How Do Facebook Accounts Get Hacked?

Malware or suspicious apps

Hackers can also access your Facebook account via fake apps you have unknowingly installed on your phone.

In 2022, Meta reported that they found more than 400 malicious Android and iOS apps available on the App Store and the Google Play Store. It’s been estimated that one million users may have had their accounts compromised via these malicious apps.

These apps often pose as photo editors, mobile games, or fitness monitors, and after downloading the app, users are required to enter their Facebook credentials to log in.

Once they have submitted this information, the hacker can use it to access their Facebook account.

Although Google and Apple say they have since removed the offending apps, it’s important to remain vigilant.

Be wary of apps that ask you to use your Facebook username and password to log in, particularly if the quality of the app looks poor or unprofessional.

Keylogging

It’s possible for hackers to install keylogging software on your phone without your knowledge.

Once installed, it will record everything you type and send this information to the hacker. The hacker can then easily find your Facebook password and access your account.

Hackers can also use keyloggers to access your financial information, messages, and other confidential data, leaving you vulnerable to identity theft.

If you think your phone has been hacked, look for any suspicious apps or files in your Downloads folder since this is where keylogging software may be hiding.

ℹ️ Looking for more information? Check out our guide on how to detect a keylogger on an iPhone.

Knowing (or guessing) your password

Although it may seem obvious, keeping your Facebook password confidential is critical to your account security.

Many phone hacking incidents are carried out by those close to you (one survey found that 50% of Americans had accessed their partner’s phone without their permission), so it’s important not to give your login details to friends, family, or partners.

In some cases, hackers may be able to access your password after a data breach — often once someone has hacked into a company’s network to access their customers’ details — so changing your password regularly is important.

Don’t use the same password for multiple accounts, and create strong passwords that include a combination of lowercase and uppercase letters, numbers, and special symbols.

Never use generic or easy-to-guess passwords, such as those that include your birthday or name.

How To Tell If Your Facebook Account Has Been Hacked

There are a few warning signs that indicate your Facebook account may have been compromised. Here are some things to look out for:

Unrecognized logins

If you receive an email from Facebook saying that someone has logged into your account from a suspicious location or device, it’s likely that you’ve been hacked (unless, of course, you’re the one in a new location or using a different device).

After receiving a message like this from Facebook, you’ll be asked to confirm if it was you who tried to log in, and if not, you’ll be taken through some steps to change your password.

Here’s how to check for login locations on Facebook:

1. Open the Facebook app or website and access your profile.
2. Tap the three parallel lines in the top right corner (for mobile) or click the down arrow (on the website).
3. Scroll down and tap Settings and Privacy, then tap Settings.
4. Tap on Password and Security.
5. Find the section titled Where You’re Logged In and tap See all.
6. Check the list carefully. If you see any unfamiliar devices or locations, click the three dots next to the entry.
7. Select Not You? to report the issue and secure your account. You can also choose Log out to end the unrecognized session immediately.

Unusual activity on other apps

Since Facebook login credentials are often used to access other apps, unusual activity elsewhere on your phone could indicate that your Facebook account has been hacked.

For example, if people have been receiving strange messages from you on your Instagram account, it could mean that someone has hacked into your Facebook account.

Look out for any low-quality apps that ask you to use your Facebook credentials to log in, and if you’re worried your account has been hacked change your password immediately.

Other signs your Facebook account has been hacked

Along with unrecognized logins and unusual activity on other accounts, here are some other signs your Facebook may have been compromised.

⚠️ Sudden changes to your information: If your name, birthday, email, password, or profile picture has been altered without your permission, it’s a red flag.

⚠️ Unfamiliar friend requests: Hackers might send friend requests to people you don’t know to expand their reach.

⚠️ Strange messages sent on your behalf: If you’re suspicious that your Facebook account has been hacked, check your sent messages. Hackers often send messages to your contacts asking them to visit a link or send them money.

⚠️ Posts you didn’t create: If random posts you didn’t make appear on your timeline, it might mean someone else is using your account.

What Should I Do If My Facebook Account Has Been Hacked?

If your Facebook account has been hacked, there are some simple actions you can take to secure it again.

The steps you take will depend on whether you can still log in to your account or not.

If you can still log in: Change your password

If you can still access your account, change your password immediately. Here’s how:

1. On the Facebook app or website, access your Settings then go to the Meta Accounts Centre.
2. Go to Password and Security and find the Change Password option within the “Login” section.
3. Enter your current password followed by your new, strong password twice.

Make sure you choose a strong password that’s completely different from your previous one (or any others you have) and one that is hard to guess.

Fig 2. Changing your Facebook password.

If you can’t log in, request a password reset

If the hacker changes your password, you must request a password reset to regain access to your account. Below are instructions on how to do this when you’ve lost access to your account.

1. On the Facebook login screen, click Forgotten Password? below the password field and follow the prompts.
2. Enter the email or phone number associated with your Facebook account.
3. Select how you’d like to receive your recovery code (Google account, email, SMS, etc.).
4. If you can’t access the suggested methods, click No longer have access to these? and follow Facebook’s identity verification process.

Fig 3. Requesting a Facebook password reset.

Contact Facebook

If your account has been hacked, you should also contact Facebook to report the incident.

They will help you log back into your account, but you may be asked to verify your identity first, including confirming your date of birth or identifying friends in tagged photos.

Alert your friends

Let your friends know that your account was hacked and warn them to ignore any suspicious links or messages that may have come from your profile while it was compromised.

How Can I Secure My Facebook Account Against Future Attacks?

Facebook hacking represents a serious threat to the security of your personal data, financial information, and more. Luckily, you can do a few things to minimize the risk and stay in control of your Facebook account.

Use Certo Mobile Security

Fig 4. Certo Mobile Security for Android.

Certo’s free app for Android and iOS can help you to protect your device from hackers. Use it to check for signs of tampering and identify and remove suspicious apps that hackers can use to monitor your activity and access your accounts.

Always log out of Facebook on public or shared devices

This one may seem obvious, but it’s easy to forget. If you’re not using your own device, make sure you log out when you’ve finished using Facebook (or any other app or website, for that matter).

Check that the device isn’t set to remember your login details since this is another easy way for hackers to gain access.

If you think you’ve left your Facebook account logged in on another device, change your password asap. You’ll have the option to log out of any other devices when doing this.

Change your privacy settings

Your privacy on Facebook is important for your online safety. By taking a few minutes to adjust your settings, you can make it harder for hackers and scammers to find you and potentially use your information maliciously.

Let’s take a look at how to customize your privacy.

Make yourself harder to find

1. Go to Settings & Privacy, then Settings.
2. Scroll down to Audience and Visibility and tap How People Find and Contact You.
3. Adjust settings for who can look you up by email/phone number, send friend requests, and see your friends list. Consider Friends or Friends of Friends for increased privacy.

Fig 5. Changing Facebook profile visibility.

Control post visibility

1. Return to the main Settings menu.
2. In the Audience and Visibility section, tap Posts.
3. Set default visibility for future posts (e.g., “Friends”).
4. Consider using the Limit Past Posts option to change the audience of older posts in bulk.

Fig 6. Changing Facebook post visibility.

Additional privacy tips

✅ Profile info: Review your publicly visible profile information (like hometown, workplace) and change anything too revealing to “Friends” or “Only Me”.

✅ Be selective: Think carefully before accepting friend requests from people you don’t know.

✅ Be mindful of tags: Check your tagging settings to control who can tag you and what posts you’re automatically tagged in.

✅ Review timeline: Even with restricted visibility, be cautious of sharing sensitive information on your timeline.

✅ App permissions: Manage which third-party apps have access to your Facebook data.

Only use secure Wi-Fi connections

Never use public Wi-Fi connections that don’t require passwords since they make it easier for hackers to access data sent to or from your device.

If you can’t avoid using public Wi-Fi, it’s a good idea to use a VPN (virtual private network) to help increase your online privacy. We recommend NordVPN.

Enable two-factor authentication

Two-factor authentication is one of the most effective ways to stop hackers from accessing your phone or online accounts.

It requires you to use two different authentication methods to verify yourself — for example, you might need to enter your password and a code sent to you by SMS.

This makes it much harder for hackers to gain access since they need additional information alongside your password.

Change your passwords regularly

Don’t make it easy for hackers by using the same password for all of your accounts.

Choose strong passwords that combine uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols, and change all your passwords regularly (about once every three months) to improve your online security.

Never share your passwords with others, and consider using a password manager tool that will remember them all for you.

Key Takeaways

Facebook hacking is a real threat that can expose your personal and financial information to criminals. Fortunately, there are steps you can take to protect your Facebook account and your sensitive data.

• Install Certo Mobile Security for iPhone or Android for free to help you protect your phone from hackers and easily identify cyberattacks against your device.
• Always log out of Facebook on public or shared devices, change your password regularly, and don’t share it with anyone.
• Use two-factor authentication to make your phone and your online accounts less vulnerable to attack.