If you’ve recently received an Instagram email claiming you requested a password reset, Meta says there’s no need to panic, and no need to click anything either.
Reports of unexpected password reset emails have been circulating over the past few days, prompting concerns about a possible Instagram data breach.
Security firm Malwarebytes claims that account details linked to 17.5 million Instagram users are being traded on the dark web, including usernames, email addresses, phone numbers and even physical locations.
However, Instagram disputes the idea that its systems were breached.
According to Meta, the emails are linked to a now-fixed issue that allowed an external party to trigger password reset requests for some users. While that resulted in legitimate-looking reset emails landing in inboxes, the company insists no internal compromise took place.
“We fixed an issue that let an external party request password reset emails for some people. There was no breach of our systems and your Instagram accounts are secure. You can ignore those emails,” Meta said.
So what actually happened? Malwarebytes believes the activity may be tied to an Instagram API vulnerability dating back to 2024, uncovered during routine dark web monitoring. The security firm attributes the leaked data to misuse of that API, rather than a traditional hack.
That distinction matters. While Malwarebytes describes the situation as a large-scale data exposure, Meta can technically say there was “no breach” because the data may have been accessed through official interfaces rather than by breaking into Instagram’s systems.
Either way, the advice for users is the same: don’t engage with unexpected password reset emails. If you didn’t request one, simply ignore it.
It’s also worth staying alert for phishing attempts in the coming weeks. If account details are circulating online, scammers may use personal information to craft more convincing fake messages pretending to be from Meta or Instagram support.
For now, there’s no need to reset your password unless you see other suspicious activity, and no reason to trust an email you didn’t ask for.
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