How do I know the account is actually hacked?

The signs are that you cannot get in, that there are posts or messages you did not write, that friends mention odd messages from you, or that you received an email saying the password or address was changed. A single failed login attempt on its own does not mean much.

Does Facebook or Meta ever phone private individuals?

No. Facebook does not call, does not message you first, and never asks for your password or a verification code. A message saying your account closes unless you click a link is almost always a scam. Go to facebook.com yourself and log in there instead.

Do I have to change my password on other services too?

If you used the same password anywhere else, yes. Start with your email, because that controls password resets for everything else. A different password for each service is what keeps one hacked account from becoming five.

Facebook account hacked? Here is how to take it back

If someone else is inside your Facebook account, every minute counts, because the first thing an intruder does is message your friends asking for money. If you can still log in, it takes about ten minutes to shut them out. If you cannot, Facebook has a recovery route built for exactly this.

One rule throughout: nobody legitimate ever asks for your password or a verification code. Facebook, your bank, Google, Apple and Solvora never do, and Facebook never phones private individuals. Never approve a BankID signing you did not just start yourself either.

Try this first, if you can still log in

Change the password straight away. Open the menu, choose Settings and privacy, then Settings, then Password and security, then Change password. Type the new password yourself, and use one you have not used anywhere else.
On the same page, open Where you're logged in. It lists every device and place the account is open on. Log out of everything you do not recognise.
Turn on two-factor authentication under Password and security. Prefer an authenticator app over text messages, because a phone number can be taken over.
Check that the email address and phone number on the account are still yours. Intruders often change these first of all, to lock you out.
Go through your posts and sent messages and delete anything you did not write.
If you used the same password on other services, change it there too. Start with your email, because it controls the way back into everything else.

If you cannot get in

Go to facebook.com/hacked in a browser, on a computer or on your phone. The page walks you through a recovery made for hacked accounts.
If the intruder changed your email address, you still get a message at your old address with a link to undo the change. Look for it, including in your spam folder. The link expires, so use it as soon as you find it.
If that does not work, Facebook may ask you to confirm your identity with a photo of your ID. Follow the instructions on Facebook's own site, never through a link someone sent you.
If you have no way in at all, a friend can report the profile as hacked through the Help Centre. Several reports do not help more than one, so ask one person to do it.

Warn people straight away

Message close friends and family through something other than Facebook, a text or a phone call, and tell them the account was taken over and not to respond to requests for money from you. This is the step that actually stops someone losing money, and it is worth doing before the rest is sorted.

If you or a relative has already sent money, call your bank immediately and then report it to the police on 114 14.

If recovery does not get you back in, if the intruder changed both the address and the number, or if money is involved, ask us in the chat. We will go through the steps with you, and your codes and passwords stay yours alone.