5 Steps to Take If Your Facebook Account Gets Hacked
If you find yourself logged out of your Facebook account and unable to log back in, don’t panic—you’re not alone! Millions of Facebook users have had their accounts hacked at one point or another, and these hacks can affect anyone from kids to grandparents. Luckily, restoring access to your hacked Facebook account isn’t too difficult with the help of these five steps.
1) Don’t Panic
It can be hard to calm down and get perspective when your Facebook account gets hacked. If you feel panicked, breathe. Now is not the time for rash decisions; we have a game plan that will help you fix this.
First, if you can log in with your password, don’t make any changes. This isn’t an emergency and it could get things worse. Let’s gather information first so we can approach your account in a strategic way. On top of changing your password, there are three more steps you should take immediately. If you can’t log in with your password, keep reading!
2) Check your email inbox
Step 1. Find Your Facebook Account and Look for the Security Request
The first thing you should do is access your account as quickly as possible. The hacker may have taken it offline, so make sure you look at your profile directly rather than going through other people’s updates. If you’re logged out of Facebook, then there is a chance someone has changed your password and that their new email address is the only way they are accepting messages from you. When you get an email from Facebook, read the message thoroughly before taking any action, and be mindful of any links in the message.
3) Report the account as hacked to Facebook
Take a deep breath and then get in touch with Facebook right away. Hackers often try to control the hacked account through malware on the computer or by obtaining their password, so they will usually be able to tell you how they were able to access your account and give you steps on how you can regain access.
Most of us don’t think that it will happen to us but with so many social media sites available and many people using services like LastPass and 1Password that are inherently insecure, it is important to be prepared for when your account gets hacked. It’s a good idea to check in on your accounts every day and also create back-up accounts in case you do lose access. For more information check out some common myths about being hacked.
4) Change your password immediately
You should immediately change your password and keep a close eye on your account. If it has been compromised, you may see posts or profile pictures that weren’t authorized. You should also consider installing security tools, such as two-factor authentication and a password manager. If the hackers are still inside of your account, they can reinstate access by contacting Facebook support and providing information about the attack (i.e., IP address).
First and foremost, change your password. This is your first step in restoring access to your account, so it’s important you do it right away. Since most people use either a password manager or one of their own choosing when setting up their accounts, attackers can’t gain access by simply resetting your password and using one they know. A hacker that has found a way around two-factor authentication would still have a tough time gaining entry into an account with a strong (and unique) password, so be sure yours is both secure and easy for you to remember!
How Do I Restore Access to a Hacked Facebook Account? – Third Paragraph: One thing I’ve noticed after being hacked before: Most hackers don’t immediately wipe out accounts.
5) Delete any unwanted apps you may have downloaded
Your Facebook account can be hacked when someone takes control of your account and changes your password. So if this happens, change your password immediately and then follow these steps:
- Change your password for the hacked account: Click Secure Your Account on the top right corner of Facebook’s homepage. Log in using the email and new password you want to use for that account, click on Manage My Account, and make sure you have a strong and difficult-to-guess new password as well as enabled two-factor authentication.