If you suspect a hack but can still sign in to your account, that may be the best-case scenario. That said, navigating the recovery process can be confusing.
- You’re unable to sign in to your Facebook account.
- You receive a “password reset” email that you didn’t request.
- Your friends and followers tell you that they’re getting suspicious direct messages (DMs) from your Facebook Messenger account that look like phishing scams.
- You notice changes to your Facebook profile information (such as your name, birthday, address, etc.).
- You're suddenly being targeted with more sophisticated Facebook scams.
- There are posts or comments on your Facebook page that you never made.
- People you don’t know receive friend requests from you.
- You find Facebook login sessions you don’t recognize in your “Where You’re Logged In” settings.
The unsettling truth is that it’s easier than ever for scammers to take control of your Facebook account.
In April 2023, a Vietnamese threat actor exploited Facebook's Ads service, resulting in around half a million users being infected with information-stealing malware [*].
Malware like this don’t just put your social media accounts at risk, but also your identity and finances.
What To Do If You Still Have Access To Your Facebook Account
If you suspect a hack but can still sign in to your account, consider yourself lucky.
This is the best-case scenario when it comes to compromised accounts. That said, navigating the recovery process can be confusing.
Step 1: Change your password
Start by locking out hackers with a new password:
- On an iOS or Android device: Tap on the Menu icon in the bottom right corner of your screen in the Facebook app (right next to Notifications). Then, select Settings & privacy, and then Password and security in the menu that follows. Under the header marked Login, select Change password and follow the directions to create a Facebook password.
- From your web browser: Log in to your account at Facebook.com and then click on your profile photo in the upper right-hand corner of the screen. Then, select Settings & Privacy, then Settings, then Security and Login. Scroll down to the Login section to change your password.
Step 2: Check where you’re logged in
Now, it’s time to see if hackers still have access to your account.
In the same security features menu that you just used to change your password, you’ll be able to view all of the locations where your Facebook account is being accessed.
Navigate back to Password and Security (or Security and Login on desktop). Just above the Change password option, you’ll see a section that says Where you’re logged in. This menu will show all the locations and devices that are logged in to your account.
If you’re using a mobile device, tap on any suspicious logins and select “Secure Account.” You’ll be prompted through a few more steps that will help you protect your account.
If you see multiple unauthorized logins, it’s a cybersecurity best practice to log out of all sessions at once.
Step 3: Report the incident to Facebook
Finally, you’ll want to let Facebook know about the incident.
Go back into your Settings & Privacy menu, and navigate to Password and security. Scroll all the way down to the Get help section, and select If you think your account was hacked. Follow the prompts to complete the reporting process.
How To Recover a Hacked Facebook Account That You’ve Been Locked Out Of
If you’re unable to get into your Facebook account, hackers may have already changed your account’s email or phone number.
At this point, you’re essentially locked out and it will be much more cumbersome to recover your account.
Even though Facebook’s official account recovery process is readily available online, many victims of aggressive Facebook account hackers have a hard time getting their accounts back.
This is because account recovery protocols are exactly what hackers use to take over Facebook (and other online accounts) to begin with.
As a result, companies like Meta (Facebook’s parent company) are forced to make the process long, arduous, and (sometimes) unsuccessful.
If you’ve lost control of your Facebook account, these are the most effective steps you can take to get it back:
Step 1: Open Facebook on all of your devices
If you’re usually logged in to Facebook on multiple devices, open your Facebook app or webpage on all of your devices and see if any of them are still logged in.
If the hacker forgot to log you out of each one, you might be in luck. See if any of your devices still open your Facebook page without logging you out first. If not, it’s time to get on with the account recovery process.
Step 2: Find your account
First, make sure to start the process on a computer or mobile device that you typically use to access your Facebook account.
If you’re unable to log in to your account to change your password, visit facebook.com/login/identify. The page will prompt you to enter the email address or phone number that you used to create your account.
You can also enter your name or your Facebook profile URL into the search function if the search isn’t successful using your email address and phone number.
Once you click on Search, the following page will show a list of Facebook accounts that match your search in some way. If you see your account, you can select it to begin the password reset process.
Step 3: Change the email address connected to your Facebook account
If the system is able to locate your account, it will ask to send a verification code to the address or phone number currently associated with the account. If the account or phone number listed do not belong to you, select No longer have access to these, and Cannot access my email.
In most cases, Facebook will then start the process of changing the email address associated with your account.
If this still doesn’t happen, there are a few more steps you can take:
- Visit facebook.com/hacked and select My account is compromised. The page will ask you to enter your account’s current password, or a previous one that you used in the past. Once you enter your password, select Secure my account, and then, I cannot access these.
- If the above steps don’t allow you to change your account’s email address, try using your mobile device. Log in using the Facebook app, select Forgot password, and choose the prompts indicating that you can’t access the account’s current phone number and email address.
If you get far enough, you’ll fill out a form requesting a change to your account’s primary address, and submit a photo of your ID to Facebook support.
From there, you’ll get an email to your account’s new address with a link to reset your password.
Step 4: Set up a recovery email address
Once you finally gain access to your account, go straight into your Settings & Privacy menu. Choose Settings, then General.
From there, you can edit and delete any contact information associated with your account and remove any details that you don’t recognize as your own.
Step 5: Clean up Facebook security settings
Your next stop is the Security and Login menu. Download an authenticator app on your mobile device and use it to set up two-factor authentication (2FA) for your Facebook account.
Next, visit General and remove the hacker’s phone number, email address, and any other unfamiliar contact information.
Review the devices and locations listed under Where you’re logged in, and make sure everything looks accurate.
Finally, visit the Setting up extra security section and sign up for alerts that notify you whenever Facebook detects a sign-in on an unusual web browser or unrecognized device.
