What to do if your social account was hacked
A hacked social account can be used to scam your contacts. Regaining control and warning others matters quickly.
Quick answer
A hacked social account can be used to scam your contacts. Regaining control and warning others matters quickly.
- Use the platform's account-recovery process
- Change the password and log out all sessions
- Enable two-factor authentication
- Check linked email security
Do this now
Contact the platform's support through official help pages.
Understanding what happened
Losing access to a social account - or noticing posts and messages you didn't make - usually means a scammer got your password or a verification code, often through a fake login or a 'help me, I'm locked out' message from a friend whose account was already taken.
Once in, attackers use the account to scam your contacts (because messages from a real friend are trusted), harvest more codes, or lock you out by changing the password and recovery details. The longer they have it, the more people they can reach in your name.
Recovery is usually possible through the platform's official account-recovery flow, and it's faster if your linked email is still secure - so the steps below start there, then move through reclaiming the account, removing their access, and warning your contacts.
First 5 minutes
- Use the platform's account-recovery process
- Change the password and log out all sessions
- Enable two-factor authentication
- Check linked email security
First 24 hours
- Warn your contacts about fake messages
- Review and remove unknown connected apps
- Report the account compromise to the platform
- Check for changed recovery details
What not to do
- Do not pay anyone who promises to recover your money for an upfront fee
- Do not act on follow-up messages claiming to be the fraud team
- Do not delete evidence before saving it
Evidence to save
- Screenshots of the message and sender details
- Phone numbers, usernames, links, and account or wallet addresses
- Transaction references, receipts, and amounts
How to report
Report through official channels for your area.
Find official reporting links for your country in the reporting directory.
- Do not use phone numbers or links from the suspicious message - look up the official ones yourself.
- Report quickly if money was sent or ID documents were shared; speed improves your options.
- Keep your evidence - see how to save scam evidence.
Beware of recovery scams: no legitimate service guarantees getting your money back for an upfront fee.
This is general safety information, not legal, financial, or cybersecurity incident-response advice.
Frequently asked questions
How quickly should I act?
As soon as possible. Fast action - especially contacting your bank - gives the best chance of limiting harm or stopping a payment.
Will I get my money back?
Sometimes, if you act quickly, but there is no guarantee. Be very cautious of anyone who promises guaranteed recovery for an upfront fee - that is a recovery scam.