Recovering a hacked Facebook account: practical steps and how to protect it afterwards

Stolen Facebook accounts are often used to ask the owner's contacts for money, or to extort the owner for its return. Acting quickly and in order greatly reduces the damage.

1. Start from the official page

Open facebook.com/hacked from a device you've used to log in before and follow the steps. Facebook's Help Center also has a path if you've lost access to the email or phone tied to the account.

2. Secure your email first

If the attacker is inside the email tied to the account, they can recover Facebook again. Change the email password and enable two-factor authentication there before anything else.

3. Warn your friends

Ask someone close to post or send a warning that the account is compromised and that nobody should transfer money based on its messages.

4. Beware 'recovery' scammers

Anyone who contacts you offering to recover the account for a fee is most likely another scammer. Recovery happens through Facebook's official channels only.

5. Document everything

Keep screenshots of the attacker's messages and any money request or threat, with the date and time of each message and the account link. You'll need them if you report the incident or if it turns into extortion.

After recovery: close the door

• A new, long password you don't use anywhere else
• Two-factor authentication with an authenticator app rather than SMS where possible
• Review logged-in devices and sign out of any you don't recognize
• Remove connected apps and permissions you don't recognize
• Update the email, phone number and recovery details

When you need a digital investigation

If the compromise turns into extortion or fraud against others, properly documented evidence matters. WebShield helps document digital evidence, prepare a technical report and secure your accounts and devices — with your authorization as the account owner.