The idea of your account being hacked is quite stressful and scary. Most of you will know what to do in such cases, but for those of you who are not so sure, we are here to give you some advice.
Of course, the first and most important thing you need to know is how to protect your account, from the start, so that it is not compromised... but this is a topic that we will analyze another time, today we are focusing on the steps we follow when we click on it!
Recovering your account
- Off-site Downloads/Browser Extensions. If you accidentally downloaded something from a malicious website, it is likely responsible for your account being compromised. You will need to get rid of it before any password reset can be done. Run a full virus scan on your computer to remove harmful files and programs. Restart your computer and run the scan again to be safe.
- Any installed extensions should be removed. Only use extensions from safe and verified websites.
- Reset your password. Change your account password to something that is secure and difficult for someone to guess.
- Enable Two-Factor Verification (2FV). Make sure you have enabled Two-Factor Verification as an additional security measure for your account. You can find the feature in the corresponding Settings.
Password reset not working?
If the reset doesn't work and you need help getting back into your account, contact the platform/service's Customer Service.
We need to make sure we are talking about the original account holder. The best way is for users to contact the service whose account was compromised.
Even if you have changed your email, they can still track down the original owner and/or the email that was first charged to the account.
