Instagram Denies Link Between Password Reset Email Surge and Alleged Data Sale

Over the past week, a large number of Instagram users have reported receiving unexpected emails warning of password reset requests. The message typically reads: “We got a request to reset your Instagram password. If you ignore this message, your password will not be changed.”

The timing of these emails has drawn attention due to a separate claim made on a Dark Web forum, where a cybercriminal using the alias “Solonik” offered a database allegedly containing information of around 17 million Instagram users for sale.

The exposed data reportedly includes usernames, full names, user IDs, email addresses, phone numbers, country details, and partial location data. Notably, no passwords were included in the dataset.

Despite widespread speculation, Instagram has denied any connection between the two incidents. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), the company confirmed it had resolved an issue that allowed external parties to trigger password reset emails for “some people,” but maintained that the matter is unrelated to the alleged data leak.

At present, there is no confirmed evidence of a fresh breach originating directly from Instagram’s systems.