Can I report my hacked account to Facebook?

Having your Facebook account hacked can be a stressful and frustrating experience. Your private information, photos, conversations and more are all stored on Facebook, so a hacked account can feel like a major invasion of privacy. Unfortunately, hacking and phishing attempts are an ongoing issue on Facebook and other social media platforms. If you find that your Facebook account has been compromised, you’ll want to act quickly to secure it and report the issue. Here are some steps to take if your Facebook account gets hacked.

Detecting a hacked Facebook account

There are a few key signs that may indicate your Facebook account has been compromised:

You’re locked out of your account. If your password suddenly stops working, it could mean someone changed it without your knowledge.

Suspicious posts or messages. Watch for odd posts, comments or private messages sent from your account that you didn’t write.
Unknown friends. A hacker may add their own friends or contacts to your friend list.
Changed profile information. Hackers may edit profile details like your name, birthday, location and more.

Unusual login locations. Check the list of locations your account has been accessed from for any unfamiliar places.
Two-factor authentication disabled. If this security feature was turned off, it may be a red flag.

If you notice any of these signals, you’ll want to act quickly to start securing your account.

Securing your compromised Facebook account

Here are the steps to take if you believe your Facebook account has been hacked:

1. Log out of all sessions

The first step is to log out of all active Facebook sessions. This will immediately sign the hacker out of your account on any device they’re using. Here’s how to do it:

Go to your Facebook settings and open the “Security and Login” page.

Scroll down and click on “See More.”
Click “Log Out Of All Sessions” to sign out everywhere.

This ensures that only sessions and devices you actively log into going forward will have access.

2. Change your password

Next, change your account password immediately. Make sure it’s long and complex enough to be secure. Enable two-factor authentication if you haven’t yet for an extra layer of security.

3. Remove suspicious activity

Look for any posts, messages or connections the hacker may have made from your account. Delete anything suspicious. Unfriend or block any unknown contacts.

4. Scan devices for malware

Run malware scans to check if your devices are infected. This could allow a hacker to access your new password again. Only log in from trusted, secured devices after resetting your password.

5. Enable login alerts

Facebook has a login notification feature that alerts you when your account is accessed from an unrecognized device. Turn this on for more monitoring.

Taking these steps will help you secure your account and remove any access or influence the hacker had. But it’s also important to then report the hacking issue directly to Facebook.

Reporting a hacked account to Facebook

Facebook has a specific process for reporting compromised accounts. Here’s how to go about it:

Use the hacked account reporting form

Facebook provides a dedicated security form to report hacked accounts. This is the best way to notify Facebook officially about the issue. Here are the steps:

Go to the Facebook Hacked Accounts form.
Enter your email address for the compromised account and click Search.

Select options to describe how the account was compromised.
Follow additional on-screen instructions and submit the form.

Once submitted, the Facebook security team will review the report and take action to secure the account.

Try automated account recovery

Facebook also offers an automated account recovery process you can try. On the login page, click “Forgot Password?” to trigger the process to recover and reset access to your account. Follow the steps to confirm your identity.

Request a review of suspicious activity

Use the Facebook Help Center to request a review of any posts, messages or other actions taken from your account during the hack. Facebook may be able to remove this activity.

Reporting hacking or phishing attempts helps Facebook strengthen their systems and security processes. So make sure to let them know if you notice any suspicious behavior on your account.

Recovering and strengthening your Facebook account

Once you’ve reported the hack, here are some next steps to further secure your restored account:

Turn on login approvals. This requires you enter a code from your mobile device when logging in on unrecognized devices.
Set up account recovery contacts. Designate trusted contacts who can help if you’re locked out again.

Review recent logins. Regularly check locations your account has been accessed from for anything suspicious.
Update your software. Keep apps, browsers and operating systems current to ensure you have the latest security protections.
Use strong unique passwords. Don’t reuse passwords between accounts or have easily guessed passwords.

Be wary of phishing. Avoid entering your login credentials on unfamiliar sites to prevent phishing.

Strengthening your overall social media security habits can help prevent future account hacks or phishing attacks across any of your accounts.

Warning signs of a Facebook hacking attempt

It’s also helpful to recognize the signs of hacking and phishing attempts, before your account is actually compromised:

Emails asking you to verify account login or personal details. Facebook will never email you out of the blue for your password or other sensitive info.
Login pages asking for your Facebook password. The URL may look official, but is slightly different than the real Facebook site.
Posts promoting “free giveaways” or “exclusive offers” that prompt you to enter login details on an external site to claim.

Messages containing unusual links rather than using your name. Scammers try to hide fake URLs in the hyperlinked text.
Apps that request permissions to access your account data for no clear reason. Deny access to suspicious or unnecessary apps.

Paying attention to these warning signs can help you avoid compromising scams and credential theft attempts.

Can Facebook restore hacked accounts?

In most cases, Facebook should be able to fully restore access and control of your account if it’s been hacked. Their security team reviews reports and will take actions like:

Removing any suspicious posts, messages or connections made by the hacker.
Resetting your password so they can no longer access the account.

Returning your account name or profile details back to original if edited.
Disabling new logins until you confirm your identity and recover the account.
Strengthening security measures on the account such as prompts for two-factor authentication.

Accounts that violate Facebook’s terms and policies around pretending to be someone else may be temporarily disabled during investigation. But in most hacks, you’ll be able to fully recover your account within 24 hours of reporting the issue.

The key is acting quickly to log out of active sessions, change your password, report it and remove any influence the hacker had. This gives Facebook the details needed to secure your account and undo unauthorized changes.

Best practices for Facebook account security

Here are some top tips to keep your Facebook account safe from hackers:

Enable two-factor authentication for logins.
Create a strong, unique password.
Be wary of emails and messages asking for personal info.

Avoid clicking links from strangers.
Don’t use your Facebook password on other sites.
Review recent account access locations.

Turn on login alerts via email or SMS.
Don’t open attachments or install apps from unknown sources.
Keep your software and apps updated.

Practicing general caution around online scams and attacks will help prevent your Facebook account and other important accounts from being compromised.

What does Facebook do to combat hacking?

Facebook uses a mix of defensive measures to try to keep accounts secure and combat hacking attempts:

AI monitoring systems – Automated systems monitor activity patterns to detect suspicious behavior.

Security professionals – Facebook employs dedicated security teams to identify threats.
Bug bounties – Ethical hackers are rewarded for finding and reporting vulnerabilities.
Reporting processes – Easy ways for users to report hacking aids investigation.

Login approvals – Login requests from unrecognized devices require identity verification.
Data encryption – User data and communications have encryption protection.
Security partnerships – Facebook partners with banks and cybersecurity firms to share threat intelligence.

No security is perfect, but Facebook makes significant effort to protect accounts, respond to hacks and phishing attacks, and encourage users to practice safe security habits online.

Can you tell if someone is trying to hack your Facebook account?

Suspicious activity like the following could suggest someone is trying to access or hack your Facebook account:

Account login alerts from unrecognized locations or devices.

Forgot password reset emails you didn’t initiate.
Texts with login codes you didn’t request.
Being logged out unexpectedly or frequently.

Posts or messages you didn’t create.
New friend requests from people you don’t know.
Unfamiliar logins in your account access history.

Popups asking you to verify login details.

These signals could indicate someone trying passwords or phishing for your login information. Contact Facebook immediately if you notice any of these activities. Strengthening your password and security settings can also help block unauthorized access attempts.

What information can a hacker access from your Facebook account?

If someone gains access to your Facebook account, here are some of the types of personal information they could potentially view or access:

Your contacts/friends list and their profiles.
Your personal profile details like address, job, phone number and email.
Your posts, photos and other content you’ve shared.

Private messages and conversations.
Your interests and online activity to target ads.
Connected apps and websites you use Facebook Login with.

Payment details if you have saved them on Facebook.
Location history from your posts and device data.

This demonstrates why it’s so important to keep your account secure and make sure you frequently change your password. Limiting the personal details you add to your Facebook profile can also help minimize your exposure if hacked.

Should I delete my Facebook account if it gets hacked?

There’s usually no need to fully delete your Facebook account after it’s hacked. Facebook can typically secure and restore your account if you report the hacking attempt quickly.

However, here are some cases where deleting may be an option to consider:

If someone has gained access to personal data like IDs or financial information.

If someone is harassing your contacts or distributing damaging content.
If your account has been permanently disabled due to a hacker’s violations.
If you have concerns the hacker still has remote access despite changes.

Creating a brand new account ensures no access or influence remains from the hacking attempt. But this means losing your full social network and shared content permanently. Work with Facebook support to determine if deletion is truly necessary for your situation.

Can you recover a disabled Facebook account after being hacked?

If Facebook disables your account because it was hacked or compromised, you can go through an appeals process to try to recover it. Here are the steps:

Use the Facebook Help Center to submit an appeal for your disabled account.

Select “My account was disabled” and explain it was due to hacking.
Provide any requested details about the hacking incident.
Check back after a few days for a response on your appeal status.

If approved, you’ll be able to reset your password and regain access to your account.

Facebook does prioritize re-enabling accounts disabled due to hacking if you can demonstrate you rightfully own the account. However, if policy violations occurred under the hacker’s control, your appeal may be denied.

Conclusion

Having your Facebook account hacked can be stressful, but acting quickly to report it and change your credentials can typically resolve the issue before major damage is done. Make sure to remove any unauthorized changes the hacker made and enable extra security provisions like two-factor authentication. Pay attention to warning signs of phishing attempts, use strong unique passwords, and avoid clicking suspicious links to keep your account safe. With proper security habits, you can minimize the chances of being hacked. But if your account is compromised, Facebook provides ways to report it for investigation and regain access.