Your social media profile is probably an old account that contains lots of data and memories. However, even after applying the proper social media security measures, you are still prone to attacks or hacks. A recent report showed that 22% of internet users had experienced it at least once, while 14% reported they were hacked more than once. So we’ve consulted experts at Top Spying Apps to create this comprehensive article and teach our readers what to do if their social media was hacked.
Table of Contents
How to Know if Your Social Media Was Hacked
Telling if your account was hacked is sometimes not easy. Apart from lacking access to the social media account, other signs to look out for include:
Posts That You Didn’t Write Appear on Your Wall
While this sounds obvious, it’s not always easy to tell. For instance, if many bloggers produce posts on the same account, it’s not easy to say the content posted by each individual. It can be challenging if your firm uses a tool to share posts on different social media platforms.
The main reason for this issue is not many people check each post or tweet on social media. So, you have to be aware of any suspicious posts that you notice on your profiles or people listed as your friends.
You Notice Unusual Access to Your Account
Nowadays, I.S.Ps have improved the accuracy of their location and tracking data. Doing this has made it easy for web owners and visitors to track user traffic. Many social media services today can determine the location of each login procedure to your account.
So, if you are from Ukraine and notice someone access your account through a different country, then it’s likely it was hacked. Remember to review the login locations for your social media account when possible.
Spam Adds on Your Social Media Page
If you have come across hijacking issues, you will know how much it can compromise your profile. It’s an issue that often happens when someone gains illegal access to your account.
Sometimes, the cause of spamming starts as malicious links, which hackers use to access your account. And, it’s not easy to detect as many people often check their social media profiles and posts.
You are Not Able to Log-in to Your Account
Assuming that you did not forget your account, then it’s likely that someone gained access to it and changed your details. If this is the case, note that they have also likely altered all your social media profile details.
These can include e-mails, names, locations, places of education, and other personal details. So, you might have to find suitable ways to get in touch with you’re the support staff of your preferred profile.
You are Suddenly Following Lots of People and Accounts
Usually, most people prefer keeping their social media profiles hidden and safe from illegal access. However, if you start noticing your account approving a large number of pots and friend requests, be cautious.
Try and check a few of each request or new groups your following. Are you following anyone new or unusual groups? If so, try and investigate your profile for any unusual activity, such as login activity.
What to Do If Your Social Media Was Hacked
Now that you know of a few good ways to determine whether your account was hacked, move on to the solutions you can use. A few common ones you can use include:
1. Check Your Computer for Malware
Many hackers collect data such as passwords using malware. They are most successful as many internet users are negligent about data security. It can be in the form of links, downloaded software, phishing pages, and more.
So, you have to run up-to-date virus software on your computer system. Then, restart your device again to ensure you are safe. Things such as changing passwords only are sometimes not sufficient strategies to stop hackers or the loss of your account.
The best way to check for malware would be to buy Antivirus software such as Kaspersky. The free options are also through, but some features are limited.
2. Enable Two-Step Verification
The 2 step verification is robust as it provides an additional layer of security for your devices. The unique code sent to you when you change the settings or log in to a new device is powerful. It makes it challenging for a hacker to access your device by submitting the new code. All social media platforms, including Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter, employ this system.
Two-step verification is just a technique that involves two approval methods before you can sign in to an account. It can be a combination of the following: passwords, patterns, fingerprints, and serial numbers. Ensure you activate the accompanying two-step for all your accounts and not just social media.
After setting up this verification system, give it a try to determine whether it works well. You never know when you might have missed a couple of helpful details.
3. Revoke Third Part Apps Permissions
Third-party apps are not necessarily bad, but you have to be careful when using them, as some often have malicious goals. Check through all the third-party apps you have on your device, and remove those that look suspicious. You have to do this because you never know which device has access to your browsers and social media apps.
For instance, many app users negligently click on “authorize” functions, which gives illegal access to other social media users. The other alternative for you would be to perform a complete system data reset. All devices support this function and ensure that you back all your data up first.
4. Inform Friends and Family
While some of your friends on social media will realize that it’s not you sending invitations to a “gambling site,” it’s worth ensuring they got the memo. Ensure your family and friends are aware that your social media profile has been compromised.
It’s crucial if the hack occurred due to malicious links and hacks. So, take your time in ensuring all the people you communicate with are aware. Also, tell them about your unique experience and how people might be hacking social media accounts today.
5. Contact Support
You have to find a way to get in touch with the customer support team of the given social media profile. Do this after all the previous techniques on this list have failed. While some social media platforms take lots of time to respond, be patient.
Ensure you provide all the helpful details relating to your profile and the hack. Specific information to share with them includes locations, names, e-mails, and other valuable data forms.
After sending all these details, wait for a response from the customer support team, which might take up to 3 days.
Once you notice your social media profile has been compromised, ensure you take action fast. Try out the methods above, and then finally contact the support team if all else fails. Remember that all your social media profiles must be consistent if you want adequate help from the support team. They manage millions if not billions of profiles, so they need concise information before assisting.
