Every so often you’ll log into Facebook and notice that one of your favorite people is posting content that can only be described as … unusual. Their posts may seem completely out of character. Or they’ve sent you a suspicious DM with a link that leads to an even more suspicious-looking site. And then the inevitable post appears with an apology from them and an explanation that they’ve been hacked and not to open anything they’ve sent you.
Ever wonder how they became so unlucky and how to avoid the same fate?
You may not always be able to avoid getting hacked, but the sooner you can identify the problem, the faster you can mitigate it and spare your followers and friends from falling victim to the same harm. Security and tech experts say this is the best way to tell if your social media has been hacked — and how to fix it.
Look For Suspicious Recent Activity
The best way to tell if your social media has been hacked is by looking at recent activity on your account, explains Michael Jan Baldicana, SEO and Technical Content Specialist with Dream Chasers XYZ. “If you notice that there have been changes in the recent activity on your account or that new followers have suddenly appeared, then there is a possibility that someone may be trying to hack into your account,” Baldicana says. “The reason for this is that social media platforms are opening up to third-party developers and brands. They are now able to create their own apps, which means that they have access to the data of their users. The good news is that there are some telltale signs that you can look out for, so you can easily identify if your social media account has been hacked or not. These signs include:
* Your password changed without your knowledge or consent.
* You see a new account with the same name as yours but a different profile picture or bio.
* Your privacy settings were changed without your consent, such as changing the default privacy settings from public to private or vice versa.
* You see unusual activity on your account, such as posts or content that you didn’t create or send.”
Unfortunately, social media hacks happen all the time. “The best way to tell if your social media has been hacked is by checking your security settings,” Baldicana says. “If you notice any changes in your privacy settings, it is a good idea to change them back immediately.”
Kimberly Silva, CEO of FindPeopleFirst, also recommends taking two steps right away if you think your account has been hacked.
Checked for login activity:
“If you have access to your account, check the login history whether it is logged in at some other device or not,” Silva says. “If you see a suspicious device, click the button ‘logout from all other devices’ and changed the password right away.”
Recover your account through Gmail or phone number:
“If you suspect your password has been changed unexpectedly, use your email or phone number to get back to your account through the recovery code,” Silva says. “Sometimes, hackers hacked your Gmail too but they would never hack your own number easily. That is why always secure your account with Two-Factor authentication and use your number in case of emergency.”
Getting hacked is never fun, but knowing how to monitor your social media sites and what to do the second you suspect your sites have been compromised is the first step toward protecting yourself.
