My Facebook business page was hacked

Social media has become one of the primary ways for businesses to get their name and brand in front of millions of viewers. Of all the platforms, Facebook (FB) continues to be a mainstay for a majority of businesses of all sizes. However, as in many digital environments, the number of stolen Facebook business profiles has increased, and once hacked, bad actors can wreak havoc on content as well as reputation. There are steps you can take to recover a hacked FB business page.

Recognize that your biz account has been hacked:

• Can’t connect to your FB account
• Strange comments, unauthorized posts or messages on your page.
• Any type of change to your business account settings, such as privacy settings, page roles, and contact information.
• Receive notifications of unauthorized attempts to log into your account – any activity that seems suspicious.
• Receive alerts from clients or friends that they have received strange requests

What to do if hacked

The first thing you will need to do if your FB business page is hacked is to regain control.

• Change your password by going to your FB login page and clicking on “Forgot Password” – this will give you the option to receive an email to reset your password. Make sure you select a very strong password, preferably one you’ve never used anywhere else. It is suggested to include alphabetic characters as well as numbers and special characters.
• If you haven’t already, enable 2FA (two-factor authentication) as an additional security method. This is a great feature that sends a verification code (usually to your phone) along with your password when you log in.
• Go to the “Settings” section of your account and review and update to ensure all security-related options are enabled. Enable alerts for connections as well as any trusted contacts who should receive such notifications.

Report to Facebook

It is imperative to report the problem to Facebook. Go to www.facebook.com/hacked and if you have access to this page, select the menu item to report your account hacked. If you don’t have access to it, you can access the FB help center www.facebook.com/help and search for “report a security incident” or “hacked accounts.”

Once you have accessed the appropriate area, read the instructions carefully and follow them. You may be asked to provide proof of ownership, such as identification documents or previous activity for the account. Facebook will verify your property and help you with the recovery process.

Facebook offers an alternative via its “verified Meta personal account”. This comes at a cost, however, it provides high-level support to these FB customers. Meta Verified gives you the ability to confirm with your followers that it’s real via a “verified badge” on your FB profile page and also includes proactive account protection that actively monitors your page to prevent anyone trying to imitate or hack your business.

Contact all credit card companies associated with your FB business account. Stop paying on an FB ad until the issue is resolved.

Be sure to inform your customers and followers of the situation by posting a notice on your page assuring them that you have taken security measures to ensure all information is protected.

Contact us

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“DaVinci Cybersecurity knows the importance of a social media page for businesses and works closely with our clients to advise them on the highest priority measures to protect their image and their customers.”

Sharon Knowles, CEO of DaVinci Cybersecurity

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