These days, social media has become our daily window to the world. In fact, we live and breathe social media! It is like oxygen to us, right? We communicate with our friends, family members, and colleagues through social media and even remember their special days like birthdays and anniversaries through it! For many people, it is vital to their business marketing strategies. In short, social media holds a special place in our lives and losing access to our social media accounts is frustrating. However, it happens too often. If you are facing the same situation, here is how you can gain access to your social media.

First, confirm that you have really lost access to your social media. How would you know it? Just getting a random email stating your social media account is compromised does not mean your account is hacked.

You must check common suspicious behaviours to determine whether your social media account has been compromised.

•   You are unable to log in to your account.
•   When you get a notification about the change to username or password, but in reality, you have not made that change.
•   A notification stated, ‘Someone logged into your account from a device you don’t know or the location you are not at’.
•   Your family members and friends tell you they got a message you didn’t send. Most of the time, this message contains random links or asking for help/money.

How can you get back access to your hacked social media account?

Try the following things to get back access to your social media account.

1.     Try signing into your account.

Check if you can still log into your social media account. It might be possible when the hacker has logged into your account without changing your password. If this holds true in your case, log in to your account and immediately change your password. It will help you protect your account.

2.     Report the social media platform.

Different social media platforms practice different procedures to report if your account is compromised. Here are links for each service.

Facebook – Visit this Facebook Page to report that your account is hacked. Use your email address/phone number to recover your account.

Instagram – Here is Instagram’s help page to report if your account is hacked.

LinkedIn – Click on this link to report if your LinkedIn account is hacked.

Twitter – To get your hacked account’s access back, fill out this form.

3.     Try to set a new password.

If your old password is not working, you can regain access by using forgot password procedure. For that, go to the login page of your social media account; it could work because your account is connected to a phone number or email that hackers cannot easily change. You will get the link in your email to reset the password.

4.     Apply two-factor authentication

Applying two-factor authentication will not allow any user to sign into your account; only enter the password. To log into the account, it will send a verification code via SMS or email. It provides additional security, as someone with your password won’t be able to access your account.

5.     Inform your social media contacts that your account has been hacked.

Let all your followers/contacts know that your account has been hacked. It will make them aware that they should not click on any link or message your account sent.

6.     Employ strong security/privacy settings.

Once your account is hacked, it is best to tighten the security. Keep your account private. Restrict permission from the social media platform, apps, and games.

7.     Remove all active sessions of your social media account.

Remove all active sessions if you doubt someone has signed into your account. To do so, you need to go to the settings of your social media account and log out of the active sessions.

8.     Check for any suspicious activity on your account.

If you notice any suspicious activity, such as a new contact in your account whom you have not added or any post that you have not posted, remove them immediately. Besides, unlink any suspicious services or apps linked to your account.

How to prevent your social media account from being hacked

•       Always use 12-chacters+ unique + complex = strong passwords that no one can easily guess.
•       Don’t use social media accounts on public Wi-Fi.
•       Opt for two-factor authentication.
•       Avoid clicking on suspicious links even when your friends or family members send them.

Final Thoughts

In a nutshell, in the social media landscape, losing access to your social media accounts can cause you emotional and financial loss especially when you have invested so much time and effort in growing your follower count and building your brand image. By following the above-discussed steps, you can recover your hacked account and even prevent this mishap from happening in the future.