{"id":894,"date":"2019-01-18T10:00:53","date_gmt":"2019-01-18T08:00:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.dazzlepop.net\/site\/?p=894"},"modified":"2019-01-17T12:15:34","modified_gmt":"2019-01-17T10:15:34","slug":"what-to-do-when-your-facebook-account-gets-hacked","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.dazzlepop.net\/site\/what-to-do-when-your-facebook-account-gets-hacked\/","title":{"rendered":"What to Do When Your Facebook Account Gets Hacked"},"content":{"rendered":"
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It\u2019s a common event on social media these days, the equivalent of adding #JK to a post that may or may not be \u2026 an actual joke.<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s how it goes.<\/p>\n

Someone publishes something strange and uncharacteristic. It might be a naughty comment, inappropriate video, or controversial opinion.<\/p>\n

Their next post absolves them of \u2018their\u2019 suspect content by claiming they were hacked.<\/p>\n

Their fans, friends, and followers may rib them about it. It may even grow into an inside gag among your circles, the online version of claiming your ill-advised words were \u201cdriven by drink.\u201d<\/p>\n

But sometimes, the damage is a lot more real.<\/p>\n

Why Do Hackers Want Your Account?<\/h2>\n

There have been cases where unscrupulous types have hijacked accounts on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and other platforms.<\/p>\n

It could be someone you know, playing a practical joke. Or one of your exes out for revenge.<\/p>\n

It could even be a case or relationship sabotage, or corporate espionage.<\/p>\n

In such cases, your hacker might send nasty messages to your friends, expose private pictures, or delete all your contacts.<\/p>\n

On other occasions, the aim is more commercial. You might get blackmailed.<\/p>\n

The most common cases of social media jacking aren\u2019t personal.<\/p>\n

There are areas on the Dark Web where people pay for unique usernames. It\u2019s a bit like a digital vanity plate. So someone will hack your account, lock you out, and take it over, and sell it to someone else.<\/p>\n

Whatever the circumstances behind your Facebook account being hacked, it\u2019s an immensely personal violation. It feels like a break-in and can be every bit as distressing as a flesh-and-blood burglar.<\/p>\n

What are your options for recovery and future protection?<\/p>\n

Step 1: Confirm the Hack<\/h2>\n

The intercept may not necessarily be deliberate.<\/p>\n

Maybe you didn\u2019t log out and the next person took a peek. Or maybe someone was playing with your phone and scrolled through your account.<\/p>\n

With this kind of \u2018hack\u2019, you can simply change your password and add a screen lock to your phone.<\/p>\n

But if you were specifically targeted, or your data was part of the massive\u00a0Facebook data breach<\/a>, you need extra security measures.<\/p>\n

To figure out if you\u2019ve been hacked, you can visit\u00a0this Facebook Help Center page<\/a>. Scroll to the bottom and, as long as you\u2019re logged in, you should see a blue box at the bottom of the page.<\/p>\n

If you were not affected by Facebook\u2019s recent security breach, this is what you\u2019ll see when you visit the page:<\/p>\n

Based on what we\u2019ve learned so far, your Facebook account has not been impacted by this security incident. If we find more Facebook accounts were impacted, we will reset their access tokens and notify those accounts.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

If you can still log in, go to\u00a0Settings > Security and Log In<\/em>. Look at the last devices you\u2019ve logged in from, and check if any are unfamiliar. You can also cross-check the dates to see which of those log-ins were (not) you.<\/p>\n

For example, a log-in, while you were asleep, is a dead giveaway.<\/p>\n

\"Facebook<\/p>\n

If you can\u2019t log in, it means the hacker changed your password, which shows potentially malicious intent.<\/p>\n

Talk to a trusted Facebook friend. Ask them to log into their account and click on yours:<\/p>\n