Imagine losing access to 13 years of Instagram photos, exhausting every recovery option and turning to ChatGPT for help. Instead of connecting you with Meta, the chatbot suggests contacting a journalist.
According to a new 404 Media report, it's happening often enough that the publication has received dozens of AI-generated requests from people struggling with everything from locked accounts to malfunctioning iPhones.
And while there's nothing inherently wrong with contacting the media, it's certainly the wrong direction for getting help fast. Anyone waiting for a follow up email from me, should know the inbox of a journalist is often filled to the brim.
When tech support becomes a news investigation
In his Monday report, 404 Media co-founder Jason Koebler describes receiving an email from a man in Russia who lost access to 13 years of Instagram photos and videos after his account was banned.
After exhausting Meta's appeals process, the man asked ChatGPT for another way to get help. The chatbot suggested contacting journalists, including Koebler, and even drafted an email explaining his situation.
He wasn't alone. Another user, frustrated by Verizon service problems that left an iPhone stuck in SOS mode, emailed multiple newsrooms requesting an investigation.
Someone else struggling with an unreliable ChatGPT assistant named Captain NORBERTA sent three AI-prepared PDFs, including a press release, personal statement and evidence appendix.
Koebler says 404 Media has received dozens of similar requests in recent months. After asking people how they found the publication, the journalists discovered that AI chatbots were repeatedly directing users their way.
But there's a difference between helping someone solve a problem and sending them on a mission that probably won't get them anywhere. So I put ChatGPT to the test.
Test 1: Recovering a locked Instagram account
Prompt: I am completely locked out of my Instagram account and have no way of getting back in.
ChatGPT immediately offered the usual account recovery steps. Nothing groundbreaking, but exactly what I'd expect from a troubleshooting assistant.
But instead of dumping a long list of instructions and leaving me to figure things out, ChatGPT essentially turned itself into a customer service agent. The chat interface became more interactive, guiding me through the recovery process step by step.
No wild goose chase. ChatGPT stayed focused on recovering my account, which is exactly what I wanted it to do.
Test 2: An iPhone stuck in SOS mode
Prompt: I got a new iPhone but my old phone is in SOS mode and I am not finished switching over. How do I get my phone out of SOS mode so I can use it to make calls again.
This one hit a little too close to home because it actually happened to me over the weekend.
My husband and I bought new iPhones in the exact same color. What was I thinking?
Somewhere during the setup process, things went sideways. His Apple account information ended up on the phone associated with my number, and my old phone was stuck in SOS mode. Suddenly, something as simple as upgrading our phones had turned into an absolute nightmare.
We ended up leaning heavily on ChatGPT to help untangle the mess. And unlike the experience described in 404 Media's report, the chatbot didn't suggest escalating our problem to a newsroom. It stayed focused on troubleshooting the phone, explaining what SOS mode meant and helping us work through the next steps.
Test 3: Recovering a forgotten Apple ID password
My prompt: I have lost my Apple ID and am locked out of my new iPhone. I cannot finish the set up or change settings without it. Help.
Unfortunately, the SOS problem wasn't the only thing that went wrong with our new phones.
My husband had also forgotten his Apple account password. And considering how often Face ID handles authentication these days, I can't exactly blame him.
You don't realize how important that password is until you're setting up a new device and suddenly can't get past the sign-in screen. Once again, I turned to ChatGPT.
At first, it suggested the basic password recovery steps we'd already tried. That wasn't especially helpful, but it wasn't surprising either. ChatGPT had no way of knowing what we'd already done.
The difference came when I started explaining our very specific situation and what hadn't worked. ChatGPT continued helping us work through the available options without immediately handing us off to Apple.
It couldn't bypass Apple's security requirements, but it gave us a way to understand what was happening without constantly hunting through support pages. Having someone — even an AI — explain each step made an incredibly frustrating situation easier to manage.
The takeaway
When something goes wrong with my tech, ChatGPT is often the first place I turn. And in my three tests, ChatGPT largely did what I hoped it would. It offered troubleshooting advice, asked for more information and stayed focused on the actual problem.
Not once did it suggest contacting a journalist. Based on how quickly AI moves, it's very possible that OpenAI jumped on the problem and fixed things internally, but the bigger lesson is that sometimes AI can be genuinely helpful, like in my case, or sound helpful and lead users astray.
An AI assistant can give you detailed instructions, draft a convincing email and make an elaborate plan sound perfectly reasonable. But none of that guarantees it's pointing you toward a solution.
For everyday troubleshooting, ChatGPT can be a useful first stop. Just don't assume every recommendation is worth following.