I've been hacked!

Hi Everyone!

I just wanted to email all my subscribers to let you know that my Instagram account has been hacked and taken over by someone promoting bitcoin! The hackers got into my Twitter/X account as well, but I managed to fend them off from my Facebook account. As if having to move house and studio wasn't stressful enough, now I have had to spend the last 36 hours hardening every single account I have on the Internet!

I know this happens everyday but to a self-employed, sole trader like myself this can be devastating. I rely so much on social media to promote my work, and with the tough economic times starting to bite it just makes being an artist even more of a struggle!

If you follow me on Instagram you might have noticed the slight name change - they have renamed my account @clairemariieartistt__ and started posting about my apparent new Tesla!

Anyone who has been following me for a while will see the problem straight away - if I was to buy any car to celebrate my success it would be a classic VW Kombi!

If you do follow me on Instagram, could I ask you to please report @clairemariieartistt__ as being hacked or a scam and report @maria_nicole_hfx as a scam or fraud, then unfollow @clairemariieartistt__. I am in the process of trying to recover my account but even if I do get it back (unlikely) I will most likely be deleting it and starting fresh. I will keep you updated as I make progress with this.