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How I was tricked and locked out of Facebook after being hacked

Technology June 28, 2025

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Ever had that sinking feeling when you realize something's gone wrong with your social media account?

You're definitely not alone. With cybercrime and identity theft on the rise, more and more people are finding themselves locked out of their online accounts, often through no fault of their own.

Let's take a look at a real-life example that shows just how sophisticated these scams can be. Below is an email we received from Marilyn of Hampton, Virginia, who wanted to share her story as a warning to others:

"Someone impersonated a Facebook friend of mine and sent a message via FB Messenger asking for a favor. They wanted to use the FB feature to ask a friend to help recover their account. I went to their FB page, and it was a clone (can't see it now). The page had their real-looking profile pic and showed a picture of them out of town helping a family member move.

A CLOSE CALL WITH A FACEBOOK SCAM THAT TRIED TO STEAL CREDIT CARD INFO

"I asked them to call me so I could know it was them. They video-called me on FB Messenger, and it showed a moving picture of them smiling, but the connection was 'bad' and got 'lost.' I asked them to tell me something about myself, and they sent me the name of my son (who has a different last name). Satisfied, I agreed to help. They asked that I send them a recovery code which I did. In a flash, they changed the emails (which one was newly fake) and my password, which essentially locked the real me out.

"I tried to recover my account, but the instructions listed on FB sent me in circles. I Googled FB support and called a support number. They installed AnyDesk on my phone and scanned it. Said someone had purchased $17,000 in bitcoins. If I allowed them to send me one dollar they could verify something. I realized it was a scam and hung up.

"I've since changed my email address and passwords for important accounts. Also have created a new FB account. However, I was admin for 3 FB groups, and the hacker got into them. Deleted one year of posts and photos from one group. And is still listed as Admin in another group. I cannot remove them. I imagine they stole my old FB account and are still operating incognito on some sites. Went to my local police station yesterday. The officer said in order to report something it had to be a tangible loss such as money or property. And I should consider reporting it to IC3.gov. How would I find a live person in my area to meet with in person to help me with cyber concerns. Thought you'd appreciate my story, how one awful mistake can lead to thousands of problems."

Marilyn, we're really sorry to hear about your experience. It sounds incredibly frustrating and stressful, and your story highlights how even careful people can be targeted by increasingly clever scams. Here are some steps you can take to address the situation and protect yourself moving forward.

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A Facebook account on a laptop and smartphone (Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson)

Recovering your Facebook account

Having your Facebook account compromised after a hacker has changed your email and password and completely locked you out of your profile can be devastating. While Facebook offers account recovery options, these become challenging when hackers have altered your login credentials. However, don't worry, as recovery is still possible, depending on certain factors.

CLONED ON FACEBOOK? HERE'S HOW TO TAKE BACK CONTROL

Report the hack to Facebook

If you have access to a device you previously used to log into Facebook, you can use it to report that your account has been hacked.

Go to facebook.com/hacked.
Click My account was compromised.

Steps to report the hack to Facebook (Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson)

Follow the on-screen instructions to help Facebook locate your account and start the recovery process.
You will need to verify your identity and recover your account. This may include:Answering security questions you previously set up.Identifying photos of friends if you had previously tagged them.Providing a government-issued ID for verification.
Answering security questions you previously set up.
Identifying photos of friends if you had previously tagged them.
Providing a government-issued ID for verification.

Once Facebook verifies your identity, it will help you regain access to your account. This process may take several days, especially if you need to submit ID verification.

Recover your account

The hacker may have changed your password, but Facebook can still use your email address or phone number to help you regain access, even if the hacker changed them on your Facebook profile. Ensure you still have access to these contact methods and follow the steps below.

Go to facebook.com.
Click Forgot password? below the login form.

Steps to ensure you have access to your FaceBook account (Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson)

Follow the on-screen instructions to use your email address or phone number to recover the account.

Remove the hacker from groups

After regaining access to your Facebook account, you should remove the hacker from any groups that you are an administrator of. If you're not an administrator or you have lost your admin privileges, you should file a report with Facebook so you can either get them removed or reclaim your admin rights.

Visit Facebook's Help Center to file a report.
Pick the scenario that best describes your situation.
Follow the instructions provided by Facebook to report the issue.

Unfortunately, if the hacker removed you as an admin and added themselves, it can be very difficult to regain control. Continue to report the group as compromised and ask other group members to do the same.

Avoiding secondary scams

Marilyn’s story also highlights a second danger of fake support numbers and remote access scams. If you ever find a "Facebook support" phone number online, be extremely cautious. Facebook does not offer phone support for account recovery. Never install remote access apps like AnyDesk at the request of someone claiming to be tech support unless you are absolutely sure of their legitimacy. Scammers use these tools to gain access to your device and personal information.

Reporting the incident to authorities and organizations

When your online accounts are compromised, it's important to report the incident to the appropriate authorities and organizations. Your report will not only help you recover from the hacking incident, it will also assist in preventing similar incidents from affecting others.

Knowing where to report these incidents is essential. It can make a significant difference in the investigation and resolution of your case.

Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3)

As suggested by the police in the email, the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) can help. It's a joint operation between the FBI and the National White Collar Crime Center for Americans to report cybercrime and fraud carried out over the internet. Visit IC3.gov to file a complaint.

You may not get a direct response, but your experience can help them fight cybercrime and identify threats better in the future. If your case requires them to take action, they will do whatever it takes to find you justice.

Local cybersecurity help

You can also find local cybersecurity experts through the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA). Check if it has a regional office located near you. It will have trained professionals who understand local threats. Their experts can provide you with personalized guidance for your situation. They also offer resources and training to help prevent future cybersecurity incidents.

Protecting your online identity

Protecting your online identity is crucial in today's digital landscape, especially if you created another Facebook account because the old one was unrecoverable. There's no telling if cybercriminals will try to gain unauthorized access to those as well.

Here are essential steps to safeguard your digital presence and prevent future security breaches on Facebook and beyond.

1. Change passwords

Continue to change passwords for all your important accounts, including email, banking and social media. Use strong, unique passwords for each account by combining uppercase letters, numbers and special characters. Consider using a password manager to generate and store complex passwords. Get more details about my best expert-reviewed Password Managers of 2025 here.

2. Enable two-factor authentication

Enable two-factor authentication (2FA) on all your accounts to add an extra layer of security. This means you'll need both your password and a second form of verification (like a code sent to your phone) to log in. So, even if hackers have your password, it will be useless if they don't have the second verification factor. You can easily do this on Facebook using the steps below:

Log in to your Facebook account.
Click your profile picture in the top-right corner.
Select Settings & Privacy in the menu.