Your Facebook Account Has Been Hacked: How to Tell

Facebook is arguably the most popular and largest social media platform globally. Unfortunately, with that, it's also one of the most vulnerable platforms, thanks to the vast majority of individuals using it.

Staying secure online requires vigilance across all platforms - whether using mainstream services or exploring specialized networks for reaching dark web forums, hidden wiki sites.

Since they have a huge target population, Facebook is adored by scammers and hackers. One day, you might wake up and be surprised that you cannot log into your Facebook account.

Just because Facebook hacking is common nowadays doesn’t mean you can easily recognize or understand it. Most Facebook users can’t even realize their accounts or friends' accounts have been hacked. That way, it makes correcting hacking issues more difficult.

So, how will you know that your Facebook account has been hacked?

Fortunately, all you need is a little skepticism and awareness to help you nip hacks and correct hacking issues before they cause much damage to you or your friends.

How to Check If You’ve Been Hacked

A recent report from TorNews says our identities are being sold on underground listings for as little as $200 on the dark web. That means a criminal can buy your login credentials for less than the price of a fancy coffee.

And the funny part is that the truth is that most people don’t know how to tell if their Facebook accounts have been hacked. Perhaps the major sign is always the fact that a different person was using your account without you even knowing it.

So, do you know how to check whether you’ve been hacked?

They say knowledge is power, and you only need a few tips to help you through that process. Here are the steps you should follow to determine if someone else has accessed your Facebook account:

1. Head to your account profile at the top right and press the three parallel lines
2. Scroll to “Settings and privacy” and click “Settings.”
3. Now tap “Password and Security” to see the information on “Where you’re logged in.”
4. Click “See all” and then check if you can recognize all the devices indicated there.
5. If you notice that there’s a device you don’t recognize, tap the three-dot icon.
6. Tap on “Secure account” and then follow all the provided steps by Facebook.

Moreover, you can also decide to log out of your session and all the devices you don't recognize by simply pressing "Log out."

Ideally, when you recognize an activity you did on your account, that should be a good sign that your Facebook account has been hacked.

But what are the specific activities that you should be looking for?

Common Signs a Facebook Account Has Been Hacked

It’s undoubtedly everyone’s nightmare – a Facebook account you’ve nurtured and operated for several years is suddenly taken over by someone you don’t know, probably in the basement of his mother’s house. That's why knowing the signs firsthand is crucial to any Facebook user staying safe online.

Here are some of the signs that should give you a clear insight that your Facebook account has been hacked:

Login Troubles

The first move that most hackers make when they take over a Facebook account is to change the password or email address associated with that account to ensure that they cut off the account's owner from accessing it. Therefore, when you encounter difficulties logging into your Facebook account, it should ring alarm bells that your account has probably been compromised.

Changes in Your Profile Information

Some hackers are extremely cautious; if you’re not keen, you might not notice their presence in your account. Therefore, you should regularly check your profile information and ensure nothing changes.

Whenever a hacker attempts to have permanent access to a Facebook account, they first change your phone number or email address so that you cannot recover your account in case they change the password.

Therefore, if you notice a change to your information, you need to act immediately, and if you can alter your details before the hacker changes your password, you can prevent losing your account.

Suspicious Posts and Shares

One of the most common signs of a hacked Facebook account is when you see strange posts and shares appearing on your timeline. Some hackers break into accounts to spread malware or links to other malicious websites. Usually, they post those links on your wall or even share them with your friends.

Therefore, whenever you notice posts you didn’t make, especially ones with links, you need to act immediately as you’ve been hacked. Sometimes, it can be difficult to track your posts if you post a lot. Perhaps you can avoid posting links so that it becomes easy for friends to notice an unusual activity on your timeline whenever a link is posted.

Suspicious Emails and Messages

Often, hackers send emails and messages using a hacked account and aim at friends so that they can gain access to their accounts, too. Therefore, you need to watch out for suspicious emails or replies from friends on Facebook.

For instance, if you receive several “attempted account recovery” emails, then that should mean that hackers are targeting you. However, you need to be vigilant enough and not ignore messages from Facebook, as they might warn you about legitimate suspicious activity on your account.

Unrecognized Friend Requests

Once a hacker gains access to a Facebook account, they’ll try everything to build on that break-in by trying to glean personal data from users. The best way to get access to users' personal information is to become their friends first. Therefore, when you notice friend requests sent from your account to people you don’t know or even requests you didn’t make, it should be a sign of a successful hacking attempt.

Alerts from Friends

Your Facebook friends are usually the first to notice that your account might be compromised, given that hackers will attempt to gain some sensitive information from the friends associated with that account. Always check the integrity of your account whenever you get a report from a friend of a message sent to them or even a post on your timeline.

What to Do In Case of a Successful Facebook Hacking Attempt

So you didn’t get the signs on time, and the hack just happened; your account has been hacked.

What should you do? What’s the first thing you must do when your Facebook account has been hacked? Or how would you recover your account?

Those are some of the questions that could be asked, and here are the answers.

The first thing you should know is how to reset your Facebook password. Here’s how to do it:

• Go to your Facebook settings panel
• Tap on “Settings > Passwords & Security > Login > Change Password”
• In case the hacker has already changed the password, then you can do the following:
• On the login window, just below your password field, click "Forgot password" and then follow all the steps indicated
• Enter the email address that’s associated with the Facebook account
• Then, choose a method to receive your recovery code through a Google account, SMS, or email. If you don’t have access to any of those options, click “NO longer have access to these?” and continue to identify yourself.

Also, you can recover the external accounts that are associated with your Facebook account by simply taking the following steps:

• First, log into your Facebook account.
• Head to the website.
• Once they ask how you’d like to recover your Facebook account, select Facebook. Then the “Account recovery” Facebook page will successfully load
• Now follow the provided instructions.

How to Secure Your Facebook Account

Phished or hacked Facebook accounts are nothing new, but that doesn’t mean you make yourself vulnerable. There are several ways to secure your Facebook account and make yourself not a target for hackers.

Here are the things you need to do:

Create a Strong Password

The first line of protection to your Facebook account is to have a strong password. A strong password doesn't mean your date of birth, location, etc. Those passwords are easy to hack or even guess.

Therefore, you must create random numbers, letters, and symbols to make your password. Sometimes, such passwords can be difficult to remember, but you can have a password manager to help manage all your passwords.

Use Two-Factor Authentication

When you enable two-factor authentication, it means that when you log in to your account from a different device or browser, Facebook will require a login code. That means hackers will not get the code when logging into your account. Just choose the best method you’ll want the code sent to.

Enable Security Alerts

Security alerts are very helpful, given that Facebook will always alert you whenever someone tries to log into your account from a different browser or device. You’ll need to choose to receive alerts by Facebook notification or email.

Don’t Be Complacent

One thing is for sure: when you have exceptional security practices, it’s less likely that hackers will target you. Even when the practices are in place, you should be complacent you need to take extra precautions when you browse Facebook.

For instance, before you open any attachment or link, ensure that you’re sure of the source and that it’s reliable. Also, check whether there are friends in your list that you don’t recognize. Moreover, you should be careful with communications with people you have little connection with.

Ideally, you need to be your first line of defense!

Use a VPN

Are you surprised? Using a VPN can save your account from being hacked. A VPN hides your IP address and encrypts all your internet traffic, reducing the risk of hackers spying on you. For instance, installing a VPN on your device is a no-brainer if you usually connect to public networks.

You can choose from several excellent VPNs in the market to offer the best security. ExtremeVPN is our best recommendation.

Conclusion

Have you ever experienced any suspicious activity on your Facebook account? Facebook account hacks have become common, but it doesn’t mean it must happen to you. Besides, losing your hard-earned Facebook account is everyone's nightmare. That’s why you need to stay alert and be aware of all the signs that might show your account has been hacked.

Moreover, you should employ all the best practices to secure your Facebook account from being hacked. For instance, ensure that you set strong passwords, use two-factor authentication, enable security, and, most importantly, use a VPN.