Fake copyright claims on Instagram: what to do when someone attacks your account for money

Note: This article is not legal advice. Last updated: October 13, 2026.

How does the fake copyright claim scam on Instagram work?

Scammers file several fake copyright complaints against your posts until Instagram acts, then contact you with a demand for money. That is how Malwarebytes described it in September 2026, based on a BBC investigation 1.

The pattern is usually similar:

1. Reports come in. Someone poses as the rights holder or their lawyer and reports your posts. According to Malwarebytes, in one victim's case the complaints kept coming from the same email address 1.
2. Instagram removes content or suspends the account. Repeated reports can lead to a temporary suspension even though you did nothing wrong 1. Instagram's repeat infringer policy says that repeated infringements can lead to the account being disabled 2.
3. The demand arrives somewhere else. The scammer contacts you outside Instagram, for example on Telegram, and offers to withdraw the reports in exchange for payment 1.
4. After payment, it continues. According to the report, one victim paid $50 in crypto and was attacked again right afterwards 1.

That these are not isolated cases shows in another example: according to Malwarebytes, Meta admitted in court proceedings that 13 copyright strikes against a single user were fraudulent, and restored the account 1.

For creators the risk is especially high. Your content is copied anyway, and anyone who has a copy can easily present it to a platform as "their original".

Why does Instagram not check these complaints more carefully?

Because Meta's copyright process is largely automated and does not verify the identity of the people filing complaints 1. Anyone who claims to be the rights holder is treated as one at first. Only when you push back does the question of who really owns the content come up.

After the BBC investigation, Meta reviewed the affected accounts, restored content and, by its own account, introduced additional safeguards. It has not said what they are. According to Malwarebytes, no fundamental move away from the principle of "remove first, check later" has been announced 1.

One more point makes things harder for creators in the EU: the Appeals Centre Europe, a free dispute settlement body for platform decisions open to EU residents (for example in Germany and Austria), does not take copyright cases 3. If you are suspended over alleged copyright violations, that route is closed. Switzerland is not covered by it, because it is not in the EU. The other routes are covered in Instagram account suspended.

Should you pay to make the reports go away?

No. Paying guarantees nothing, and it shows the scammer that you pay. Malwarebytes explicitly advises against it, and according to the report, law enforcement agencies also recommend not paying, because it funds the criminals and can lead to new demands 1.

On top of that, the scammer has no control over whether Instagram lifts a strike. Even if he withdraws a complaint, it is unclear what happens to content that has already been removed and to the strikes.

If you have already paid: that is nothing to be ashamed of. These scams are built to put people under time pressure. Stop paying now, save the proof of payment and take it with you when you report it.

What do you do in the first few hours?

Save the evidence, check the strikes in the app, secure your account and do not negotiate with the scammer.

1. Document everything. Screenshots of Instagram's notifications, the removed posts, the demand, the scammer's username or phone number, with date and time. Note which email address the complaints came from, if Instagram shows it. If you paid: the wallet address and the transaction record 1.
2. Only check in the app. Real strikes appear in your account's Account Status. Do not click links in emails or messages that claim to come from Instagram or a "rights holder". Many "copyright warnings" are phishing aimed at your password. How to spot it is covered in Spotting phishing from "Meta".
3. Secure your account. Two-factor authentication does not protect you from fake reports, but it does protect you from the next step many scammers take: taking over your account 1. The checklist is in Secure your Instagram account.
4. Do not negotiate. Stop replying to the scammer. Only block him once you have saved everything.
5. Let your fans know if posts disappear or the account is suspended, through your own channels such as a newsletter or website. A short, factual note is enough.

How do you dispute a fake copyright claim on Instagram?

Through Instagram's official process: the in-app appeal against the removal or suspension and, for copyright reports, a counter-notification. With it you state that the content belongs to you or that you are allowed to use it 12.

What goes into a counter-notification:

• which post was removed (link or description)
• why the complaint is wrong, for example "I took this photo myself; I have the original file dated May 3, 2026"
• your contact details

Read this before you send it. Instagram's copyright appeal form says it is only for content removed by mistake or misidentification, and that Instagram forwards the counter-notification promptly to the party that reported you, including your name, address and phone number, which that party can use to take you to court 5. If the reporting party does not tell Instagram within 10 to 14 business days that it has filed a court action, Instagram restores eligible content, and restored content does not count against you under the repeat infringer policy 5. Always use the form linked in the message Instagram sends you, because the version shown to you can differ by region.

So get advice before you send it, especially if you keep your real name and address private. A lawyer can file the counter-notification for you. How else to protect your identity is covered in Privacy on OnlyFans.

Use the in-app appeal even if you only send the counter-notification after getting advice.

When is it worth reporting it to the police?

Almost always, as soon as a demand for money is involved. Whether you paid or not makes no difference to the report.

How to go about it:

• Where to report: in Germany, at any police station or through your state's online police portal (Onlinewache); in Austria and Switzerland, at the police.
• Bring with you: your screenshots, the demand, the username on Telegram or elsewhere, and if you paid, the transaction details.
• To be honest: scammers are often based abroad, and investigations are slow. The report still documents the case, and you can show it to Instagram.

How do you protect yourself before anything happens?

With proof that your content belongs to you, a well-secured account and reach that does not depend on Instagram alone.

• Keep your original files. Save the unedited photos and videos with their creation date, ideally in two places. In a dispute, that is your strongest evidence.
• Only post your own material. Other people's content, including memes or music from outside Instagram's library, is a real risk for reports and makes fake reports more credible. More in Originality on Instagram.
• Check your Account Status regularly, so you see strikes early.
• Secure your account, so the extortion does not turn into a hack as well (checklist).
• Maintain your own channels, so a suspension does not cut your whole connection to your fans.
• Do not create a backup account. An account meant to get around a suspension can be suspended along with it. Details in Instagram account suspended.

And: anyone who contacts you after a suspension as a "Meta insider" or "recovery service" and promises to get you unbanned for money is the next scam. Why is explained in "Guaranteed unban": spotting the scam.

Frequently asked questions

Our take

Fake copyright reports exploit a weakness in Instagram's process. You cannot prevent them, but you can take away their power: do not pay, save everything, dispute it officially and report it. maevia works with English-speaking creators who live in Germany, Austria or Switzerland and write native-level English. If you want to set up your channels so that a single attack cannot shake everything, apply now. It is free and non-binding.