Sometimes something annoying turns out to be unexpectedly useful. A strange message about “shoutouts” turned out to be fake — but it helped me finally secure my Instagram settings properly.
I received an email from an account promising me hundreds of new followers:
“500 real followers per post – guaranteed!”
It sounded too good to be true. And of course, it was.
Out of curiosity, I checked what they actually meant by “shoutouts.” It turned out to be a typical Instagram scam: accounts asking for money to “promote” you, while in reality they only deliver fake followers or bots.
While reporting it, I discovered something useful I had overlooked for years: the “Hidden words” setting in Instagram.
It not only blocks offensive language but also allows you to add your own list of spam words — such as collab, promo, followers, sponsor, or crypto. Since I set it up, all fake messages automatically disappear into the “Hidden Requests” folder. Peace in my inbox — and finally, only real comments from real people.
And I’ve started looking at Instagram differently ever since. Once you know how these accounts operate, you start spotting them everywhere.
- Plenty of likes but very few comments — the ratio just doesn’t add up.
- Beautiful yet inconsistent images — clearly taken from the internet, with no clear source or style.
- No captions under photos; sometimes just “DM for collab.”
- No credits for the original designers or photographers.
- When you check their followers, you’ll see lots of empty profiles, odd names, or no profile pictures at all.
These are profiles that thrive on attention, not authenticity. And that’s why it’s helpful to recognise them before you comment or open their messages.
Sometimes you have to receive something strange to discover something smart.
It feels much better to stay open to genuine followers and clients while the noise and nonsense quietly filter themselves out. A small act of digital self-care.