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Original poster

Instagram question - very creeped out

38 replies

bluerivers27 · 23/06/2022 11:58

Not sure where this should go but here goes..

I woke up to a instagram message request in my inbox today of a travel agent, who’s staying at the hotel I stayed at 4 months ago.

she messaged saying this..

”Hey lovely, I just came across your account from your insert hotel here tags! We are currently staying here and really loving it!
Did you guys have an amazing time? We are looking to rebook for next year but just wanted to ask who you guys booked your trip with? X

I have a private account, I’ve never tagged the hotel’s account or location but I have uploaded photos of them, with no mention of the hotel. How the f did she know?

OP posts:
HRHBreathMints · 23/06/2022 12:04

Have the hotel tagged you?

Original poster
bluerivers27 · 23/06/2022 12:05

@HRHBreathMints Never! I was there 3 months ago and I've never even tagged them, I never tag my locations

OP posts:
TakeYourFinalPosition · 23/06/2022 12:11

Someone must have reshared one of your photos; and tagged the hotel, if your account is private and she can see it and doesn't follow you.

ColourFan · 23/06/2022 12:22

So you definitely didn’t:
Tag the hotel?
Add the location?
@ anyone in the caption or comments?
Use the hotel or location’s #?

Did you go on holiday with anyone else? Have they got Instagram?

Original poster
bluerivers27 · 23/06/2022 12:24

@ColourFan I went with my partner who doesn't have any social media whatsoever! I didn't even post anything to do with him either.

I've never done either of those things, and I think I had one friend ask me what hotel it was and I told her, and it's where she's booked for her honeymoon, but again, 4 months ago!

Definitely didn't do any of those things, and I've never had a public account!

OP posts:
ChardonnaysBeastlyCat · 23/06/2022 12:28

Look up the hashtag and see if you can spot anything there.

Seems odd though.

JauntyJinty · 23/06/2022 12:28

How did you book? As it's a travel agent who's messaged you I'm wondering if they're trying to drum up business and the rest is a lie to start a conversation.

Could be they were with the compnay you booked with, have now moved on and are doing something dodgy to poach customers!

ColourFan · 23/06/2022 12:29

Very weird, I wonder if there’s some kind of algorithm that detects location from the photos. Do you want to PM me the name of the hotel and I’ll search it and see if your post comes up?

ColourFan · 23/06/2022 12:31

JauntyJinty · 23/06/2022 12:28

How did you book? As it's a travel agent who's messaged you I'm wondering if they're trying to drum up business and the rest is a lie to start a conversation.

Could be they were with the compnay you booked with, have now moved on and are doing something dodgy to poach customers!

Definitely a lie for some reason. Maybe they’re doing a comparison of places to book through. Maybe they’ll try and offer a cheaper price to rebook through them.

Is your account your First&Last Name? Or did you use your real name to sign up at any point?

ColourFan · 23/06/2022 12:32

They might be a bot. So even if you asked them how they got your information they wouldn’t be able to respond, but it’s worth a try to just outright ask them!

Original poster
bluerivers27 · 23/06/2022 12:32

@JauntyJinty It's a really viral hotel that's quite expensive! We just booked it directly with the hotel themselves - DP was in charge of it all and he just does it by himself, we never go via an agent or company or anything as no need to! I don't even follow them, so it's not as if she's looked through their followers and just guessed (they have nearly 350k so that would be absurd)

@ColourFan will PM you now!

OP posts:
Original poster
bluerivers27 · 23/06/2022 12:34

@ColourFan Yep - my account is my full first and last name, but I do have the pics on my profile! It's just so strange because I've never tagged even the city it was in, let alone the hotel - so how the hell did she know? My account is small too - I have only friends and family on it, no strangers or anyone unknown so I am just weirded out!

She doesn't seem to be a bot, she's been uploading stories and stuff and has a ton of photos..

OP posts:
Original poster
bluerivers27 · 23/06/2022 12:34

I have messaged asking how she knew this as I'm on private - so nothing yet!

OP posts:
Octomore · 23/06/2022 12:38

Your profile picture will be public even if your posts aren't. So if the hotel is in your profile picture, that will be it.

redbigbananafeet · 23/06/2022 12:41

bluerivers27 · 23/06/2022 11:58

Not sure where this should go but here goes..

I woke up to a instagram message request in my inbox today of a travel agent, who’s staying at the hotel I stayed at 4 months ago.

she messaged saying this..

”Hey lovely, I just came across your account from your insert hotel here tags! We are currently staying here and really loving it!
Did you guys have an amazing time? We are looking to rebook for next year but just wanted to ask who you guys booked your trip with? X

I have a private account, I’ve never tagged the hotel’s account or location but I have uploaded photos of them, with no mention of the hotel. How the f did she know?

Is it a travel agent company account? If so, they have bought your details from the hotel, agency, bud company, air company etc and using it as a marketing tool to drum up business.

AllThatFancyPaintsAsFair · 23/06/2022 12:41

Octomore · 23/06/2022 12:38

Your profile picture will be public even if your posts aren't. So if the hotel is in your profile picture, that will be it.

How would someone be able to find a specific hotel that isn't tagged in profile pic out of all of the millions of Insta accounts?

ColourFan · 23/06/2022 12:43

bluerivers27 · 23/06/2022 12:34

@ColourFan Yep - my account is my full first and last name, but I do have the pics on my profile! It's just so strange because I've never tagged even the city it was in, let alone the hotel - so how the hell did she know? My account is small too - I have only friends and family on it, no strangers or anyone unknown so I am just weirded out!

She doesn't seem to be a bot, she's been uploading stories and stuff and has a ton of photos..

Ah that might be it then. They will potentially have got hold of data from the hotel or elsewhere and searched your full name up from that.

I would change your name slightly to a nickname or even to something completely unrelated.

redbigbananafeet · 23/06/2022 12:43

In fact, can you not just reply and ask them how they came across your profile and know the information they're relating to you?

Original poster
bluerivers27 · 23/06/2022 12:59

@Octomore nope, my profile photo is in my bedroom!

OP posts:
Original poster
bluerivers27 · 23/06/2022 13:01

redbigbananafeet · 23/06/2022 12:41

Is it a travel agent company account? If so, they have bought your details from the hotel, agency, bud company, air company etc and using it as a marketing tool to drum up business.

Show quote history

It’s an individual who has travel agent in her bio and a link to a website, the travel company is in another name (a ladies name) but this lady’s name isn’t related. From her profile pic, she’s about 40-50, and she’s at the hotel as we speak on her story and posts! I’ve had a look at the hotel’s tagged pics, and the first 50 have all been tagged in the last 2 weeks, that’s how much it gets posted!

OP posts:
Original poster
bluerivers27 · 23/06/2022 13:03

ColourFan · 23/06/2022 12:43

Ah that might be it then. They will potentially have got hold of data from the hotel or elsewhere and searched your full name up from that.

I would change your name slightly to a nickname or even to something completely unrelated.

Show quote history

I did this as soon as I got the message - no reply!

OP posts:
ChardonnaysBeastlyCat · 23/06/2022 13:07

Ah that might be it then. They will potentially have got hold of data from the hotel or elsewhere and searched your full name up from that.

That's a GDRP breach though.

DirtyteaCup · 23/06/2022 13:12

ChardonnaysBeastlyCat · 23/06/2022 13:07

Ah that might be it then. They will potentially have got hold of data from the hotel or elsewhere and searched your full name up from that.

That's a GDRP breach though.

Only if in the UK
GDPR isnt worldwide

EvelynParker · 23/06/2022 13:15

I thought GDPR covered Europe not just the uk?

JoBrodie · 23/06/2022 13:36

For private Instagram accounts if you've ever commented on anyone else's post (where their account is public) then your comment will be visible to everyone and your account clickable, so I suppose it's possible they discovered you that way.

But on your own posts even if you had tagged the hotel (as in used their @ name) they'd not have seen it unless they follow you and I'd also assume that your hashtags (the # tags) would be private too.

help.instagram.com/282667658504758

You could try viewing your own Instagram profile while logged out (or in a private browser window) and see what's actually visible. Also search for the hotel and see if you pop up in comments.

Jo