Getting locked out of your social media accounts by hackers can be a daunting experience. Lots of people open accounts every day and start using them right away forgetting that they need to be secured.
Now, has your Twitter or Instagram account been hacked? If yes, sorry about that, however still not all hope is lost.
There are some things you can do when either of these social media accounts has been hacked. In this article, we share with you what you can do if your Twitter or Instagram account has been hacked.
Let’s start off
Represented by a bluebird, Twitter is a platform that allows users to send and receive posts which are called tweets. Most people use the platform to share their thoughts and ideas while others log in to catch up on what’s happening around the world.
Instagram is more of a social networking platform that involves mostly the sharing of photos and videos.
It’s easy getting caught up with this giving opportunity for a hacker to take over your account.
How does the hacking take place?
Hackers can try to gain access to your account by impersonating you with your phone number, for example. Here are a few more frequent methods they can gain access to:
- They take advantage when you use weak passwords
- Allowing malicious applications to access either your Instagram or Twitter.
- Installation of apps with security holes.
How can I tell if my Instagram account has been hacked?
- Out of the blue, you notice that you’ve followed a lot of people you don’t know.
- You notice that there are photographs on your account that aren’t yours.
- You no longer have access to your account, and you’re certain you’re using the correct password and it’s not a technical issue.
- Your password has been changed including contact information.
- Your account is being used by someone else, but you’re still logged in.
The next step If your Instagram account has been hacked into.
- If you notice photos or stories you didn’t post yourself on your page, but you’re still logged in, you should reset your password right once to prevent the hacker from accessing your account.
How do you reset your password?
Start by manually logging out of any suspicious devices via your log-in activity page.
If you still have access to your account, reset your password as soon as possible. Use a combination of numbers, letters, and special characters to make it secure. Additionally, for each of your accounts, use a separate one.
For users whose password is no longer working, simply follow the steps to create a new one as directed by the Instagram app’s log-in screen.
Provided all goes well, you’ll receive a reset link to your email address or phone number, and you’ll be able to go back into your account and change your password using a security code
Also, don’t tell anyone about it – or your account. Better yet, use a password manager that generates a secure password for you and remembers it for you so you don’t have to.
- For users who can no longer access their accounts by all means(your hacker may have changed your email and contact information), you should contact Instagram as soon as possible to begin the hacked account procedure.
- If it so happens that the hackers have deleted your account, there is still a chance that you may be able to recover your account. If your account has been deleted, you have 30 days to contact Instagram and explain that you have been hacked and they can restore your account. Instagram claims they save your information for that long.
- Turn the Turn on two-factor authentication from security settings. With a code from an app like Google Authenticator or one given to their mobile phone via text message every time, users can log in to a new device, and it’s a good deterrent to hackers.
- Pay attention to Instagram emails. In the event a hacker tries to reset your password or Instagram detects suspicious activity on your account, you will receive an email notifying you of the change—which means you must respond quickly.
How can I tell if my Twitter account has been hacked?
- You’ve noticed that your password isn’t functioning and you’ve been asked to reset it.
- Unfamiliar tweets sent using your account
- Unintentionally sent Direct Messages from your account
- Blocking other Twitter users
- Other actions on your account that you didn’t initiate or approve, such as following, unfollowing, or blocking.
- You’ve received a notification from Twitter that your account may have been hacked.
- You got a notification from Twitter that your account information had changed, but yet you made no changes.
The next step if your Twitter account has been hacked
- Change your password immediately (same as before if you still have access to your account)
- Get in touch with Twitter and report the incident. With their help, you can restore Twitter account access directly through the platform.
- Quickly, open your email address for security and, if possible, update your password from there as well. It’s also a good idea to double-check that your email account hasn’t been hacked as well. If your Change both passwords immediately if your Twitter account is still linked to an appropriate email address.
- Third-party permissions should be revoked. Additionally, double-check your app access and recent sessions
- Passwords for trustworthy third-party apps should be updated.
- After you’ve updated your security settings, Twitter suggests deleting any unwanted tweets, performing a quick malware scan on your device, updating your security patches, and double-checking that your account has gone through all of the security steps.
Bottom Line
Because high-profile Instagrammers or Tweeps aren’t the only ones who get hacked, it’s critical to safeguard your accounts even if you don’t have that many followers.
Any account could be a target, because if the hackers succeed, they can use the hacked account to try to obtain sensitive information from other users, such as credit card numbers, addresses, and PINs.
Therefore you must monitor your accounts for suspicious activity at all times. That way if you see a red flag you know what to do from what we’ve shared.