We live in a digital world, and it’s amazing, but our constant connectivity to technology makes us vulnerable to identity theft and hacks to our personal email and social media accounts.
Often we engage with scams without even realizing it. It can be as easy as clicking on a bad link and before you know it, you’ve installed malicious software or given scammers access to your Facebook account … or worse, your business account. You can bet that after scammers have secured access to your personal profile, they’ll go after your business pages and use them as a platform to send out malicious content. That’s bad news for social media managers.
If you clicked on something you wish you wouldn’t have and believe your account has been jeopardized, here are some things to do.
Scam checklist:
#1 – Secure your account
If you’re able, log in to your account and change your password ASAP. If you aren’t able to log in, you can secure your account . Facebook will ask you a few questions to verify you’re the right owner before letting you back into your profile.
#2 – Change your password
Once you’ve secured your account, the next thing you’ll want to do is change your password. Make it hard for scammers to hack you again, so make sure you’re doing more than just adding “123” after your current password.
#3 – Check account activity
Run through your account’s recent posts, photos, likes, installed apps, games and private messages. Scammers often reach out to other accounts and create groups or events, so you’ll want to make sure to delete any unwanted actions that link back to your profile. Check your Activity Log to make sure you don’t miss a single thing.
#4 – Report a hacked page
If you can’t get into your Business page, there’s a chance scammers removed you and everyone on your team from the admin panel. Facebook lets you report a hacked page and helps you get access to it once again. This process can take weeks, so in the meantime make sure all payment methods and authorized tools are unlinked from the account.
#5 – Report scams
Finally, report any scam that you come across on Facebook. By reporting, you’re helping Facebook crack down on malicious activity and prevent anyone else from going through the same thing in the future.
Extra security steps to prevent hackings:
Turn on “login approval” and login notifications
Login Approval asks you to enter a security code every time you try to access your Facebook account from a new computer or device. In conjunction, you’ll receive notifications to your cellphone anytime an unauthorized login is attempted on your account.
Monitor login history
Go one step further, and periodically check your login history for any suspicious logins that may signal that your account has been hacked. You can see your login history in your settings, under security.
Add “trusted contacts”
If you ever need help getting into your Facebook account, but have forgotten your password, Trusted Contacts lets your trusted friends send you special, one-time security codes to help you reset your password.
Unfriend, block and report scam accounts
Facebook’s support team will review the reported account/page and remove anything that violates its Statement of Rights and Responsibilities guidelines. Learn more about reporting.
When in doubt, change passwords
If you notice suspicious activity in your login history, that is a sure sign that it’s time to change your password. To be safe, it’s recommended that you change your passwords at least once a year.
The dangers of hacking are very real, but staying vigilant and following simple security steps like the ones above will help keep your business page safe and free of scammers.
If you’d like to learn more about social media management or any other aspect of social media marketing, Flint Group is here to help. Contact us.