BYU Cougarettes IG Account Hacked, Held For Ransom
Oct 14, 2021, 6:08 PM
(Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News)
(Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News)
PROVO, Utah – The BYU Cougarettes dance team’s Instagram account was hacked and is being held for ransom to have it returned to the program.
According to the Daily Universe, the account was hacked on September 30 and was held for ransom of $1,000 to have it returned to BYU’s ownership.
The account was renamed “pharabentarway79k” with the bio reading “this Instagram account is held to be sold back to its owner.”
The BYU Cougarettes Instagram has been taken over and renamed “pharabenfarway79k.”
The description reads “this Instagram account is held to be sold back to its owner.”
We reached out to the current owner. They have held it for 14 days and are seeking $1,000 for its return. pic.twitter.com/Qz7Zn6VW0d
— Daily Universe Sports (@DailyUnivSports) October 14, 2021
The Daily Universe reached out to the hacker on Thursday and said that no one from BYU has contacted them to retrieve the account. They added that there was no particular reason that they hacked the Cougarettes account but it is their job to hack an account and sell it back to its owner.
BYU’s athletic department said they are working with Instagram’s help center and support to get the account back but they have not heard back from the social media platform.
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