Deepak Gupta

Facebook account hacked and posting scam ads or crypto posts

Report your account as compromised at facebook.com/hacked, even if you can still log in. Then change your password, log out devices you do not know, and delete posts, Pages and apps you did not create. If ads ran on your card, check Payment activity in Billing & payments and the ad account's roles.

Do these 3 things now

1Go to facebook.com/hacked and report your account as compromised, even if you can still log in.Read to them:“Go to facebook.com/hacked and report your account as compromised, even if you can still log in.”
2Change your password and log out devices you do not recognize.Read to them:“Change your password and log out devices you do not recognize.”
3Do not reply to anyone who offers to clean up your account or refund ad charges for a fee.Read to them:“Do not reply to anyone who offers to clean up your account or refund ad charges for a fee.”

Report 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?

Friends say your account is posting crypto, giveaway or investment offers.
Your account is creating posts, events, groups or Pages you did not make.
You see ad charges on your card that you do not recognize.

Not quite? I cannot log in at all · Someone made a fake account of me · My email was changed

02Official recovery path

Go to facebook.com/hacked and report your account as compromised. Facebook says you can do this whether or not you can still log in.Read to them:“Go to facebook.com/hacked and report your account as compromised. Facebook says you can do this whether or not you can still log in.”source
Reset your password.Read to them:“Reset your password.”source
Check your login history and log out devices you do not recognize: in Accounts Center > Password and security, click Where you're logged in, then Select devices to log out.Read to them:“Check your login history and log out devices you do not recognize: in Accounts Center > Password and security, click Where you're logged in, then Select devices to log out.”source
Review your Activity Log and delete posts, photos, Pages, groups or events you did not create.Read to them:“Review your Activity Log and delete posts, photos, Pages, groups or events you did not create.”source
Open Settings > Apps and websites and click Remove next to anything you do not trust.Read to them:“Open Settings > Apps and websites and click Remove next to anything you do not trust.”source
If ads ran without you, go to Payment activity in Billing & payments and click the Transaction ID of each charge to see which ads were billed.Read to them:“If ads ran without you, go to Payment activity in Billing & payments and click the Transaction ID of each charge to see which ads were billed.”source
In Ads Manager Account settings, check Ad account roles for people you did not add.Read to them:“In Ads Manager Account settings, check Ad account roles for people you did not add.”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 still do not recognize the ad activity and think your ad account was hacked, use the contact link at the end of Meta's ad account troubleshooting page. Meta may already have removed admins, paused ads or changed payment methods to protect the account.Read to them:“If you still do not recognize the ad activity and think your ad account was hacked, use the contact link at the end of Meta's ad account troubleshooting page. Meta may already have removed admins, paused ads or changed payment methods to protect the account.”source
B.If a hacker took a Facebook Page you manage, submit Facebook's Page recovery form while logged in. Facebook says it aims to reply within a day, though some reviews take longer.Read to them:“If a hacker took a Facebook Page you manage, submit Facebook's Page recovery form while logged in. Facebook says it aims to reply within a day, though some reviews take longer.”source
C.If unauthorized payments were made on other accounts, contact your bank right away. If you believe a crime happened, report it to local police.Read to them:“If unauthorized payments were made on other accounts, contact your bank right away. If you believe a crime happened, report it to local police.”source

Then: how long it takes

03How long it takes

Published by the platform

Facebook does not publish a timeline for a hacked personal account. For a hacked Page, Facebook says it aims to reply within a day, but some reviews take longer.

While you wait

Post or message friends from another account to say the scam posts are not from you.
Call your card issuer about any ad charges you did not make.
Check recent emails from Facebook in your settings for notices about your account.

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 and has been posting scams. Any crypto, investment, giveaway or "easy money" post or message from me is fake. Please do not click, pay or reply, and report the post. I am working with Facebook to fix it.

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.

Crypto and investment ads that use a famous face, often run from hacked accounts. How it works
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
Business Manager partner requests that contain phishing links. Facebook warns these arrive from a real Meta domain (facebookmail.com), so do not click if you do not know the person or business. 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.ReadMinimizing credential theft with MFA ReadLogin security: 7 best practices

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
A Business Manager partner request or ad-related email with a phishing link.
How this scam works
Less common
Malicious software or a browser add-on stole your login.
How this scam works

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

Why is my Facebook posting things I did not write?

Facebook says scammers sometimes get into accounts and use them to send spam. It can follow clicking a bad link, downloading a bad file, or logging in to a fake Facebook page.

Will I be charged for ads a hacker ran?

Check Payment activity in Billing & payments. Meta says ad charges can arrive after ads stop running, and that it may pause ads or change payment methods if it sees suspicious activity.

How do I report the scam posts?

Delete posts you did not make from your account. If you see spam from others on Facebook, Facebook asks you to report it.

Should I still use facebook.com/hacked if I can log in?

Yes. Facebook says you can report your account as compromised even if you can still log in but worry others can too.

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: What to do if you've been phished on Facebook (read 2026-10-16)
Facebook Help: Spam, scams and phishing (read 2026-10-16)
Facebook Help: Log out of Facebook on another device (read 2026-10-16)
Facebook Help: Manage your apps (read 2026-10-16)
Meta Business Help Center: Troubleshoot unrecognized activity on your ad account (read 2026-10-16)
Facebook Help: Recover a hacked account (read 2026-10-16)
Facebook Help: Protect yourself from phishing on Facebook (read 2026-10-16)
Facebook Help: Keep your Facebook profile secure (read 2026-10-16)
Facebook: Secure your account (facebook.com/hacked) (read 2026-10-16)

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