Anita Sikma has designed custom jewellery pieces for the last 15 years, and Instagram was an important way for her to attract customers, showcase her portfolio, and interact with clients.
But then an email came from Instagram saying someone logged into her account in Toronto.
The hacker began posting about bitcoin mining, sharing photos of a $10,000 wallet balance and a Mercedes SUV.
In one instance, they even told a client not to use Sikma’s e-transfer email they’d used for a previous purchase.
Instagram hacks leading to bitcoin scams are becoming more common, Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre spokesperson Jeff Horncastle told Daily Hive.
“The majority of the investment scam reports involve Canadians investing in cryptocurrency after seeing a deceptive advertisement.
As for Sikma, she resorted to starting a fresh account when multiple requests to Instagram’s Help Centre went nowhere.