Instagram suggests a person to follow and claims that they are one of your contacts, even when they aren't. This can be confusing and may make you wonder why Instagram is making this suggestion. Based on the search results, here is some information that can help explain this phenomenon:

1. Instagram's Recommendation Algorithm: Instagram uses a complex recommendation algorithm to suggest accounts for users to follow. This algorithm takes into account various factors, including your activity on the platform, your interactions with other users, the accounts you follow, and the content you engage with [2]. It is possible that Instagram's algorithm is making these suggestions based on your activity and connections within the app rather than your phone's actual contacts.

2. Linked Social Media Accounts: If you have linked your Instagram account with other social media accounts, such as Facebook, Instagram may suggest people who are connected to you on those platforms [3]. For example, if you have a mutual friend with someone on Facebook, Instagram may suggest that person as a potential account to follow.

3. Phone Contacts: Instagram also uses your phone's contacts to make friend suggestions. When you link your contacts to your Instagram account, the app can suggest people who have connected to Instagram and are in your contacts [3]. Even if you don't have that person saved as a contact, they may have you in their contacts, leading to the suggestion.

4. Search History: Instagram's algorithm takes into account your search history on the platform. If you have recently searched for someone on Instagram and spent time looking at their profile without following them, they may appear as a suggestion later [3]. The algorithm also considers factors such as time spent on their profile and linked pictures.

5. Mutual Friends: Instagram often suggests following people who have many mutual friends with you. The more mutual friends you have with a person, the more likely they will appear in your list of suggested friends [3].

It's important to note that while Instagram's suggestions are based on various data points, they are not always accurate. The algorithm may make mistakes or suggest accounts that you may not be interested in following. If you want to control or limit these suggestions, you can review and adjust your privacy settings in the Instagram app to manage how the platform uses your data for recommendations and connections [2].

Learn more:

1. Why does Instagram suggest a person to follow saying they ...
2. Why does Instagram suggest to follow people saying in your contacts when I don't have them in my contacts ? | HardwareZone Forums
3. How Does Instagram Know My Friends and Who to Suggest?