Maya, 19, had been using Instagram for three years. Occasionally, she’d post photos that she was comfortable sharing in public. Mostly, she used the app’s messaging tools tool to connect with friends. And when she was unable to log in one day, she assumed there was a temporary problem on the Internet. Annoying, but not unheard of.
In fact, a hacker had taken control of Maya’s account and changed the password. How? Unknown. Was it someone she knew? Unknown. But two days later, she received her first email from the hacker needling her about her private conversations and photos. These were deeply private exchanges among teenagers. And the hacker was threatening to share everything with her father. How? Could he even find her father? She couldn’t know that either.
Then the blackmail started. The hacker promised to stay quiet if she shared pictures of her body. At first, she tried sending back pictures with her face obscured. Not good enough, he said. For three months, he continued poking her online. Feeling watched and fearing exposure, she says she sunk into a deepening depression and even contemplated suicide.
That’s when she reached out to SalamaTech. Quickly, the team was able to suspend the Instagram account. Next, they helped her close the email account where the hacker had been reaching her. Maya cannot know if the hacker made offline copies of her conversations. But several months later now, she has not heard from him again. And it could be that he retreated when he felt watched by the platform that banned his account.
In any case, the respite from his pressure has helped Maya find her agency in all of this. With help from SalamaTech, she has created all-new accounts, secured with strong passwords and two-factor authentication. And she’s been able to seek support for the anxiety and depression that she says was enveloping her.
Close Maya’s story