Finding out that your Facebook or Gmail account has been hacked is stressful. Your account may hold photos, contacts, payment details and access to other services, so it is important to act quickly and calmly. This guide gives a step-by-step plan in the right order.
Signs your account may be hacked
- You cannot sign in even though the password is correct.
- Friends receive strange messages or links from you.
- You get security emails you did not expect, such as a password change or a new device sign-in.
- Your profile name, email or phone number was changed.
- There are posts, ads or sent emails that you did not create.
Step 1: Use only the official recovery pages
Start from the official help page of the service, not from a link in a message. Facebook and Google both have account recovery tools that guide you through verifying your identity. Never trust a website, chat or phone call that promises to ‘recover your account for a fee’. These are usually another scam.
Step 2: Reset your password
If you can still get in, change the password immediately. Choose a long, unique password that you have never used on any other site. If you reuse that password elsewhere, change it there as well.
Step 3: Sign out of all devices
Both Facebook and Google let you see where your account is logged in and sign out everywhere. Do this right after changing the password so that the attacker loses access.
Step 4: Check recovery details and settings
- Make sure the recovery email address and phone number are yours.
- In Gmail, check Settings for unknown forwarding addresses and filters that hide or move messages.
- Review connected apps and remove any you do not recognise.
Step 5: Turn on two-step verification
Two-step verification asks for a second proof, such as a code from an authenticator app, when someone signs in. It blocks most attacks even if the password is stolen. Prefer an authenticator app over text messages where possible. For more on this, read our guide to password managers and two-factor authentication.
Step 6: Scan your devices and warn your contacts
Run a security scan on your phone or computer, since malware may have caused the leak. Then tell friends and family that your account was compromised so they ignore suspicious messages sent in your name.
How to prevent it next time
- Use a password manager and unique passwords.
- Never share OTP codes or click login links in messages.
- Update your apps and phone regularly.
- Be careful with public Wi-Fi and unknown apps.
How accounts usually get hacked
Knowing how attackers get in helps you avoid repeating the mistake. Most account takeovers are not clever technical attacks. They happen because of a few common habits:
- Phishing links. A message says your account will be closed or you have won a prize, and the link leads to a fake login page. When you type your password, the attacker receives it.
- Reused passwords. If one website is breached and you use the same password elsewhere, attackers try it on Facebook and Gmail.
- Shared codes. Someone pretending to be a friend or support agent asks you to send the code that arrived on your phone. That code is the key to your account.
- Unsafe apps and cracked software. Some free apps and cracked programs steal saved passwords from the device.
A first-hour checklist
- Use another safe device if you think your phone or computer is infected.
- Open the official recovery page and follow the steps.
- Change the password of your email account first, because email can reset almost every other account.
- Sign out all other sessions and turn on two-step verification.
- Check payment methods, ads and linked pages for changes you did not make.
- Tell your contacts not to click anything sent from your account.
Protect your business page and ad account
If you sell through a Facebook page, a hacked personal account can also give an attacker control of the page and its ad account. Give page access only to people you trust, remove old admins, and keep a recovery email and phone number that belong to you. Review who has access every few months.
What to watch after you recover the account
- Unusual login alerts in the following weeks.
- New messages or posts that you did not write.
- Changes to recovery details or forwarding rules.
If anything looks wrong again, repeat the checklist straight away and change the password once more.
Frequently asked questions
Should I pay someone to recover my account?
No. Genuine recovery is free through the official tools. Paying a stranger usually means losing more money.
How long does recovery take?
It can take from a few minutes to several days, depending on how much proof you can provide. Keep trying through the official process and be patient.
