According to GitNux, over 1 billion social media accounts are hacked every month on Twitter, Instagram, and, of course, Facebook (including other platforms).
This created the need to beware of hackers – they are everywhere, and it’s our duty to protect our beloved social media profiles.
But what if your Facebook Messenger account gets hacked? What do we do?
First, Mobile Wireless Trends will teach you what to do if your FB Message account is hacked, and then, we’ll show you exactly how to fix Facebook Messenger after being hacked by following 7 must-do tips.
Quick Tech Answer
To fix Facebook Messenger after being hacked, first, change your Facebook password to secure your account. Next, log out of all devices, enable Two-Factor Authentication (2FA), revoke access to authorized apps, scan your device for malware, alert friends and contacts about the security breach, and regularly monitor your Messenger account activity to detect any suspicious behavior.
Tech Shortcut
What Happens if Someone Hacks Your Facebook Messenger?
If someone hacks your Facebook Messenger, it means they’ve gained unauthorized access to your account.
It’s like they’ve sneaked into your private conversations and can read your messages, see your media files, and even send messages on your behalf without you knowing. It’s a serious invasion of privacy and can lead to various issues, like sensitive information exposure, scams, or using your account to deceive your friends and contacts.
We must remember that Messenger is the Direct Message feature of Facebook by Meta, so if they have access to Messenger, they can also see all of your other Facebook profile info, which is frankly quite scary.
How to Tell if Your Facebook Messenger Has Been Hacked
There are many different ways to tell if your Facebook Messenger has been hacked. So, if you are unsure whether you have been hacked or not, make sure to check the following things:
- Unrecognized Activity: You notice unusual or unauthorized activity in your Messenger account, such as messages you didn’t send, messages marked as read that you didn’t read, or conversations you don’t remember having.
- Suspicious Login Attempts: You receive notifications or emails from Facebook about login attempts from unrecognized devices or locations. This could indicate that someone is trying to access your Messenger account without your permission.
- Missing or Deleted Conversations: Conversations or messages that were previously present in your Messenger account suddenly disappear or get deleted without your knowledge. This is a sign that an unauthorized user has accessed your account and tampered with your conversations.
Is It Possible to Get Your Facebook Account Back After Being Hacked?
Yes, it is possible to get your Facebook account back after being hacked, but you need to know how to do it.
Facebook provides support and tools to help users secure their accounts if they believe it has been compromised. Meta is aware of hackers and scammers on their platform (such as Facebook marketplace scammers), and provides many tools to fight against them.
In fact, recovering your Facebook account after being hacked is not hard, but what comes next is going to successfully determine the future of your Messenger profile.
How Can They Hack Your Facebook Messenger Account?
Okay, so we already know about the dangers of getting your Facebook Messenger account hacked, but how did they do it?! There are three main ways in which someone can hack your Facebook Messenger account:
- Phishing: Hackers may use deceptive methods, such as sending fake login pages or links via email, SMS, or social media, to trick you into entering your login credentials, allowing them to gain unauthorized access to your account.
- Weak Passwords: If you use weak or easily guessable passwords for your Facebook account, hackers can exploit this vulnerability to gain access to your Messenger messages and other personal information. If Facebook notices suspicious activity on your profile, you can get search banned on Facebook or permanently limited from the platform until you fix this problem.
- Malicious Software: Downloading and installing malicious software or apps on your device can compromise your account’s security, as these programs may capture login details or allow unauthorized access to your account.
What to Do if Your Facebook Messenger Has Been Hacked
Facebook has an official Messenger App Hacked page where you can report your hacked account.
In my opinion, the official Facebook Hacked support page works amazingly – you can recover your Messenger account within a few minutes.
These are the three steps to follow to recover your hacked Facebook Messenger account.
Step 1: Go to the Facebook Hacked Page
Go to the official Facebook Hacked Page. Here, you will see a bunch of different options on the screen. Select the option that suits you the most – I’ll do my best to explain each option as simple as possible, so here you have it:
- I found a post, message, or event that I didn’t create: The user has come across a post, message, or event on their Facebook account that they claim they did not create or authorize, indicating a possible case of unauthorized access or content misuse.
- Someone else got into my account without my permission: The user’s Facebook account has been accessed by an unauthorized person or third party without their consent, implying a potential security breach or account compromise.
- I found an account which uses my name or photos: The user has noticed the existence of another Facebook account that is using their name or photos without authorization, possibly indicating identity theft or impersonation.
- People can see things that I thought were private: The user is experiencing a privacy concern, as content or information they believed to be restricted to a limited audience is visible to others on Facebook.
- I don’t see the right option on this list: The user is expressing that none of the provided options accurately match the issue they are facing, indicating the need for additional or alternative support options from Facebook.
Step 2: Provide Facebook with More Context
Then, after selecting the option that suits you the most, Facebook will ask you for more context in order to proceed with the hacked account recovery process.
You might be redirected to the Facebook Messenger App Hacked bot, which is essentially a Support Bot that helps you quickly recover your account.
Follow the on-screen steps, and provide Facebook with all the info they need – this is a crucial step if you want to get your Messenger Account back.
Step 3: Wait for Facebook Support to Recover Your Hacked Account
Now, after reviewing your case, Facebook will do a couple of tricks to get hackers out of your account.
They’ll probably ask you to set up a new password and log out all other individuals from your profile, as well as block their IP address from the platform.
Overall, this process is quite smooth and easy to handle. As I mentioned before, recovering your hacked Facebook Messenger account is easier than, for instance, attempting to recover your hacked TikTok profile.
How to Fix Facebook Messenger After Being Hacked
So, your Facebook Messenger account is now yours again – so long, hackers!
But now, we must prevent this scenario from happening one more time. The following 7 tips and tricks are urgent things to do on Facebook Messenger AFTER being hacked – don’t waste any more time and let’s dive deep into this process right away.
1. Change Your Facebook Password
First, we are going to change your Facebook Password for good. Since the Facebook Password is the main thing hackers use to access your account, it is imperative to choose a really, really strong password.
To change your Facebook password when you are already logged in, follow these steps:
- Tap the menu in the top right of Facebook.
- Scroll down and tap “Settings,” then select “Security and login.”
- Tap “Change password.”
- Enter your current password, new password, and re-type the new password, then tap “Save changes.”
- If you are not logged in and need to reset your password, tap “Forgot Password?,” enter the email, mobile phone number, full name, or username associated with your account, then follow the on-screen instructions to reset it.
Changing your Facebook Password is the cornerstone of all the tips that are to come, so don’t sleep on this!
2. Log Out of All Devices
Hackers clearly logged into Facebook from other devices that are not yours. Now, we are going to log out from all other devices that don’t belong to you.
To logout your Facebook account from other devices, follow these quick steps:
- Log into your Facebook account and go to your Security and login settings.
- Look for the section labeled “Where you’re logged in.” You may need to click “See more” to view all active sessions.
- Find the session you want to end, and click on it.
- Click “Log out,” and you will be immediately logged out of Facebook, so log back in by using your newly set Facebook password.
3. Enable Facebook Two-Factor Authentication (2FA)
Two-Factor Authentication is one of the most useful features ever – I use it on all my accounts! To enable 2FA on Messenger, follow these steps:
- Go to your Facebook account’s Security and Login Settings.
- Scroll down to the “Use two-factor authentication” section and click on “Edit.”
- Choose the security method you want to add: either tapping your security key on a compatible device, using login codes from a third-party authentication app, or receiving text message (SMS) codes on your mobile phone.
- Follow the on-screen instructions to set up the chosen security method.
After you’ve turned on two-factor authentication, Facebook allows you to generate 10 recovery login codes for situations when you cannot access your phone.
From now on, the only way to log into your Facebook account will be to authorize the app through the codes generated in real-time, which provides an amazing layer of security against hackers.
4. Revoke Access to Authorized Apps
Some Facebook Apps require full access to your profile in order to work. This opens a window of opportunity for hackers to take over your Messenger account. To revoke access to all Facebook apps, do this:
- Log into your Facebook account.
- Scroll down and tap on “Settings & Privacy,” then select “Settings.”
- Scroll down to the “Permissions” section and tap on “Apps and websites.”
- Choose the app or game that you want to remove.
- Below the name of the app or game, tap on “Remove.”
- Tap “Remove” again to confirm, and the app’s access to your Facebook account will be revoked.
5. Scan Your Device for Malware
As I mentioned above, hackers might have found access to your Messenger account via certain files installed on your computer.
Therefore, let’s scan your device for malware in order to prevent future Messenger hacking. To do this, follow these steps:
- Install a Reliable Antivirus or Anti-Malware App: Download and install a reputable antivirus or anti-malware application from a trusted source on your device.
- Update Your Antivirus Software: Ensure that your antivirus software is up to date with the latest virus definitions and security patches.
- Run a Full System Scan: Open the antivirus app and run a full system scan to check for any potential malware or viruses on your device.
- Remove Detected Threats: If the scan identifies any malware or suspicious files, follow the instructions provided by the antivirus software to remove or quarantine the detected threats.
- Keep Your Operating System and Apps Updated: Regularly update your device’s operating system and apps to ensure you have the latest security updates and patches.
- Avoid Downloading Apps from Untrusted Sources: From now on, only download apps from official app stores to reduce the risk of installing malicious software.
6. Alert Friends and Contacts
Now, your Facebook Messenger account should be back to normal, but there’s something extremely important left to do: alert your contact and friends.
When you alert friends and contacts about your recovered Messenger account, it’s essential to inform them that your account was previously hacked but has now been successfully recovered.
Let them know that during the hacking incident, unauthorized activity might have occurred, and they should be cautious about any suspicious messages or interactions they received from your account during that period.
Honesty is key – this will let others know that your Messenger account is now under your control.
7. Monitor FB Messenger Account Activity
After successfully recovering your hacked Messenger account, it’s crucial to monitor your account activity regularly.
Keep a close eye on your sent and received messages, friend requests, and any other interactions to ensure that there are no unusual or unauthorized actions taking place. Be vigilant for any signs of suspicious behavior, such as messages you didn’t send, unknown friend requests, or any unusual login activity.
By actively monitoring your Messenger account activity, you can quickly identify and address any potential security threats, ensuring the continued safety and privacy of your online communications.
This way, it is highly unlikely that something bad will happen to your Facebook account again.
Tech Recap: How to Fix Facebook Messenger After Getting Hacked
There you have it – the path to recover your Messenger account after being hacked is easy to walk by if you know how to proceed.
Thanks to Mobile Wireless Trends, you are ready to fix, prevent, and fight against possible hacking scenarios on Facebook. These are the best urgent tips to fix Facebook Messenger after being hacked:
- 1. Change Your Facebook Password
- 2. Log Out of All Devices
- 3. Enable Facebook Two-Factor Authentication (2FA)
- 4. Revoke Access to Authorized Apps
- 5. Scan Your Device for Malware
- 6. Alert Friends and Contacts
- 7. Monitor FB Messenger Account Activity
FAQ
Can You Tell if Someone Is Logged Into Your Messenger?
As a user, you can’t directly see if someone is currently logged into your Messenger account. However, you can check for suspicious activity by reviewing recent login sessions and devices in your Facebook security settings to ensure your account’s security.