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How to Tell if your Facebook Account Has Been Hacked

by on November 07, 2018
in Facebook, Computers and Software, Computer Safety & Support, Tips & How-Tos, Privacy :: 74 comments

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When we talk about your Facebook account being hacked, we mean your individual account has been hacked, not accessed as part of a larger data breach. That means someone has gotten into your account somehow, often by stealing your Facebook password or your email password. Once someone has access to your account, they can view all of your information and even lock you out of your own account. Here's how to tell if your account has been compromised.

Find out if your Facebook account has been hacked

There are lots of signs that your account may be compromised. Here are red flags to watch for:

  • You get an email with instructions on how to reset your Facebook password when you didn't try to reset your password
  • You get an email saying someone logged into your account when you haven't logged into your account
  • Seeing posts you didn't make, messages you didn't write, friend requests you didn't send or profile changes you didn't make

But even if you haven't seen one of these warning signs, you can check who's logged on to your account by accessing your Facebook privacy settings page and by following these steps:

  1. Click the arrow up the upper-right of your Facebook page
  2. Select Settings from the menu
  3. Click Security and Login in on the left-hand side of your screen

Check Facebook log in locations

The "Where You're Logged In" section of the page will list every device you've logged on to Facebook with, as well as their locations. If you see a device or location you don't recognize, it's a good sign someone else has access to your account. You can kick them out immediately by clicking Not You? In the drop-down menu to the right of the login information.

Secure your Facebook account from hackers

While logging a potential hacker out of your account throws them offline immediately, they may be able to log right back in. To keep them out, you need to take a few more steps to secure your account.

If you aren't already there, start by going to your Security and Login settings by clicking Settings then Security and Login from the Facebook menu. Start by taking these steps:

1. Change your password

Reset Facebook password

Click Edit next to "Change password," then enter a new, unique password. Having a password you don't use on any other site will ensure that no one can get into your Facebook account if your password was stolen from another site.

2. Turn on two-factor authentication

Turn on two-factor authentication

Click Edit next to "Use two-factor authentication," then select the type of authentication you'd like to use. Two-factor authentication will send you a security code by text message or two an authentication app when you log on. You'll have to enter this code as well as your password to log on. This means even if a hacker gets your password, they can't get into your account.

3. Set up alerts for unrecognized logins

Click Edit next to "Get alerts about unrecognized logins," then select whether you'd like to be notified by email, Facebook message, Facebook notification or all three. This way you'll get an email if anyone logs into your account other than you.

Once you've done that, it's a good time to review the security on your email account — because if a hacker has access to your the mailbox associated with your Facebook account, they may be able to get back in. We recommend changing your email password and setting up two-factor authentication if possible.

With these changes, any hackers should be out of your Facebook account — and you've made it harder for them to get back in. And while you're at it, take the time to review our suggestions on how to manage your Facebook Privacy settings.

Recover your Facebook account from hackers

If a hacker has access to your Facebook account, you can run into a snag: they may have changed the password so you can't access it. If you're trying to log on to Facebook and find your password doesn't work, you should see a "Forgot Password?" option. Facebook will be able to send an email to the address associated with your Facebook account (or other options if they're available to you). From there, follow Facebook's instructions.

Forgot Facebook password

If you no longer have access to that email account, there are a few more hurdles to jump through. Click "No longer have access to these?" and enter a valid email address for Facebook to contact you on. They'll verify your identity and give you instructions on how to recover your account from there. 

Once you have your account back, you should follow the instructions above to add extra security to protect yourself from hackers in the future. Or if you're fed up, here's how to delete your Facebook account permanently.

[Image credit: social media account hacking concept via BigStockPhoto]


Discussion loading

Messenger requests

From Peggy S. Hunt on January 31, 2019 :: 12:44 pm

My friends are receiving message requests from me that are coming out of Nigeria.  I have changed my Facebook password but obviously that has not stopped these hackers, what do I do now?

Reply

Probably cloning, not hacking

From Josh Kirschner on January 31, 2019 :: 1:44 pm

Most of the time, these issues are a result of someone cloning your Facebook account, not hacking it. With cloning, they take all of your information, including profile picture, and create a new account under your name. They then invite your existing friends to your new cloned account, eventually to send them spam or scams.

Want to know if your account has been cloned? Search for your name in Facebook and see what comes up. If you see a fake account, report it.

The best way to prevent account cloning is to hide your friend list in your Facebook privacy settings. Set “Who can see your friends list?” to “Friends”. If they don’t know who your friends are, they can’t do anything with a cloned account.

Reply

I am sign in but cant work bcz of security alert

From Faqeer mushtaque ahmed on March 26, 2019 :: 3:48 am

I am singn in but cant use bcz they show security alert you cant open wall bcz your account profile pic change

Reply

Facebook account recovery help

From Tarun ahuja on January 03, 2021 :: 5:42 am

My Facebook account is hacked I can’t log in plz help me recovery my Facebook password

Reply

Please my facebook account has

From Israel Takyi on March 06, 2021 :: 6:25 pm

Please my facebook account has been hacked, my password and the number have been also changed by a profile picture with the name fernando,he is the one behind all this, please help me get my account back.[Personal information removed]

To recover my personal Facebook account

From Prem Kumar sarkar on May 15, 2021 :: 7:04 am

Some few days ago anyone sent me link on wastsaap and I just login in this link than 6 hours later my account is hacked.that day I will get a mail that anyone access my account but I am late to see the message because hacker change my number and Gmail. If you think that is not my account so check my number and see that the account is created by my number.please help me.

My Facebook page was hacked and i cant get in to it

From James creech on February 04, 2021 :: 12:13 am

What should i do nothing is working i was on Facebook then all os a sudden about 50 friends request started poping up all at once then i was logged out and it said session exspired and logged me out and when you pull messenger up sone body else profile it want let you click on it its there with my picture on it but my profile picture has changed and they are using my name and still have my friends on there i reported the picture but Facebook want to nothing and i told them through email i was hacked and thats not my picture but its my page

Reply

My Facebook account was hacked

From KENNETH NILSSON on February 06, 2019 :: 5:06 pm

I’ve been trying to long in my Facebook account I think someone hack into it and they made a big mistake for disabled-ineligible account for Facebook and been upset about the whole thing I Miss my friend’s and family too

Reply

Careless Person

From Honest on March 13, 2019 :: 9:04 am

So sad

Reply

Hacked my account

From Manu b emanuel on February 07, 2019 :: 7:18 pm

My account was hacked and I can’t access it

Reply

Simple Ideas

From Honest farman on March 13, 2019 :: 9:02 am

you can change the password in every month

Reply

No puedo aseder a mi cuenta de facbook

From Anely cruz on March 08, 2019 :: 3:34 am

No tengo aseso a mi cuenta en facbook ni al número telefónico y

Reply

Hello

From Alok on March 20, 2022 :: 7:31 am

Facebook I’d hackf

Reply

Haked

From Anely cruz on March 08, 2019 :: 3:36 am

No tengo aseso a mi correo electrónico ni al número teléfono

Reply

Need my acuant back

From Anely cruz on March 08, 2019 :: 3:38 am

I don’t got ases to my email or phone number

Reply

roblox

From Kagami Taiga on March 08, 2019 :: 7:30 am

say the pass of maddog6710

Reply

forgotten ID or Password

From Honest Farman on March 13, 2019 :: 9:00 am

if we have been forgotten id or password as well as didn’t get the confirmation code on number and gmail so what we can do

Reply

How to tell

From Marika on March 21, 2019 :: 2:25 am

I have received a request from a FB contact I don’t normally talk to asking for money urgently. This person is known to our family but not someone that would normally ask for money..so I’m wondering if her account has been hacked or cloned, is there a way to know?
Thank you for your feedback.

Reply

Almost certainly hacked or cloned

From Josh Kirschner on March 21, 2019 :: 11:26 am

If people aren’t careful with their passwords are unique, or get tricked into entering their credentials on a phishing page, it’s not hard to get access to someone’s account. There are ways to see if your own account has been hacked, so the best thing to do is contact the person and let them know what’s going on. They can follow our advice for how to tell if your Facebook account has been hacked and what to do about it above.

It’s also possible their account was cloned, not hacked. Here’s how to tell if your Facebook account has been cloned and what to do about that.

Reply

friends

From ardeen hunt on April 15, 2019 :: 6:58 pm

I get email from friends that I cant respond to they say notifacations are in fb. not there when I log in. how can I get friends back when they don’t have request on their page

Reply

hack

From PJ on July 03, 2019 :: 2:04 pm

my facebook account was hack

Reply

Such an informative and useful

From Rasu Shrestha on July 30, 2019 :: 7:06 am

Such an informative and useful article it is. Thank you so much for writing this article and helping people in securing their Facebook password from being hacked. Great work. I really appreciated your work. I will definitely suggest my friends and family have a look at this article.

Reply

HACKED

From Kerry Ivanovich on September 17, 2019 :: 8:51 am

My account was hacked and I can’t access it i just changed new phone number is 860.xxx.xxxx and new phone is 813.xxx.xxxx i need my fb account back Thank you ...

Reply

Don't post personal information here

From Josh Kirschner on September 18, 2019 :: 1:59 pm

You need to follow the steps in the article above to recover your account. Please don’t post personal information here (I’ve blanked out your phone numbers) - we can’t get your account back for you.

Reply

My Facebook page was hacked and i cant get in to it

From James creech on February 03, 2021 :: 11:57 pm

My profile was hacked this morning and i got two text messages this morning saying password was changed and i have tried everything to get back in to it and they have messages all my friends talking crazy and when i pull up my sing in it got a different phone number and different profile picture on it and i had my dad go to my facebook page and they have changed were i work and its saying military and i reported i was hacked to Facebook by email and the did not do ant thing about it so what do i do

Reply

facebbok hacked

From brian on October 09, 2019 :: 8:58 pm

my facebook has been hacked and I have tried everything and nothing seams to work and now I do not know what to do now I which there was a way that I could have my facebook account back does anyone have any ideas on my sitchion brian

Reply

Please back my id

From Satyam yaduvanshi on November 13, 2019 :: 12:45 pm

HALLO Sir youre security system has been disabaled my real Facebook account now I am sending my real proof please sir review it and reopen my real Facebook account thanks Facebook team

Reply

HELP

From PLZ HELP ME on November 29, 2019 :: 10:44 am

Everytimes i log in Messenger an undetected device
log on my Facebook. I did change my password and put on verify identity but nothing work! HELP!!!

Reply

My fb account

From Emmanuel Destiny on December 09, 2019 :: 2:16 pm

I can’t log into my fb account. I have done everything including clicking forgot password. What do I do next?
Do I need to create another account?

Reply

Hacked

From Fish on December 22, 2019 :: 7:20 am

My account was hacked he/she changed everything my phone number, email,and password

Reply

It shows different name as Donald Hagon under my Facebook account

From Majok Akuecbeny Majok on January 16, 2020 :: 12:48 pm

kindly help me recover my account. I can’t login nor send login ID to my phone

Reply

Facebook account hacked

From Magdalene oku on January 29, 2020 :: 12:04 pm

Am unable to access my Facebook.

Reply

Facebook account

From Aggarwal on February 24, 2020 :: 4:58 pm

Facebook account was hacked

Reply

facebook hacked instagram gmail

From tami smith on March 11, 2020 :: 12:16 pm

being webbed live

Reply

I need help

From Danika on May 06, 2020 :: 3:56 am

I got hacked and I have all my work stuff on there and family I have done everything

Reply

Account

From Colt on May 10, 2020 :: 11:49 am

I deleted my Facebook account and I would like to retrieve it was permanently deleted is there anyway I can get into it if so you can email me and tell me

Reply

It's gone, if you deleted it

From Josh Kirschner on May 10, 2020 :: 6:08 pm

If you deleted it (as opposed to deactivating it), then there is no way to get that information back.  If you deactivated it, then yes, you can get it back. Read our article on How to Delete your Facebook Account for more information.

Reply

Hacked and then Shut down by Facebook

From Christine Schweininger on June 06, 2020 :: 1:11 pm

I was hacked, then shut down permanently by Facebook. However I still receive text messages from that account. I cant find my original Facebook account. So why do I keep getting notifications?

Reply

Interesting

From Josh Kirschner on June 09, 2020 :: 12:27 am

Can you confirm what you mean by your account being “shut down”? Did you lose access or was the account deleted? What do the text messages say?

Reply

My account has been hacked.

From Marja Lilly Arline on August 29, 2020 :: 10:01 am

Someone has hacked into my account. I can’t log in and it’s frustrating. I go by Sakura Ishikawa Hawkins on Facebook to keep my real name private. Is there a way to get my account back and protected from idiot scammers?

Reply

How to tell if your fb account has been hacked

From Vuyyuru Umsmaheswara Rao Vuyyuru on September 04, 2020 :: 9:28 pm

If my fb account is hacked,can i fix it or set right by changing the service provider, by taking sim card?

Reply

No.

From Josh Kirschner on September 08, 2020 :: 4:41 pm

Your service provider and your SIM card have nothing to do with your Facebook login. You will need to follow the steps in the article above to try to recover your account.

Reply

Facebook hacked and removed

From Maria RICHAN on August 22, 2021 :: 2:00 am

For one week I been completing forms sending ID, using codes which do t work and back and forth with passwords.
My account was hacked a Mohammad D lashan, he used my email and mobile number
I removed my account completely
Could somebody please help me this is extremely frustrating not having access to Facebook or messenger.
I need to recover my account

Reply

My Facebook account hack please

From Ravi Rawat on September 05, 2020 :: 7:39 am

My Facebook account hack please support
Me .
My Facebook account please recover
Kar do please

Reply

Trusted contacts

From Jessica Rollins on September 11, 2020 :: 10:05 pm

I have lost access to my gmail account that is associated with my fb account. I have attempted the trusted contacts route. I have contacted all three contacts, gotten the codes, and even received the message that my identity had been verified and that I should get an email to continue the fb recovery process. However… I NEVER GET THAT EMAIL. Why? Please help

Reply

Lost my accuont

From Tengsam b marak on October 12, 2020 :: 7:17 pm

Lost my fb account how to get

Reply

My facebook account hacked recoved

From Deepak Deepak on November 13, 2020 :: 4:47 am

My facebook account hacked recoved me

Reply

Please help lost access to my account

From Alex on November 22, 2020 :: 10:49 am

I can not access my email, I have a new phone number & do not know my Facebook password. I have tried everything on the FB website and it all dead ends. I need access to my account or to request it be deleted for good. My friends have tried reporting my account as hacked as well and nothing ever happens.

Reply

Here's how to delete your Facebook account

From Josh Kirschner on November 27, 2020 :: 6:56 pm

Reply

Ak Rava

From Ak Rava on November 25, 2020 :: 12:19 pm

Facebook account hake help me please my account Amelia adras .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) please help me account

Reply

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