Lil Tay was able to get her Instagram account back with the help of social media company Meta. After a hacker shared a false statement saying that the teen rapper had died, a spokesperson for Meta confirmed that they’d helped her retrieve the account in a statement to TMZ. In her statement confirming that she was still alive, Tay, 14, also thanked the company, which owns Facebook and Instagram, for helping her regain control.
Just a day after her death was reported, Tay revealed that she was still alive to TMZ, where she revealed she’d been a victim of a hack. She also said that the culprit hadn’t even used her real name in the statement. “My Instagram account was compromised by a 3rd party and used to spread jarring misinformation and rumors regarding me, to the point that even my name was wrong. My legal name is Tay Tian, not ‘Claire Hope,’” she said.
At the start, Tay revealed that it had been a hard day following the news. “I want to make it clear that my brother and I are safe and alive, but I’m completely heartbroken, and struggling to even find the right words to say,” she said. “It’s been a very traumatizing 24 hours.”
Before the teen viral star spoke out, many believed Tay had passed when the since-deleted statement was posted on her Instagram. “It is with a heavy heart that we share the devastating news of our beloved Claire’s sudden and tragic passing,” the statement said. “During this time of immense sorrow, we kindly ask for privacy as we grieve this overwhelming loss, as the circumstances surrounding Claire and her brother’s passing are still under investigation.”
While some fans grieved the teen’s passing, it was revealed that neither Tay’s father nor former manager would confirm her death to Insider. The outlet also reported that there weren’t any police investigations into her death in Los Angeles or Vancouver, Canada, despite the statement’s claims that it was being investigated. Tay came forward that she was alive after the fact.