Hopefully, the day will never come when you find your Facebook account has been hacked or taken over. It is an awful feeling, and I feel for you, for the world of hurt that you will experience in time and perhaps money to return your account to your rightful control.
To make sure you can recover your account anytime, you have to be sure that you have control over the ff:
1. Email
-On your FB App, tap the ≡ option and go to Settings & Privacy > Settings > Personal and Account Information > Contact Info. If you don’t have access to the default email listed there, you can create a new email on gmail.com, add it on Facebook and choose it as your default email.
2. Phone Number
-Check the numbers and update them with your current mobile number.
For extra security measures, you can also set up Two-Factor Authentication or you can choose 3 to 5 friends to contact if you get locked out.
To setup 2FA, go to Settings & Privacy > Settings > Password and Security > Two-Factor Authentication
When you set up two-factor authentication on Facebook, you’ll be asked to choose one of three security methods:
- Tapping your security key on a compatible device.
- Login codes from a third party authentication app.
- Text message (SMS) codes from your mobile phone.
From the Facebook help page:
- If you haven’t saved the browser or mobile device you’re using, you’ll be asked to do so when you turn on two-factor authentication. This way you won’t have to enter a security code when you log in again. Don’t click Save this browser if you’re using a public computer that other people can access (example: a library computer).
- We need to be able to remember your computer and browser information so we can recognize it the next time you log in. Some browser features block this. If you’ve turned on private browsing or set up your browser to clear your history every time it closes, you might have to enter a code every time you log in. Learn more.
- To set up text message (SMS) two-factor authentication, you can either use a mobile number that’s already been added to your account or add a new number. Learn more about how Facebook uses a mobile number added for two-factor authentication.
If you choose to set up SMS 2FA, you will have the option to use recovery codes. Tap Show Codes and make sure to save them on other storage like on a flash drive, google drive, etc.
If you don’t want to use 2FA, you can use Code Generator instead. Tap Code Generator under the 2FA option and follow the on-screen instructions after clicking Activate.
Under Setting Up Extra Security, you can also choose 3 to 5 friends to send a code or URL from Facebook to help you log back in.
“PARTING WORDS OF WISDOM
Think before you click. If you get a message from what looks like a social media company saying that your account has been compromised, don’t follow any links or call any phone numbers in the message. This could be a lure from a hacker. Instead, navigate to the site or use its app directly.
Be aware of things that seem unusual. Keep an eye out for messages you didn’t send, posts you didn’t create, or purchases you didn’t make. These could tell that someone has guessed your password or compromised your account. If you are lucky, it might be an errant teen using one of your computers.”
:The Verge