Having your Facebook account hacked can be a very distressing situation. Your account contains personal information, conversations with friends and family, and possibly even financial data if you use Facebook to log in to other services. Not being able to access your own Facebook profile can make you feel violated and anxious about what the hacker might be doing with your data. The good news is that there are steps you can take to try to regain access to your account.
How do I know if my Facebook account has been hacked?
There are several signs that may indicate your Facebook profile has been compromised:
- You are suddenly logged out of your account and cannot log back in using your password.
- Your password no longer works. This is a clear sign that someone has changed it.
- You start seeing posts, comments, messages or friend requests that you did not make. These may be visible to you if you can still view your profile while logged out.
- Your friends may see questionable posts or messages appearing to come from you. They may contact you asking if your account has been hacked.
- You may notice new friend connections you did not approve. A hacker may be adding their own friends from your profile.
- Your profile information like your name, email, phone number or birthday appears changed without your knowledge.
- You stop receiving notifications about message requests, comments, and tags that others are still seeing from your account.
If you notice any of these signs, it’s very likely your Facebook account has been compromised. Take action right away to try to regain access and secure your account.
How does my Facebook account get hacked in the first place?
There are a few common ways hackers can gain access to your Facebook profile:
- Guessing or resetting your password – Hackers may guess simple or commonly used passwords. They also can try resetting your password if they have access to your email address or phone number linked to the account.
- Phishing scams – Watch out for emails or messages pretending to be from Facebook asking you to verify or re-enter your login credentials. These are phishing scams trying to steal your username and password.
- Malware or spyware – Downloading infected files or apps can allow malware to steal passwords and data from your computer.
- Social engineering – Hackers may trick you by contacting you directly and posing as Facebook support, then convince you to give up your password to “confirm your identity.”
- SIM swapping – Criminals can hijack your phone number by transferring it to a SIM card they control. They can then use text codes sent to that number to reset Facebook passwords.
- Credential stuffing – Your Facebook username and password may have been compromised in a third-party data breach. Hackers obtain password dumps from these breaches and try those credentials on other sites like Facebook.
- Session hijacking – Hackers can intercept active logged-in sessions and take over your account. Always log out of Facebook when using public WiFi networks.
Practicing good security habits like using unique passwords and enabling two-factor authentication can help prevent your account from being compromised by most of these methods.
I can’t log in to Facebook – what should I do?
If you find yourself locked out of your Facebook account, stay calm but act quickly. Time is critical for regaining access. Here are the steps to take right away:
- Run a virus scan on your computer. A malware infection could be capturing your activity or passwords. Scan all your devices to eliminate this possibility.
- Change your Facebook password. Do this from a device you know is clean. Use a completely new complex password.
- Turn on two-factor authentication. Once back in your account, enable 2FA if not already on to add an extra layer of security.
- Check login approvals. Review your login history in security settings. Revoke access for any unknown logins.
- Remove browser cookies and cached data. This ensures no one has persistent access through open sessions.
- Alert friends your account was hacked. Tell them to disregard any suspicious messages sent during the time your account was compromised.
If you still can’t login after taking these steps, you will need to go through Facebook’s account recovery process.
How does Facebook’s account recovery process work?
Facebook provides an account recovery process to help regain access in cases of hacking or lost passwords. Here are the steps involved:
- Go to Facebook’s hacked account support page and select “My account was hacked”.
- Enter your full account email, phone number, birthdate, and any previous passwords you can remember.
- Facebook will send a 6-digit security code to your email or phone to verify your identity.
- Enter the code Facebook sent to complete the recovery process.
- Once verified, you should now be able to reset your password and regain access to your account.
Facebook may ask some security questions during the process to confirm your identity. Try to provide as much accurate information as you can. Note that if you previously enabled two-factor authentication, the recovery process can be more complex and will likely involve getting one-time passcodes through your 2FA method.
How long does Facebook account recovery take?
The amount of time it takes to fully restore your access to a hacked Facebook account can vary depending on several factors:
- How quickly you act after first being locked out of your account. The sooner you start the recovery process, the better.
- How much verified identity information you can provide to Facebook. Supplying details like your email, phone number, DOB helps prove the account is yours.
- The identification verification method. Recovering via text code is faster than using email confirmation links.
- If two-factor authentication was enabled. 2FA adds more steps before you can login again.
- How responsive Facebook support teams are. Weekends or holidays may increase wait times.
In straightforward cases with minimal authentication configured, you may be able to fully regain access to your hacked Facebook account within an hour. But it’s not uncommon for the full recovery process to take 12-24 hours. Complex cases requiring extensive identity verification or account investigation may take 1-3 days to completely resolve.
What can hackers do with my Facebook account?
Attackers who gain access to your Facebook profile can potentially do a lot of damage. Here are some of the malicious activities hackers engage in:
- Post offensive, illegal or embarrassing content on your timeline or page.
- Send inappropriate messages, spam or phishing links to your friends.
- Access or share your private communications and photos.
- Steal your personal information and details about your connections.
- Use account privileges to compromise your trusted connections.
- Access connected sites or accounts using Facebook Login.
- Post false information, misinformation or hate speech through your identity.
- Engage in various scams and fraud using your profile.
The level of damage depends on how much personal information is accessible through your account and your privacy settings. Hackers look to exploit connections you have built up on Facebook to spread their activities further through your network.
How can I better secure my Facebook account?
Once your account access has been restored, take some time to implement additional security protections:
- Enable two-factor authentication. 2FA requires an extra verification step like a text code or authentication app.
- Remove third-party app access. Revoke permissions for any unfamiliar apps or services connected to your profile.
- Be cautious of login requests. Look for the green Secure Browser Connection before entering your password.
- Use strong unique passwords. Avoid common words, phrases or personal info as passwords.
- Manage trusted contacts. Designate 3-5 friends who can help if you are locked out again.
Carefully check your privacy and account settings and make any needed restrictions. Avoid oversharing personal information on your public profile. Be very wary of any unsolicited contact or support requests, as these are likely phishing attempts.
Should I delete my account after it gets hacked?
Deleting your Facebook account is an extreme option if all else fails to secure it after a hack. But in most cases it’s not necessary. Recovering your profile and implementing enhanced security measures can effectively lock the hacker out. Removing your account also means losing contact with all your friends and networks on Facebook. Here are some pros and cons of deleting a hacked account:
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Removes hacker’s access completely | Lose all connections built up on Facebook |
| Eliminates risk of future compromise | Miss out on events, invites and updates |
| Stops hackers misusing your identity | Difficult to reconnect with certain friends later |
| Lets you start fresh with new account | Permanently delete photos, memories, posts, etc. |
Unless the hacker gains complete administrative control that you cannot recover from, deleting your account is usually an unnecessary step. With proper security precautions, you can continue safely using your profile while eliminating the hacker’s access.
If all else fails, what are my options?
If you exhaust all account recovery options and Facebook support is unable to restore your access, you still have a few choices:
- File a police report. This creates an official record that may help Facebook investigate.
- Contact Facebook moderators. Escalate the issue by reaching out through forums and community groups.
- Report compromised content. Flag offensive posts, spam, scams, etc. appearing from your account.
- Dispute issues via BBB. File a complaint with the Better Business Bureau to notify Facebook.
- Consult a lawyer. They may be able to pressure Facebook to re-examine recovery options.
While restoring a severely hacked account can be difficult, continuing to pursue multiple avenues greatly improves your chances of regaining access. Be patient and persistent in working through all available support channels.
Conclusion
Having your Facebook profile hacked can be stressful, but with the right approach you can get back into your account and secure it. Early detection of unauthorized access is key. If you believe your account has been compromised, immediately run through Facebook’s account recovery steps. Supply as much accurate personal information as you can to prove you are the legitimate owner. Turn on enhanced security like two-factor authentication after regaining access. With vigilance and proper precautions, you can regain control of your account and continue connecting safely on Facebook.