AN INSTAGRAM user was forced to pay hundreds of dollars to get back her account from hackers.

Former super yacht captain, Victoria Melhuish, fell victim to a scam allegedly run by college students who made her pay $300 to get access back to her Instagram account. 

Melhuish’s account (@funkymoet), which has almost 20,000 followers, centers around Melhuish’s shorkipoo Moet and dog-friendly places worldwide. 

The account recently began receiving messages and emails from Instagram asking her to verify her account, all of which Melhuish ignored. 

After receiving an email which looked legitimate, Melhuish followed the link to verify her account but suddenly realized she had been scammed. 

“On the Instagram app it was frequently asking me if I wanted to get our account ‘verified’,” Melhuish said. 

“Then I received an email ‘from Meta’, which looked totally legitimate – just like the notification I had been receiving on the app.”

“I clicked on the email and that’s how the hackers got in and then they proceeded to blackmail me.”

The scammers sent Melhuish a threatening email, holding her Instagram account hostage until she paid a fee of $300. 

“I briefly hacked your Instagram account, and I want to make a deal with you. If we make a deal, I’ll give back your Instagram account,” the hacker’s email started out.

“I am not a bad person, I am a university student studying computer engineering. I live separately from my family so I need money.”

The hacker described their financial situation and how the ransom would help out both the hacker and the influencer.

‘Do not answer it’ iPhone and Android owners told over common signs you’re being hit with bank-emptying phone call scam

They promised to give back the account if the money was paid, and even attached screenshots of conversations with other accounts they hacked and returned.

“In addition, if you do not answer me, I will unfortunately have to sell your account to someone else,” the hacker said before giving their number and bank account information.

Melhuish reluctantly paid the threatening thief via cryptocurrency and was immediately granted access back to her account. 

However, Melhuish’s account was returned to her with new login details the hacker created. 

After fighting to get her account back, Melhuish logged in just to realize the account was banned for suspicious activity. 

In order to get her account unbanned, Melhuish engaged in a battle with Instagram developer Meta Platforms. 

When all was said and done, Melhuish said she felt stupid for falling for a scam. 

Experts are warning Facebook and Instagram users to be extra careful due to new artificial intelligence deep fake scams.

Criminals are using audio and visual deep fakes to con users out of money.

“Keep your social media locked down,” said Curtis Wilson, of Synopsys Software Integrity Group, speaking to The U.S Sun.

“Don’t accept follows/friend requests from people you don’t know.

“Be careful with what private information you share – including names and addresses, where you work, where your kids go to school, etc.”

The Federal Trade Commission advises those who believe they are victims of scams to report the scam through the FTC website.