Can Someone Hack You Through Facebook Messenger?

Well, nowadays we have loads of messaging apps, from WhatsApp to Facebook Messenger, that we all use to stay in touch with our friends and family. Many people often ask, “Can someone hack you through Facebook Messenger?

Here is the perfect guide for you on how to protect your Facebook Messenger from such things to protect it in the long term.

Part 1. Can Someone Hack You Through Facebook Messenger?

The simplest answer for that is yes, but not in the way of what we see in movies. Hackers just can't break through Facebook Messenger directly; instead, they do it through human behavior or weak security habits or knowing certain things about your Facebook account.

Facebook Messenger, owned by Meta, spends millions of dollars on security, ideally on end-to-end encryption. The app is entirely safe to engage in any type of way. Although the safety of your messenger depends on how you protect your Facebook account, since your messenger works with a Facebook account.

It was 2021 when security researcher Alon Gal uncovered a huge data leak that included 533 million Facebook users from 106 countries. This data includes names, phone numbers, email addresses, and more, just to show how Facebook failed to patch in 2019. It showed people how Facebook exposed users if their Facebook credentials were compromised. (Source: 2021 Facebook Leak).

So, while Facebook Messenger can't be hacked, your Facebook account can if and only if your Facebook login and credentials are weak and can easily be guessed by people who know you.

Part 2. Common Threats to Your Facebook Messenger

Hackers are not geniuses or some magician who will directly, with magic words, hack your Facebook Messenger. But there are some ways that you must know and take care and never do.

• There are some links called phishing links or malicious attachments. These links are often sent in a way that makes you intend to open them, which leads to a fake login page that does nothing but let the host of that link, a hacker, steal your credentials.
• There are some social liars like scammers who impersonate your friends and family. They will act as if they are in some emergency to trick you into sharing your personal info or force you to click a link.
• Sometimes hackers convince your mobile carrier to transfer your number to their SIM, and this way they can bypass SMS-based 2FA to reset your password.
• If you use weak passwords like password123. It can be easily breached.
• There are malware and spyware that come through 3rd party apps on your phone that can log keystrokes, which can include your messenger chats as well.
• Using unsecured networks like public wifi can make it easy for attackers to capture your phone data. So never log into Messenger while on a public Wi-Fi without using a VPN.

Part 3: How to Know If Your Facebook Messenger Has Been Hacked

Someone who will hack your account for a purpose—if you notice a change to some situation that only you knew about, and now everyone knows, then it means your account is hacked. There are some red flags to know if your Facebook Messenger is hacked or not.

• Some messages that you didn't send, especially odd links, money requests, or something fishy.
• If Facebook emails you about logins from unknown locations and devices, it means someone is trying to open your account.
• If there is a change to your personal info in your account, like your phone number or your name, then it means someone has already breached your account.
• Somehow, the two-factor authentication, the 2FA, was suddenly disabled. Hackers often turn this off to lock you out.
• If your friends have weird behavior from your account, especially through messaging for gift cards or urgent help.

Part 4: What to Do If Your Facebook Messenger Is Hacked

First, you don't need to panic; you can do some damage control. Here are some ways you can save your account and your data.

1. Change your Facebook password.

If you see something weird going on with your Facebook Messenger, immediately change your password. For that, simply go to Facebook > Settings > Accounts Center > Password and security. Use a strong, unique password.

2. Log out of all devices.

Afterward, make sure to log out of all the devices. For that, go to Facebook settings > Security and Login, and scroll to “Where You’re Logged In.” Click “Log Out of All Sessions.” This kicks the hacker out instantly.

Moreover, if you see suspicious logins, you can save their screenshots for later reporting to Meta.

3. Turn on Two-Factor Authentication (2FA)

If you haven't turned on two-factor authentication (2FA), then do it right now.

Go to Settings > Security and Login > Two-Factor Authentication.

Choose an authentication app; you can go with Google Authenticator or use a security key. I’d recommend not using SMS because it can easily be breached.

Follow the further instructions to set it up.

Also, save the screenshots of the settings of 2FA for future usage.

4. Check authorized apps

Under Settings > Apps, remove any apps you don’t recognize.

5. Report to Facebook

Use Facebook’s Hacked Account form to alert them.

6. Warn your contacts

If you see some unusual activities or someone trying to log in to your account, send a message to your contacts about this behavior. Tell them: If you receive a message from me asking to click a link or asking for login info, then it will be a scam.

Part 5: How to Protect Your Facebook Messenger Account

It is better to protect your Facebook Messenger account than to recover it later on. So these are some best practices that you can do to protect your Facebook Messenger account.

• Strengthen your Facebook password. It must be more than 12 characters that include letters, numbers, and symbols. And make sure not to use it anywhere else.
• If you receive suspicious links, never click on them. You can hover over the links using the desktop to preview URLs.
• Know your app permissions. If there are some third-party apps running and have access to your Facebook data, remove them.
• Make sure to limit your settings. Consider disabling message requests from strangers.
• Turn on the notification of Facebook login alerts. Check your activity log monthly and see if there is something in it that you didn’t do.
• If you are using public wifi, make sure to use Facebook via VPN. It protects your connection, and hackers can't snoop.

Bonus: Protect You and Your Family’s Facebook Messenger Account

AirDroid Parental Control helps parents monitor their children’s messenger; they can use it and track messages, including screen time and app usage. Moreover, it can also give you an alert if there are some potential scams or inappropriate contact, which adds another layer for your kid’s safety.

Conclusion

So, can Facebook Messenger be hacked? Technically, yes, but it is almost impossible if you take care of your credentials and have these precautions we mentioned above. It is all about the human behavior that hackers violate, which leads to hacking your social media accounts, like Facebook Messenger. The best thing you can do is to set a strong password to enable 2FA and never open a link that seems suspicious.

Always remember there is no legitimate person who will ever ask you for money via Messenger, even if it is through your friend’s account; that’s where you will know that the account is hacked. You can contact that person in other ways to know if that is him or someone else.

FAQs

1. How can I hack someone’s Messenger?

Elsa

You cannot hack anyone’s Messenger. Attempting it is illegal, and you can face serious problems.

2. Can you tell if someone is checking your Messenger?

Elsa

Not exactly. Messenger shows a blue check when your message is read and “Active Now,” which means they are online. Although you can view your profile and how often someone checks your messages. Third-party apps claiming to do this are scams.

3. Is Facebook Messenger safe?

Elsa

Absolutely, Facebook Messenger is entirely safe to use because of its strong security features. But it is your habits that will decide how safe it is. Enable encryption, and say never to use public wifi logins or share any type of verification codes with anyone.

Share: