected suspicious activities that may indicate their accounts have been compromised. One user shared their experience, stating, "I kept telling everyone the Instagram exploit is not 'patched' because AI is not linear. The exploit evolves as long as the tooling is still there." As of June 2, 2026, nearly two days after the initial patch, this individual had their account hit and restored but remained concerned about the security of others. In the warning emails, Instagram reassures users that measures have been taken to secure their accounts and advises them to reset their passwords. Users are also directed to the Instagram Help Centre for security tips. Adam Stone, a spokesperson for Meta, tweeted that while they have secured the impacted accounts, efforts are ongoing to restore access for those affected. Reports from various social media platforms, including Reddit and X, reveal that between May 30 and May 31, numerous users reported unauthorized access to their accounts. Although Meta claimed the issue was resolved by June 1, more victims emerged in the following days, indicating a broader problem. According to media reports and a clip shared by Dark Web Informer, hackers successfully deceived Meta's AI chatbot into changing account recovery details. By posing as the legitimate account owners, they instructed the chatbot to alter the email address linked to the account. Alarmingly, the AI complied without adequate verification, linking the hackers' emails to the accounts. Once access was gained, the hackers utilized the password reset function, in some cases locking the original owners out entirely. This incident raises critical questions about the manipulation of AI chatbots and the lack of oversight in their operations. To enhance security, users are strongly encouraged to enable Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) to protect their accounts from potential hacking attempts.