Deepak Gupta

Facebook hacked and the email and phone number were changed

First try facebook.com/hacked on a device you have used to log in before. If that fails, open facebook.com/login/identify on that device, find your account, and select No longer have access to these? Facebook then asks for new contact details and checks the account is yours. Look for Facebook's email-change reversal link in your old inbox too.

Do these 3 things now

1Search your old email inbox for Facebook's message about the email change and click its link to reverse it.Read to them:“Search your old email inbox for Facebook's message about the email change and click its link to reverse it.”
2Go to facebook.com/hacked on a device you have used to log in to Facebook before.Read to them:“Go to facebook.com/hacked on a device you have used to log in to Facebook before.”
3Do not reply to anyone who offers to recover your account. Meta says its staff never ask for passwords or money over chat or email.Read to them:“Do not reply to anyone who offers to recover your account. Meta says its staff never ask for passwords or money over chat or email.”

Secure your account at facebook.com/hacked

Official link: www.facebook.com

I am helping someone else

Helper mode: each step is written for you to read aloud. Let them tap and type on their own device; never ask them to send you a code. Send them this first.

01Is this you?

Facebook emailed you that an email or mobile number was added or removed, and you did not do it.
Password reset codes go to an email or number you do not recognize.
Your password no longer works.

Not quite? Only my password was changed · I also lost my email account · My phone has no signal

02Official recovery path

Check your old email account. When the email on a Facebook account changes, Facebook sends the previous address a message with a special link to reverse the change.Read to them:“Check your old email account. When the email on a Facebook account changes, Facebook sends the previous address a message with a special link to reverse the change.”source
Try facebook.com/hacked first, even if you are not sure you were hacked.Read to them:“Try facebook.com/hacked first, even if you are not sure you were hacked.”source
If that does not work, try any other email or phone number you may have added to the account. Include the country code for a phone number, for example +1 for the United States.Read to them:“If that does not work, try any other email or phone number you may have added to the account. Include the country code for a phone number, for example +1 for the United States.”source
On a device you have used to log in before, go to facebook.com/login/identify and enter an email, phone number, name or username.Read to them:“On a device you have used to log in before, go to facebook.com/login/identify and enter an email, phone number, name or username.”source
Select No longer have access to these? If you do not see it, look for Forgot account? or Recover.Read to them:“Select No longer have access to these? If you do not see it, look for Forgot account? or Recover.”source
Follow the prompts. Give new contact details that were never used on this Facebook account before.Read to them:“Follow the prompts. Give new contact details that were never used on this Facebook account before.”source
Follow the prompts to confirm the account is yours, then set a new password.Read to them:“Follow the prompts to confirm the account is yours, then set a new password.”source

Did that get you back in?

Yes

Lock it down now. Change the password, turn on two-step, sign out other devices. It takes about 15 minutes.

No

A.If you lost your email account too, contact your email provider to recover it, then reset your Facebook password from there.Read to them:“If you lost your email account too, contact your email provider to recover it, then reset your Facebook password from there.”source
B.If you do not know your username, ask a friend to open your profile and send you the username from the web address.Read to them:“If you do not know your username, ask a friend to open your profile and send you the username from the web address.”source
C.If you are helping someone else, have them use the device they usually log in on, and start from Facebook's Account Recovery page.Read to them:“If you are helping someone else, have them use the device they usually log in on, and start from Facebook's Account Recovery page.”source

Then: how long it takes

03How long it takes

No published timeline

Facebook does not publish a timeline for recovering an account after the email and phone were changed.

While you wait

Recover and secure your old email account first, since that is where Facebook's reversal link goes.
Ask your carrier whether your number was moved to a new SIM.
Keep every Facebook email in the incident log.

04Warn your contacts

Send this from another account or by text, so nobody falls for messages sent in your name.

My Facebook account was hacked. If it messages you or posts asking for money, a code, crypto, or to click a link, it is not me. Please do not reply or click anything, and report it. I will tell you when I have it back.

More templates: email, followers, customers

05Watch out for recovery scams

People who just lost an account are the main target of fake helpers. Only Facebook's own app or website can restore your account.

Accounts and messages calling themselves Meta or Facebook support. Meta says its representatives will never ask for money, passwords, payment details or other sensitive information over chat or email. How it works
"Recovery hackers" in comments and groups who say they can get your account back for a fee. Facebook's own route is facebook.com/hacked. How it works
Emails that look like Facebook and ask you to log in or send your password. Facebook says it will never ask for your password in an email. Real mail comes only from domains like facebook.com, facebookmail.com, meta.com and metamail.com. How it works

All recovery scams and how to spot them

06Once you're back in: lock it down

0 of 9 doneAbout 20 minutes total

Use a new password you use nowhere else2 minChange your Facebook password to one that is hard to guess and not used on any other site or app. Never share it. Facebook says to avoid your name and common words.source
Turn on two-factor authentication with an app or security key4 minClick your profile picture > Settings and privacy > Settings > Accounts Center > Password and security > Two-factor authentication, then pick your account. Facebook offers a security key, an authentication app, or text message codes. Pick the key or the app if you can, so a stolen phone number cannot get the codes.source
Create a passkey2 minA passkey lets you log in with your fingerprint, face or device passcode, and Facebook says it is less open to phishing than a password. Facebook may prompt you to create one when you log in. You can also look for Passkey in Accounts Center > Password and security. Do not create one on a shared device.Unconfirmed, test pendingsource
Save your 10 recovery codes2 minIn Accounts Center > Password and security > Two-factor authentication, pick your account. Below How you get login codes, click Additional methods > Recovery codes > Get new codes. Print them or write them down. Each code works once.source
Log out devices you do not recognize2 minIn Accounts Center > Password and security, click Where you're logged in and pick your account. Click Select devices to log out, choose the ones you do not recognize (or Select all), then click Log out.source
Add a second email or phone that only you control2 minKeep an up to date email and mobile number on your account, and add a second one in case the first is taken over. Make sure no one else can get into those emails, and that your email password is different from your Facebook password.source
Remove apps and websites you do not trust2 minClick your profile picture > Settings & privacy > Settings > Apps and websites. Click Remove next to anything you do not use or trust, then Remove again to confirm.source
Run Security Checkup and turn on login alerts3 minLog in on a computer or the latest Facebook app and start Security Checkup. It recommends steps like updating your password, two-factor authentication and alerts about logins from devices Facebook does not recognize.source
Learn where to check real Facebook emails1 minGo to Accounts Center > Password and security, then below Security checks select Recent emails. Real security emails from the last year are in the SECURITY tab. If a scary email is not there, it did not come from Facebook.source

Then do the 24-hour cleanup.

Free toolExposure CheckSee what of yours is already public.Free toolPassword Breach CheckCheck if a password shows up in known leaks.ReadEmail hacked: 7 immediate steps ReadAccount recovery design is the security ceiling

07How it probably happened

Most likely
You entered your password on a fake Facebook login page, often linked from a post or message.
How this scam works
Also common
Someone took over your phone number and got your Facebook codes.
How this scam works
Less common
Your Facebook password was the same as one leaked from another site.

Account taken, recovery details swapped

08Report it

Lost money, being blackmailed, or someone is using your account to scam others? Report it to your country's cybercrime service too. If you are in danger, call your local emergency number.

United States

FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3)Report online crime, including account takeovers that led to money loss or extortion. The IC3 never contacts you first and never asks for money.
FTC ReportFraudReport the scam to the Federal Trade Commission.
IdentityTheft.govUse it if someone used your Social Security number or opened accounts in your name. You get a recovery plan.

United Kingdom

Report Fraud (England, Wales and Northern Ireland)Run by the City of London Police. It replaced Action Fraud on 4 December 2025. In Scotland, call Police Scotland on 101 instead.
Forward scam texts to 7726Free on most UK networks. Your provider can look into the sender and block it.
Report a scam email to the NCSCForward the email to report@phishing.gov.uk before you delete it.
Report Fraud: 0300 123 2040England, Wales and Northern Ireland. In Scotland, call Police Scotland on 101.

India

National Cyber Crime Reporting PortalRun by the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C), Ministry of Home Affairs. Reports go to state and UT police.
Chakshu on Sanchar SaathiReport suspected fraud calls, SMS or WhatsApp messages to the Department of Telecommunications. It is not for money already lost: call 1930 for that.
National Cyber Crime Helpline: 1930Toll free, 24 hours. Call fast if money left your account: it can help freeze the transfer.

Canada

Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre: report onlineVictims and witnesses can report fraud or cybercrime online. Also contact your local police as soon as you can.
Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre: 1-888-495-8501Toll free. The CAFC does not contact people to ask for money.

Australia

ReportCyberReport cybercrime to police. Your report may go to your state or territory police or the AFP.
ScamwatchReport a scam, even if you lost no money. The AFP also points people worried about identity theft to IDCARE, a free support service.
ReportCyber phone line: 1300 292 371Report concerns about cybercrime or cyber security incidents. If life is at risk, call 000.

09Questions people ask

Can I undo the email change?

Often, yes. Facebook sends a message with a special link to the previous email address when the email changes. Clicking it reverses the change and helps secure the account.

What if I do not have any device I used before?

Facebook says the identify steps work best on a familiar device, such as an old phone or a family member's laptop. Try every device you might have used.

Why will Facebook not accept my new email?

Facebook says the new contact details you give must not have been used on that Facebook account before.

Is there a phone number I can call?

Facebook's own recovery route is facebook.com/hacked and facebook.com/login/identify. Meta says its staff will never ask for passwords, payment details or money over chat or email, so treat anyone who does as a scammer.

Sources and last check

Last verified: October 16, 2026. Steps checked against the platform's own help pages listed below. Device testing is ongoing; steps marked unconfirmed are still waiting for it.

Facebook Help: Recover your Facebook account if you were hacked (read 2026-10-16)
Facebook Help: Recover your Facebook account if you can't access your account email address or mobile phone number (read 2026-10-16)
Facebook: Find your account (facebook.com/login/identify) (read 2026-10-16)
Facebook: Secure your account (facebook.com/hacked) (read 2026-10-16)
Facebook Help: Account Recovery (read 2026-10-16)
Facebook Help: Protect yourself from phishing on Facebook (read 2026-10-16)

Wrong step or changed screen? Report it. Never include passwords or codes.