A wave of panic swept through the Snapchat community on Tuesday after the app suffered a major Snapchat outage linked to Amazon Web Services (AWS). The sudden disruption left millions of users unable to log in, send Snaps, view stories, or check friends’ locations.
Adding to the chaos, a fake warning message claiming that user accounts would be “suspended” unless forwarded to 20 people went viral — fueling confusion and misinformation across social media platforms.
Snapchat Users Panic Amid Login Failures
Reports of the Snapchat outage began surfacing early Tuesday morning, with users around the world experiencing login issues, failed message deliveries, and missing contact lists.
Outage tracking platform Downdetector recorded a sharp spike in user complaints, primarily from the UK, the US, Pakistan, and parts of Europe. Many users attempted to delete and reinstall the app, hoping to resolve the problem — only to find themselves locked out or missing saved conversations and streaks.
“I logged out to refresh the app, and now it says my account doesn’t exist,” one frustrated user wrote on X (formerly Twitter). “I thought I was hacked!”
Fake ‘Suspension’ Message Spreads Like Wildfire
As users struggled with the Snapchat outage, a viral hoax message began circulating across chats and stories. The message warned that unless users forwarded it to 20 people within two hours, their Snapchat accounts would be suspended permanently due to a “security update.”
This false alert, formatted to look like an official Snapchat message, tricked many into mass-forwarding it, creating unnecessary panic.
In an official statement, Snapchat’s support team confirmed the warning was fake:
“We are aware of a message claiming accounts will be suspended if not forwarded. This is not true. Please do not share unverified information.”
Snapchat reminded users to rely solely on its verified support handles for real-time updates and not to engage with any chain messages.
AWS Outage at the Core of the Problem
According to early reports, the Amazon Web Services (AWS) outage was the main reason behind the temporary breakdown of Snapchat’s infrastructure. AWS, which powers the backend systems for numerous global apps, experienced a regional server disruption that affected login and data synchronization features.
The incident also impacted other major platforms, including Roblox, Fortnite, and Coinbase, all of which rely on AWS for cloud operations.
By late Tuesday, AWS engineers confirmed they were working to restore connectivity and stabilize affected systems. Snapchat services began gradually returning online in some regions, though users continued reporting delayed message deliveries and missing chat histories.
Data Loss and Recovery: What Users Should Know
During the Snapchat outage, some users reported missing Snaps, lost streaks, or deleted friend lists after reinstalling the app. Snapchat advised affected users not to reinstall or repeatedly log out, as doing so could delay data recovery.
The company also introduced a “Restore” button feature for eligible users, allowing them to recover streaks or saved memories once the service is fully operational again.
Experts Weigh In on Social Media Vulnerabilities
Tech analysts say the Snapchat incident underscores the growing dependence of social media platforms on third-party cloud services. Danni Hewson, a digital economy expert, noted that large-scale outages like this reveal the fragility of interconnected systems.
“When a major cloud provider like AWS goes down, it doesn’t just affect one app — it cascades through multiple networks,” she explained.
Cybersecurity experts have also warned users to remain vigilant against phishing and fake messages that often surface during such outages. “Scammers exploit confusion,” said Ali Raza, a Lahore-based IT security researcher. “Whenever a popular app goes down, users should expect fake alerts, malicious links, and social engineering attempts.”
Snapchat Reassures Users
In its latest update, Snapchat confirmed that no accounts were suspended due to the Snapchat outage and that user data remains secure.
“Our teams are actively monitoring recovery progress. We assure users that their accounts are safe and all temporary issues will be resolved shortly,” the company stated.
Users are advised to keep the app updated and follow Snapchat’s official support page or verified social media accounts for announcements regarding restoration progress.
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