Having your Facebook account hacked can be a very distressing experience. Your personal information, conversations, photos, and more are all stored on Facebook, so a hacker gaining access to your account can feel like a major invasion of privacy. If you suspect your Facebook account has been hacked, contacting Facebook right away is an important step to try regaining control of your account.
How to Know if Your Facebook Account is Hacked
There are several signs that may indicate your Facebook account has been compromised by a hacker:
- You are suddenly logged out of your account and cannot log back in using your password.
- Your password no longer works and you receive an error message about it being incorrect.
- You notice posts or messages on your timeline that you did not write or send.
- Your profile information like your name, email, phone number or birthday has been changed without your doing.
- You no longer receive notifications about login attempts or location tracking.
- Your friends report getting spam messages, game invites or friend requests that appear to come from you.
- You can no longer access features like Facebook Marketplace or Facebook Pay that require ID verification.
Any of these issues could signal your account has been compromised. The sooner you can catch a hack, the better, so keep an eye out for unusual activity.
How to Contact Facebook About a Hacked Account
If you believe your account has been hacked, here are the steps to contacting Facebook right away:
- Go to the Facebook Help Center and search for “hacked accounts.”
- Click on the option for “My account was hacked.”
- This will take you to the Facebook Hacked Accounts support page. Click on “My Account Was Hacked.”
- Click on “How do I get back into my account?”
- On this page, click on the blue button “My Account Was Hacked.”
- Follow the on-screen prompts to report your account has been hacked and try to regain access.
Facebook’s automated system will walk you through various steps to try recovering and securing your account. This includes:
- Requesting a login code or special link sent to your email on file.
- Answering security questions to confirm your identity.
- Looking for any unusual third-party app access that could signal a hack.
- Requesting a review of suspicious posts or messages.
Be prepared to provide as much detail as possible to Facebook about why you believe your account was hacked. Specific examples of unusual posts, changed information or third-party app access can help Facebook investigate the compromise faster.
Additional Ways to Contact Facebook
If you are still locked out of your Facebook account after following the automated hacked account recovery steps, here are some additional ways to contact Facebook for help:
- Request Account Review – Use another social media account to reach out to Facebook’s official profiles on Twitter or Instagram asking for an account review. Include your full name, username and why you cannot access your account.
- Facebook Community Help – Visit the Facebook Community Help groups and post about your hacked account issue to see if other users have advice on getting Facebook’s attention.
- Contact Facebook Advertising Support – If your account has active ads running, you can reach Facebook ad support and explain your account was hacked.
- File Complaint with Better Business Bureau – Filing a complaint with the Better Business Bureau can sometimes prompt a response from Facebook to investigate.
Information to Have Handy When Contacting Facebook
To help Facebook efficiently investigate your hacked account claim, have the following information ready:
- Your full name on the account
- Your email or phone number on the account
- Username or User ID number
- Approximate date the account was created
- Locations where you commonly log in from
- Any other emails or social media accounts linked to your Facebook
Also explain in detail when you first noticed suspicious activity and what has occurred since then. The more details Facebook’s security team has, the quicker they may be able to recover your account.
Steps to Take While Waiting for Facebook Response
It may take Facebook up to 24 hours to respond to your hacked account report and begin investigating. While you wait for their response, here are some steps to take:
- Contact friends and family your account may have messaged – Let them know your account was hacked in case they received any unusual messages.
- Change passwords on other linked accounts – If your Facebook was linked to any other accounts, change those passwords as well in case the hacker has access.
- Be cautious of any emails or links from “Facebook” – Avoid opening any emails claiming to be from Facebook Security, as these may be fake phishing attempts.
- Enable two-factor authentication once account access is restored – Adding extra login protections like requiring a code from your phone can help prevent future hacks.
- Run antivirus software on your computer or mobile devices – Scan all your devices to detect and remove any potential viruses or malware picked up.
What to Do If You Cannot Regain Access
Unfortunately, there is a chance that following Facebook’s hacked account process may still not restore your access. If Facebook is unable to recover your account, here are the steps to take:
- File a report at IdentityTheft.gov – This official government website can help you report and recover from identity theft.
- Check websites that track data breaches – Sites like HaveIBeenPwned let you see if your info is compromised.
- Consider filing a police report for identity theft – Having an official report may help if you need to dispute fraudulent activity.
- Contact your state or federal representatives – Reaching out to elected officials sometimes prompts action from companies like Facebook.
- Sign up for credit monitoring – Monitor your reports and bank statements closely for any signs of misuse of your info.
- Freeze your credit – Placing a credit freeze restricts access to your credit report to help avoid hackers opening new accounts.
If Facebook cannot recover your account, you may need to start fresh and create a new account with new contact information. Be sure to use unique passwords and enable two-factor authentication for extra protection.
Preventing Facebook Account Hacks
Once your account has been compromised, it’s clear extra precautions are needed for the future. Here are tips to boost Facebook account security moving forward:
- Use a Complex Password – Create a long, random password that would be difficult to guess.
- Enable Two-Factor Authentication – Require a login code from your phone for each new session.
- Remove Third-Party Apps – Revoke access to any unknown or suspicious apps.
- Be Wary of Suspicious Links – Don’t open questionable links that could download malware.
- Use Facebook Alerts – Get notifications of new logins to watch for suspicious access.
- Limit Info Shared Publicly – Lock down privacy settings and avoid sharing too many personal details.
Taking proactive measures greatly reduces your risk of being hacked again. But staying vigilant and watching for warning signs is also key in case another attack occurs.
Dealing With a Hacked Facebook Account
Having your Facebook account hacked can be very damaging and frustrating. But moving quickly to contact Facebook, contain the issue, and implement stronger security can help minimize the disruption. Be persistent in following up with Facebook’s support team, and enact preventative measures so hackers cannot gain access again. With caution and good practices, you can safely continue using Facebook in the future.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I delete my Facebook account if it gets hacked?
You do not necessarily need to delete your Facebook account if it gets hacked. The best practice is to contact Facebook right away to investigate and secure the account. If you do choose to delete the account, the information from your profile remains stored in Facebook’s system. So it’s often better to try recovering the account first.
How long does it take Facebook to respond to a hacked account?
Facebook aims to respond to hacked account reports and begin investigating within 24 hours. However, it can sometimes take up to 3-5 days to go through the full account recovery process if more extensive security checks are needed.
What information can a hacker access on my Facebook account?
Hackers that gain access to your account can view your posts, photos, private messages, friends list, payment information, location data, email address, and more. That’s why it’s so important to lock the account down fast.
Are there Facebook phone numbers to call about a hacked account?
Unfortunately there are no direct phone numbers to call Facebook or Facebook Support. The only way to report a hacked account is through Facebook’s Help Center online forms. However, you may be provided a special login code via automated phone call during the account recovery process.
Can I sue Facebook if I experience a hacked account?
You generally cannot sue Facebook if you are the victim of a hacked account. Facebook provides recommendations on how to secure accounts, and users are responsible for implementing proper protections. You would need to prove definitively that Facebook was negligent in a security breach that directly led to your account being compromised.
Does Facebook notify contacts if they detect suspicious login activity?
In some cases, Facebook will proactively notify your friends if they detect a suspicious login to your account. You can also let your contacts know yourself that your account was hacked, so they are aware of any unusual messages they may have received.
Conclusion
Having your Facebook account hacked can be incredibly concerning, but contacting Facebook right away gives you the best chance of quickly regaining control. Provide as many details as possible when reporting unauthorized access, and remain vigilant for any other signs of your information being misused. Enabling stronger login protections moving forward can help prevent hackers from being able to access your Facebook account again.