Account Hacked? Recovery Steps and How to Secure It Again
Calm, step-by-step actions to take if your email or social account is hacked.
Signs your account is hacked
- You cannot log in; password or recovery phone/email changed.
- “New sign-in” or “password changed” alerts you did not make.
- Friends receive messages asking for money or links from you.
- Posts, stories or emails in your “Sent” folder you did not create.
- Unknown devices in the account’s device list; WhatsApp logged out with a “registered on another phone” message.
First 15 minutes
- Use a different, clean device if you suspect malware on yours.
- If you can still log in: change the password, then Sign out of all other sessions.
- Check and fix recovery email, recovery phone and 2-step settings – hackers change these.
- Turn on 2-step verification with an authenticator app or passkey.
- Warn friends and family on another channel: “Ignore messages from my account asking for money.”
- If money or bank details are involved, call 1930 and your bank.
Official recovery pages
| Account | Where to recover |
|---|---|
| Google / Gmail | g.co/recover; then myaccount.google.com → Security → Your devices |
| Re-register your number with the SMS code; the other device is logged out. Email support@whatsapp.com with “Lost/Stolen: deactivate my account” if needed | |
| Login screen → Get help logging in / instagram.com/hacked | |
| facebook.com/hacked | |
| Microsoft / Outlook | account.live.com/acsr |
| X (Twitter) | help.x.com → Hacked account form |
Use recovery only on these official pages. People on Instagram or Telegram who offer to “recover your account for a fee” are scammers.
After you are back in
- Remove unknown devices, connected apps and email forwarding rules (Gmail → Settings → Forwarding and Filters).
- Change the password of any other account that used the same password.
- Run a security scan; update your phone and browser; remove unknown apps – see malware protection.
- Save backup codes; add a second recovery option.
- Read: strong password safety.
Report misuse
If the hacker is threatening, blackmailing, posting your photos or cheating others, file a complaint on cybercrime.gov.in with screenshots and profile links, and report the content on the platform. Keep evidence before deleting anything.
Account hack होने के संकेत
- Login नहीं हो रहा; password या recovery phone/email बदल गया।
- ऐसे “New sign-in” या “password changed” alerts जो आपने नहीं किए।
- दोस्तों को आपकी तरफ़ से पैसे या links माँगने वाले messages।
- ऐसे posts, stories या “Sent” folder में emails जो आपने नहीं बनाए।
- Account की device list में अनजान devices; WhatsApp “दूसरे phone पर registered” message के साथ log out।
पहले 15 मिनट
- अपने device पर malware का शक हो तो दूसरा, साफ़ device इस्तेमाल करें।
- अगर अभी login हो रहा है: password बदलें, फिर Sign out of all other sessions।
- Recovery email, recovery phone और 2-step settings जाँचकर ठीक करें – hackers इन्हें बदलते हैं।
- Authenticator app या passkey से 2-step verification चालू करें।
- दूसरे माध्यम से दोस्तों और परिवार को बताएँ: “मेरे account से पैसे माँगने वाले messages को अनदेखा करें।”
- पैसा या bank details जुड़े हों तो 1930 और अपने bank को call करें।
Official recovery pages
| Account | कहाँ recover करें |
|---|---|
| Google / Gmail | g.co/recover; फिर myaccount.google.com → Security → Your devices |
| SMS code से अपना number फिर register करें; दूसरा device log out हो जाता है। ज़रूरत हो तो support@whatsapp.com पर “Lost/Stolen: deactivate my account” लिखकर email करें | |
| Login screen → Get help logging in / instagram.com/hacked | |
| facebook.com/hacked | |
| Microsoft / Outlook | account.live.com/acsr |
| X (Twitter) | help.x.com → Hacked account form |
Recovery सिर्फ़ इन official pages पर करें। Instagram या Telegram पर “fee लेकर account recover” करने वाले लोग scammers हैं।
वापस मिलने के बाद
- अनजान devices, जुड़े apps और email forwarding rules हटाएँ (Gmail → Settings → Forwarding and Filters)।
- जिन दूसरे accounts में वही password था, उनके password बदलें।
- Security scan चलाएँ; phone और browser update करें; अनजान apps हटाएँ – malware protection देखें।
- Backup codes save करें; दूसरा recovery option जोड़ें।
- पढ़ें: मज़बूत password safety।
दुरुपयोग की report करें
अगर hacker धमका रहा है, blackmail कर रहा है, आपकी photos post कर रहा है या दूसरों को ठग रहा है, तो screenshots और profile links के साथ cybercrime.gov.in पर शिकायत करें, और platform पर content report करें। कुछ भी delete करने से पहले सबूत रखें।
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the first thing to do when my account is hacked?
Change the password from a safe device, sign out of all sessions, fix recovery details and turn on 2-step verification.
How do I recover a hacked WhatsApp?
Reinstall or open WhatsApp and verify your number with the SMS code. This logs the hacker out. Then set a two-step verification PIN.
Should I pay someone who offers to recover my Instagram?
No. Use only instagram.com/hacked or the in-app help. Paid “recovery experts” are scammers.
