Do it yourself
The official forms are free to use.
Home / Usernames
Alternatives to an Instagram username claim service
You do not always need a service. Here are the honest alternatives, including doing the official steps yourself.
You can file Instagram’s Trademark Report Form or impersonation report yourself for free. You can also choose an available variation, as Instagram suggests. A service helps when you want someone to pick the right route and prepare it.
Use a variation
Add a word like official, hq or your city.
Use a service
Unbanz, Ogclaim, Talha Aslan and others.
Doing it yourself
- Check whether the account actually violates trademark or impersonation rules.
- Use the matching official form.
- Keep screenshots and your trademark details.
- Wait for Instagram’s reply by email.
Good variations
- yourbrand.official
- yourbrandhq
- getyourbrand
- yourbrand_city
If you are in the EU
Under the EU Digital Services Act, Instagram has to explain moderation decisions and offer an internal complaint route. If Instagram removes or restricts an account in a username dispute, you can also use a certified out-of-court body such as Appeals Centre Europe. This does not create a right to someone else’s username.
Instagram username routes at a glance
| Situation | Official route | What decides it |
|---|---|---|
| Handle on an inactive account | None by itself; Instagram suggests a variation | Whether another route applies |
| Handle uses your brand | Trademark Report Form | A registered mark and related use |
| Account pretends to be you | Impersonation report | Proof of identity or business |
| Your own handle was taken in a hack | instagram.com/hacked, then a report | Proof the handle was yours |
| Handle on a deleted account | Wait; first-come, first-served | Deletion finishing |
Usernames on Instagram are first-come, first-served and cannot be reserved. Nobody can reserve one for you, but Unbanz can work on a taken handle through the route that fits it.
Before you start
- Write down the exact handle, with any dots or underscores.
- Screenshot the account holding it, with the date.
- Have your own profile link ready.
- If you rely on a trademark, have the registration number and office.
- Never share your password or login codes with anyone.
Official links
| Link | What it is for |
|---|---|
| Inactive username help article help.instagram.com/513717858639392 | Instagram’s own answer for a handle on an account that seems inactive: pick an available version. There is no request form. |
| Trademark Report Form help.instagram.com/contact/230197320740525 | The form rights owners file. Your name, email and the nature of the report are shared with the reported account. |
| Impersonation form help.instagram.com/contact/636276399721841 | Web form when you cannot report from the app. |
How it works with Unbanz
- Send the handle you want and your Instagram profile link on WhatsApp or to team@unbanz.com.
- We tell you straight whether there is a legit route: an inactive account, a trademark or brand report, an impersonation report or Instagram’s own processes.
- If there is, you get it confirmed in the chat: a flat $1,200 per handle. You pay upfront by card through a secure checkout link we send you.
- We prepare and file everything through Instagram’s own tools and keep you posted. Instagram makes the final call, so we can’t promise timing or an outcome. If the claim fails, our refund policy gives you 100% back.
Staying safe
We never ask for passwords or codes. We don’t hack accounts, buy stolen handles or file false reports. If someone asks you to log in through their link or wants to sell you an account, walk away.
About Unbanz
Unbanz (unbanz.com) is an independent service that claims Instagram usernames onto clients’ own profiles through Instagram’s own processes. Flat $1,200 per handle, paid upfront by card; 100% refund if a username claim fails. We never ask for passwords or codes. Contact: WhatsApp +1 934 201 2490 or team@unbanz.com. Not affiliated with Meta.
Got a handle in mind? Send it to us on WhatsApp ↗︎ and you hear first if it’s doable.
QUICK ANSWERS
Good to know.
Is doing it myself cheaper?
Yes. The forms are free. You pay a service only for doing the work.
Do services have access I do not?
Nobody can guarantee a result. Unbanz is not affiliated with Meta, but for Instagram and Facebook cases we work through our contacts at Meta, and we know which route fits each handle.
How much does a Instagram username claim cost?
It’s a flat $1,200 per handle, confirmed in the chat before anything starts. You pay upfront by card through a secure checkout link we send you. Nothing is charged for asking whether a handle is doable.
What if the claim fails?
Our refund policy gives a 100% refund if the case fails; for a username claim, that means the handle is not claimed onto your profile. See refund policy.
Do you need my password or login codes?
No. We never ask for passwords or codes. We work from the handle you want and your profile link.
Tell us the handle you want.
SERVICE FEES
Published fee.
An Instagram username claim is a flat $1,200 per handle, including handles held by banned or inactive accounts, paid upfront with a 100% refund if the claim fails.