This wikiHow teaches you how to deal with and avoid the damage or negative effects of hacking and viruses on Facebook. While you can't get a "standard" computer virus from Facebook, sometimes hackers can steal your login information to abuse your account.
Step
Part 1 of 2: Handling Abused Accounts
Step 1. Change Facebook account password
The first step in dealing with a compromised account is to change the current password to a unique and more secure password.
If you are unable to access your account using the correct login information, please submit a report of account hacking
Step 2. Change the connected service password
Most online users use the same password for different services. This means that viruses containing your Facebook password can easily access these services. If your account information is misused, you are required to change the password of the service linked to the account (e.g. Instagram, Spotify, email accounts, etc.).
For example, if the email account password you used to create your Facebook account is the same as your Facebook account password, change your email account password immediately
Step 3. Remove unsafe or suspicious apps
When you use your Facebook account to sign in to certain apps (e.g. Tinder), those apps gain access to your Facebook account information. Unfortunately, once your account is hacked, you can't help but give access to unwanted apps. You can remove these apps from your Facebook account by following these steps:
- Visit https://www.facebook.com and log in to your account.
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Click the "Menu" icon
Android7dropdown in the top right corner.
- Click " Settings ” or “Settings”
- Click " Apps and Websites ” (“Application and Website”) on the left side of the page.
- Check the box to the right of the suspicious application in the "Active Apps and Websites" section.
- Click the button " Remove ” (“Delete”) which is blue.
- Check the box " Also delete all posts… " ("Also delete all posts…") and click “ Remove ” (“Delete”) when prompted.
Step 4. Exit from another location
Facebook selects a list of locations or devices used to log in to a Facebook account. If you see an unknown location or device, you can immediately sign out of that device or location by selecting it and clicking “ Log Out " ("Go out").
Step 5. Tell friends that your account is being abused
A side effect of hacking Facebook is that your friends can get messages with malicious links from your account. To prevent the hack from spreading on Facebook, upload a status telling your friends that your account has been hacked.
You can provide a brief description of the hacking and abuse of your account (e.g. tell them if your account was hacked after you opened a message from someone) to remind your friends of something to watch out for
Part 2 of 2: Preventing Future Problems
Step 1. Learn how to spot malware or malware on Facebook
Malware on Facebook comes in a variety of forms, but is often displayed as a link promoted or sent via Messenger. Malware generally appears in situations like these:
- Friends who ambiguously promote foreign products or services,
- Message from a friend with a link or video, accompanied by phrases like “Is this you?” or something.
- Promotions, posts, or messages from friends that sound or appear different from their tone of voice or use of social media.
Step 2. Enable two-factor authentication
Two-factor authentication is a service that requires two verification methods-a password and a unique code sent to your phone-in order for you to access your Facebook account. This means that anyone trying to log into your Facebook account will need your account password and your phone. To enable this feature, follow these steps:
- Visit https://www.facebook.com and log in to your account.
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Click the "Menu" icon
Android7dropdown in the upper right corner of the screen.
- Click " Settings " ("Arrangement").
- Click " Security and Login ” (“Security and Login Info”).
- Scroll to the " Two-Factor Authentication " section.
- Click " Edit ” (“Edit”) to the right of “Use two-factor authentication ", then click “ Get Started " ("Start").
- Enter the account password when prompted.
- Check the " Text Message " (“SMS”) box, then click “ Next ” (“Next”) (You may need to enter a phone number before continuing).
- Enter the good-digit code that Facebook sent to your number, then click “ Next ” (“Next”).
- Click " Finish ” (“Done”) when prompted.
Step 3. Pay attention to the link before opening it
If you can identify a link's specific website and page by looking at its URL, there's a good chance the link isn't a malicious post. However, that doesn't mean all readable links are safe links. Always check the context of the post before clicking on a link.
- For example, if the link contains a URL like "bz.tp2.com" instead of an easily recognizable link like "www.facebook.com/security," don't click on the link.
- If the link is readable, but uploaded in a suspicious way (eg in poor grammar by a friend who usually uses proper grammar), do not open the link.
Step 4. Verify messages with friends
If you receive a non-contextual link or file from a friend, ask them to confirm whether the link or file was intentionally sent by them before opening it. When a virus sends a link or file, your friend (who "ostensibly" sent it) will not be able to see the history or entries for sending the link or file.
Usually, if your friend verifies the delivery of the message, you can safely open the included link or file
Step 5. Log in to your Facebook account using the website or mobile app only
There are a variety of sites that can be accessed using your Facebook account information (e.g. Spotify, Instagram, and Pinterest as common examples), but you actually increase the risk of account abuse if you access them with a Facebook account. For account security, only use Facebook account login information on the Facebook website (and the official Facebook mobile app.
Also, sometimes viruses on Facebook will trick you into typing your login information into an unrelated page that resembles a Facebook login page. This makes your account vulnerable to abuse
Tips
Most Facebook "viruses" are relatively harmless, but you should still treat them as an emergency
Warning
- If the virus is left unchecked, there will be more people who receive the virus. You can also be locked out of your account. If you think your account has been hacked, change the password immediately.
- Unfortunately, opening a malicious or suspicious link or file through the Facebook Messenger mobile app is just as dangerous as accessing the same link or file on a computer.
