What to Do If Your Facebook Page Gets Hacked
Today, security and hacking issues have become the order of the day in social media. Most times, people ponder why anyone would want to hack their Facebook account. There are many reasons someone might want to hijack your page. From stealing your personal information, including your passwords linked to your bank accounts to using the information gathered as a means to blackmail you- the reasons are unlimited. The intruder might also force your Facebook account to share spam. Here’s a step-by-step guide to recovering your hacked Facebok account.
Confirm if your facebook page is hacked
Have you notice any suspicious activity on your facebook account? Check if there’s been changes made to your name, email address, birthday, password or new messages sent to people you’re not aware of. Go to upper right-hand corner of your Facebook and click on the arrow showing a drop-down menu.
Click Settings and a pop-up menu will appear.
Select Security option and log in. If you can’t log in, then there is a malicious activity going on. Check if there is a login from an unknown device. Cross check the dates you last logged in with the dates of unknown logins.
End the intruder’s session
Click End activity close to the unknown device login. Doing this logs the intruder out of your account, for the time being. This reduce the amount of damage caused by the intruder and helps you regain control of your account.
Inform your contacts about the hack
If your account has been hacked, it’s possible the hacker has contacted your friends on Facebook. Tell them not to trust any link or message sent to them while the intruder controlled the account.
Change your Facebook password
If the hacker hasn’t changed your password, changing it now will be an easy and best thing to do. To change your password, click Settings and select Security. Then, tap login.
Scroll down to login and tap change password.
Input your current password, choose a strong new password and click Save changes.
Note: If you use your password for numerous sites, it’s advisable you change your passwords on those platforms as well.
When you’re done changing your password, scroll back up to where you’re logged in. Click the three dots to log out of individual sessions or click Log Out Of All Sessions option located in the bottom-right of expanded list. It’s best you log out completely since your contact details and security settings are up to date. This enables you log in easily.
Reset your password if the intruder has changed it
Most times, hackers changes password of accounts they’ve gotten control of. Once a hacker hacks your account, it won’t be easy for you to log in. To reset your password, click the Forgot your password link beneath the Facebook link. You’ll need to provide information like the email address you used to register with Facebook, the phone number associated with your account, your Facebook username, or your name and the name of one of your Facebook friends to identify yourself and retrieve your password.
Report the Facebook hack
If ads and spams are sent from your hacked account to your friends, report to Facebook as compromised. After reporting, you will receive instructions from Facebook on how to recover your Facebook account.
Check for malicious applications
Sometimes, your account might not be hacked by a person, it may be a malicious Facebook application that has hijacked your account. To remove malicious apps, click Settings, select Apps and websites and scroll through the list. Click Show All on all Active Apps and Websites, check for apps that you didn’t add and click the Remove button in the top-right, and confirm whether you’d also like to “delete all posts, photos and videos on Facebook” from these sources.
You can also click the View and Edit link and change the app’s permissions, which comprises of options like app visibility, access to your personal information, and actions it can take.
Improve and secure your Facebook account
Once you’re in full control of your account, it’s recommended you review your Facebook settings. To do that, go to Settings and click General. Update information such as contact details, additional email address and mobile phone numbers.
Go back to Settings and click Security and Login for security measures set up. Also check mark alerts about unrecognized logins, two-factor authentication and select three to five trusted friends who can help you to recover your account in case you get locked out.
Note: Two-factor authentication is a security process which requires two different ways of proving your identity. For example, paying for a good with a credit card do not only requires the card but also a PIN or an an ID.
Under Settings, select Privacy and choose the privacy settings which suits you. Don’t forget most Facebook accounts are hacked by external apps so limit the number of apps you use. Do not click on malicious links shared on your news feed. Ensure your web browsers and mobile operating systems are up to date. Make sure you sign out when done using Facebook. As always, be vigilant and stay safe on Facebook.
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