.jpg "How & Why Facebook Accounts Are Hacked - How To Prevent & Recover A Hacked Account")
Facebook account hacking has been on the rise recently; here are some of the ways your Facebook.com account can be hacked, how to avoid them, and how to possibly recover your account if you fall victim to these hackers. We'll start by sharing some helpful tips on how to avoid having your Facebook account hacked in the first place, as well as how to possibly recover a hacked account if you fall victim to these hackers.
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Why Are Facebook Accounts Hacked
Why do people's Facebook accounts get hacked? Why do people break into other people's Facebook accounts? Do they get paid or rewarded for doing so? You might wonder why people hack people's Facebook accounts, but the truth is that they do so for a variety of reasons, all of which are dishonest.
1. Most people hack Facebook accounts for street work (yahoo), so rather than opening a new account, they will look for an older account (three to ten years old), hack it, change the users' identities and personal information, and use it for G work (Yahoo)
2. Some people hack people's Facebook accounts to use it for scams; these hackers will not change the account owner's personal details(Name, Photo) because they need it for their dubious acts; here's what they do when they get into the users account: they will chat up your friends then present a business proposal to them, convince them that it's working, and entice them into sending money to them; because your friends or families trust you, some of them(dumb one) will send money to them.
3. A similar group of Facebook hackers hack people's Facebook accounts to actually beg with them, which is funny right? They use the owners' real names and then chat up your contacts to beg them for money or loans. Some of your friends or family members may fall for the scam, especially those who live far away.
4. Also, some of them steal people's Facebook accounts in order to sell them to the first group of hackers, who required an older Facebook account for their nefarious conduct. This group of hackers always seeks out an older Facebook account and is willing to pay to purchase one.
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How Are Facebook Accounts Hacked And How To Prevent
Now that you know why Facebook accounts are hacked, you'll want to know how these hackers get into people's accounts and how to protect yourself.
- Through Phishing Pages: These hackers can successfully gain access to your Facebook account by asking you to give it to them, but they won't just ask you; they aren't that stupid. That's where Phishing Pages come in; they will use a tempting offer to steal your Facebook login data.
This attractive offer can be sent by Phishing Emails or Text Messages, WhatsApp or Facebook groups. They will first establish a page that appears like a Facebook Login page, then send you a link to the page informing you of a contest or promotion with enticing headlines such as
" CLAIM 100GB OF FREE DATA"
“FEDERAL GOVT IS PAYING N8000 CLICK HERE TO GET YOURS”, etc
Some can come as security alert, like
HELLO YOUR FACEBOOK ACCOUNT IS ABOUT TO BE HACKED, LOGIN NOW TO CHANGE YOUR PASSWORD”
Those enticing headlines will entice you to click on the link, which will then prompt you to provide your personal information before redirecting you to their Phishing Facebook login page, where you will attempt to login using your Facebook or email credentials, after which you can kiss your Facebook account goodbye, because it has been officially hacked.
To avoid having your Facebook account compromised using phishing pages, you should only log into your Facebook account via the url https://Facebook.com.
Here are some examples of phishing pages on Facebook.
- Through lost phones or mobile phone numbers: this method is self-explanatory; Facebook accounts can be easily hacked using the registered mobile phone number. If you lose the phone number associated with your Facebook account, it's best to do a welcome back or change your Facebook account to a new number.
- Through public or school cafes: If you use public or school cafes to visit your Facebook page, make sure you check out or clear your login data afterward. Also, never auto save your login details on those browsers because anyone can see them.
- Through Personal Contact(Friends): Your Facebook account can be hacked by someone close to you, and if a friend of yours has bad intentions, he/she can steal your Facebook login details or reset your password when you give him/her access to your phone. In that case, you should be cautious about who you give your phone to, and you can even tighten your privacy by locking your personal apps like messages, contacts, personal browsers, or Email apps.
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How To Retrieve A Hacked Facebook Account
If your Facebook account has already been hacked, there is a chance that it can be recovered, but it's a 50/50 chance nonetheless, so you have to give it a shot.
- Try Resetting Your Password: If the hacker has simply changed your password and not your email or mobile phone number, you must try resetting your password via email or phone number, and if luck strikes, you may be able to regain access to your account.
To do so, go to Facebook.com, enter your email address, and then click on Forgot Password.
- Report your hacked account: Facebook, on the other hand, has set up a portal for reporting hacked accounts. If you've tried resetting passwords without success, you should contact Facebook and report the account. To do so, go to Facebook.com/hacked/, fill out the required information, and submit to Facebook. A Facebook administrator will review the account activity and most likely retrieve it for you.
- Tell your Friends to Report the Account: If your account is hacked by the second and third layers of hackers (those who use your account to scam your friends or beg for financial aid), you should contact your friends and urge them to report your account as a compromised one. If Facebook receives tens of negative reports on an account, it will almost certainly take drastic measures.
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That's essentially how and why Facebook accounts get hacked, as well as how to prevent or perhaps recover a hacked Facebook account; hopefully, the recommendations were helpful.
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