How to check if your facebook messenger has been hacked

There are several different ways hackers use a breached Facebook account. Automatic log-ins through Facebook allow hackers access to many different site accounts once they've taken over your Facebook. Spammers also hack Facebook accounts to gain access to your following. From your profile, a hacker can additionally gather a lot of personal information about you that can be used to steal your identity.

How to check if you've been hacked

If you worry that your account has been hacked, there is a simple way to check. Go to the arrow in the upper right-hand corner of your Facebook page and click on it. In the menu, select Settings. A new menu will pop up. Choose Security and Login and then Where You're Logged In.

A list of all of the devices that you've logged into and their locations will pop up. If there is a login you don't recognize, chances are you may have been hacked. If you see anything that isn't you, click Not You? on the right side of the log. 

Then click Secure Account. Facebook will then walk you through the steps of securing your account after running a diagnostic on your account. Click Get Started.

Other signs you may have been hacked

Some other ways to tell if your account has been hacked are:

• Your name, birthday, email or password has been changed
• Someone sent out friend requests to people you don't know
• Messages have been sent from your account, but you didn't write them
• Posts are appearing on your timeline that you didn't post

How to keep your Facebook account safe

After you secure your account, make it safer. Facebook is jam-packed with security features, you just need to activate them. Open Facebook in your browser and go to Settings > Security and Login > Setting Up Extra Security. 

From there:

• Turn on login alerts so that you receive notifications when your account is logged into. This helps you catch a hacker early, before any major damage is done.
• Enable two-factor authentication, then choose an extra layer of security from the list.
• Choose your trusted contacts and add a few close friends or family members that can help you unlock your account if it ever becomes hacked.

With these steps, your Facebook account is much more difficult for a hacker to get into and much easier to recover if it is ever compromised. 

Pro tip: Set your password as a random set of numbers, letters and symbols to add a final layer of security. Here's some tips on creating the perfect password.

Editors' note: This article was posted on July 7, 2016 and has been updated.

This scam isn’t new. It doesn’t look like it’s going away anytime soon either.

As the app developers patch the security loop-holes, hackers are already working on new ways to get in.

This is a long running scam that appears to get smarter with every wave and phase.

The Facebook Messenger hack scam explained.

Time needed: 10 minutes.

What To Do When Facebook Messenger Is Hacked

1. Don’t Panic

   This is a bot attack. It can be easily managed.

2. Alert Your Friends

   In order to break the chain, alert your contacts “not to open message attachments from you”.

3. Change Your Password

   This is purely a precaution and gives you piece of mind.

4. Check Activity

   Follow the instructions below to check the account login history for the last 12 months.

What To Watch For ( Prevention)

If you receive a message on Facebook Messenger from a contact that doesn’t usually message you on there…. STOP! Do not open the attachment.

When I use the term “do not open the attachment”, that means do not tap on the video, the picture or the link.

We are all pretty well drilled about opening attachments in emails in case they contain virus’s, but in Facebook Messenger, these “attachments” may come in the form of a video, a link or an image.

Opening the attachment (such as viewing the video) runs a piece of code that will execute on your account (not on your iPad, PC or mobile – on your account). So deleting the app from your phone does nothing. It will forward the message to all of your contacts in your account.

What To Do If Your Account Is Hacked

• Alert your friends.
• Change your password
• Check your Facebook account activity for unusual logins.

Alert Your Friends

Once the message has been sent from your device to all of your contacts, really the first thing to do is attempt to break the chain and limit the damage.

Post something on your Facebook timeline warning your friends not to open the video sent from you. Unfortunately many will have opened it before seeing your post but this will reduce the spread.

Change Your Password

Change your password. What this will do is show you whether your Facebook account has really been hacked. When you attempt to change the password, it will ask for your existing password before you can proceed. If Facebook doesn’t accept this, it’s time to retake control of your account.

How To Retake Control Of A Hacked Facebook Account

Firstly use a different device. Another phone, another iPad, PC, etc.

Go to the webpage on the browser, www.facebook.com and instead of logging in normally, click “Forgot Password”.

This will take you through to the verification console which will get you to confirm your identity by entering in a code that they send to your email or text to your mobile. Once this code has been submitted you will be asked to create a new password.

Check Activity

If you are logged in to your Facebook account go to Settings / Settings & Privacy / Security & Login.

From here have a look at the log to see which devices were recently used to access your account. You will recognise them by device type & geographical location. If any look suspicious, select the menu (3 dots) next to them and select “Not You”.

From here by following the same steps, you can log out of other devices.

Received A Hacked Message But Didn’t Open It

If you have received a phishing message from one of your contacts but didn’t open the attachment, you should be OK. However there is no harm in changing your password.

It might be worth deleting the conversation thread. On most mobiles, in order to do this, go to the main index in messenger and swipe to delete the affected thread.

Video Version Of This Article

Why Do They Do It?

This is a question that many people ask. Why? What do they gain by implanting these “pointless” hacks? What is the point?

The answer is to steal money. To trick you. To scam you…. but how?

It’s all about linking people and accounts together. This was done for years on email platforms. The only difference now is the platform.

Laptop Deals

These Are Bot Phishing Scams

The first phase of the attack is in the form of linking users, contacts & accounts together. This is known as phishing. Compare this to a sales canvas seller generating leads for the actual trained sales team to move in for the hard sell.

In the scammer world, there are many techniques that are used to create leads and phish for data.

The next phase of the attack is a lot more serious. This is where the human scammers use the information gathered by the bots, go to work.

Quite often the attack is aimed at a larger target. Your employer or your business. The bots can often uncover sensitive data that has been shared on Messenger relating to your work, business or organisation.

Have you ever sent any login credentials to a work colleague via messenger? Can you imagine what damage could be done if that information was compromised?

Well these hacks show that they have the ability to forward fake links to all of your contacts. Likewise they can copy your entire chat history to themselves.

Golden Rules Of Sending Sensitive Data

If you have to send sensitive data such as financial data or account login credentials, never send together.

Most message platforms and email servers use end-to-end encryption. But this encryption method is useless if your password is compromised.

If you have to send login details to someone, send half in an email and text the other half. Much like your new bank card and pin number arriving by post separately.

Use Different Passwords

Use different passwords for everything. Do not use the same old password for all the different things that you sign up for. If one is compromised, you could end up in real trouble.

Here is a link to an article that I wrote a while ago about picking a good password.

Further Information

Here are some links with more information about Facebook Messenger Scams.

• Cheshire police warn of Facebook Messenger scam

This article covers the type of thing that can happen once the information has been gathered by the bots.

• Which Magazine – How to spot a messaging scam

Some further information on upping your guard & awareness with messaging scams.

• Essex Newspaper: Warning over Facebook scam – £44,000 stolen

Another case of a scam starting on Messenger resulting in victims losing money.

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