The thought of getting hacked on Facebook Messenger can be disturbing. And if your app has been acting up or you’ve been noticing messages you don’t recall sending, you may be wondering if you’ve had your Messenger hacked.
So, what signs should you look out for? Detailed below are some of those signs and what to do to recover your account. Below, we’ll cover some of the most common warning signs of a hacked Facebook Messenger and what to do if you notice them.
Can Facebook Messenger be hacked?
Yes, your Facebook Messenger can get hacked. Sometimes, such attacks can also compromise your Facebook account.
Nearly 30% of people who reported losing money to a scam in 2025 said it started on social media, according to the FTC. Facebook accounted for more reported scam losses than any other social media platform that year. In 2022, a threat actor managed to steal 1 million credentials in four months by sharing infected links through Facebook Messenger and DMs on social media platforms.
Here are 5 of the most common ways attackers can access your account:
- Phishing: An attacker may send you a link to a fake Facebook login page, often from a friend’s already-compromised account. Even HTTPS or the padlock symbol can’t protect you, as those only indicate the connection is encrypted, not that the page isn’t fake.
- Credential stuffing: Attackers regularly use usernames and passwords from non-Facebook leaks and breaches, allowing them to target users who reuse passwords.
- Malware: Keyloggers can quietly record your keystrokes in the background, and remote access trojans can give attackers complete control of your device from afar, including all of your stored data and passwords.
- Social engineering: Scammers might impersonate Meta support to lure you into revealing your login details or sharing verification codes with them. Meta specifically warns against this tactic, emphasizing that legitimate support agents would never ask for this information.
- Session cookie theft: Malicious links or browser attachments can steal active session cookies. That way, they wouldn’t even need to know your password to log in to your account. Worst of all, you won’t even get a notification of a new login to warn you.
Spot keyloggers and RATs before your account is hacked
When it comes to Messenger calls, hacking isn’t all that common because the process uses end-to-end encryption. But there are still some scenarios where your calls can be compromised in a Facebook Messenger hack:
- Remote access trojans (RATs) — if you have a RAT, it will gain control of your laptop audio and webcam. They will also see your video screen.
- Stalkerware — some less-than-ethical companies will sell you stalkerware, which can intercept (or claim to intercept) Messenger messages and calls. Their usual customer demographic includes stalkers and angry ex-spouses.
- Fake versions of Facebook — if you were given an unofficial version of Facebook from outside of the App Store and you sideloaded it, it will likely have malware on it that will intercept everything you do on it. However, this affects Android devices more often than iOS.
If you think a hacker has compromised your Facebook account, you can report it to Facebook to attempt to get it back. Or you can deactivate it or delete it.
How to tell if your Facebook Messenger has been hacked
Depending on what the hackers plan to do with your account, they might try to stay quiet and hidden so you won’t even know that you’ve had your Facebook Messenger hacked. Being hacked always feels like a personal violation. Your information is compromised, and you feel unsettled that someone was watching you.
Worried that you have a Messenger account hacked by someone else? No one sign alone can prove it, but if you start noticing more than one, treat the situation as a potential account compromise and act immediately.
The following warning signs can indicate that someone else accessed your Messenger account:
7 Signs that your Facebook Messenger got hacked
Most people only come to the conclusion that their Facebook Messenger has been hacked after their account is used to send out illicit messages. But by arming yourself with some insider knowledge, you won’t have to wait until a hacker starts sending out phishing messages with your account to realize your Messenger has been hijacked.
Check out the signs below to learn how to tell if a hacker has compromised your Facebook Messenger.
1. An unusual email notification asking you to change your Facebook password
Facebook will send you an email with the option to reset your password if you have been locked out of your account. But if you receive an email asking you to do a password reset that is unsolicited, it could mean that hackers are trying to force a password change on your account.
An email notification like this is one of the first signs that someone is trying to gain access to your Facebook account. So if you get an unusual email from Facebook asking you to change your password, it’s possible someone is trying to hijack your account.
2. Modifications to personal account information
Has any of your personal information on Facebook suddenly changed? If you didn’t make these modifications, you have every reason to believe that you have been hacked. Depending on the hacker’s intention, you might notice that details like your current city, profile picture, name, and birthday have been tampered with.
3. Unusual friend requests
Has there been a sudden influx of unusual friend requests sent from your Facebook account? Your account may be under siege. One of the things a hacker may do after gaining access to your account is to try to collect personal information from other users. And this is easier to do when the hacker makes new friends with other users connected to your account.
4. Login issues
When a hacker takes over your Messenger account (or hacks your Telegram account, for that matter), one of their first moves will be to kick you out of the account. They do this by trying to change your password so as to deny you login access. So if your Facebook Messenger suddenly rejects your password, bear in mind that a hacker might have succeeded in changing the password.
5. Suspicious personal messages
If you suddenly begin to see unusual messages sent from your Messenger, it could be that a hacker already has access. Such access allows the hacker to send malicious messages to other users from your Messenger.
6. 2-factor authentication was turned off
If you originally had 2FA enabled on your Facebook Messenger account, but you suddenly notice that it’s disabled, someone might’ve changed your security settings. To check, tap on your profile picture in the top-left corner in the Facebook Messenger app, then scroll down to Account Settings. Under the Security Section, tap Security and Login.
If it prompts you to enable the option for “Use 2-factor authentication,” that means 2FA has been disabled on your account by someone.
7. An unfamiliar device or location appears
Regularly review active sessions on Facebook Messenger to check for any sessions you didn’t authorize yourself. Go to Settings & Privacy > Settings > Accounts Center > Password and security > Where you’re logged in.
If you see any device, browser, or location that you don’t recognize, immediately log out of your account and reset your password.
How and why Messenger gets hacked
Despite Messenger’s security features, attackers continue looking for new ways to carry out FB Messenger hacks. They don’t even need to physically steal your device or login details. Instead, they can use keyloggers, phishing, session cookies, and spyware like Spyier or PhoneSpector to hack your Messenger.
Many Facebook Messenger hacks rely on tricking the victim rather than directly breaking Messenger’s security. That said, you may be wondering why hackers are targeting Facebook Messenger. Below are a few possible reasons.
Why do hackers target Messenger accounts?
Facebook Messenger stands as one of the world’s top three mobile messaging apps today. As such, it’s not surprising that hackers find its huge user base attractive. Compromised Messenger accounts give hackers access to more than just one account, as they can easily use the trust of your friends and family when targeting them to steal their accounts or trick them into sending money.
As a result of Messenger’s many users, hackers can easily target victims by sending messages from the hacked account to a list of friends, spreading malicious code rapidly. This makes account takeovers particularly useful for phishing, malware distribution, bot farms, and credential theft.
And because Facebook Messenger has a diverse user base from all over the world, it’s a breeding ground for hackers looking to target unsuspecting international profiles from other parts of the world.
Can you get hacked by opening a message on Facebook?
Usually, simply opening a message on Messenger isn’t enough to compromise your own account. The risk starts once you start interacting with the contents of the message, whether it’s a file, image, or link.
Even a link that looks safe on the outside could lead you to a phishing page asking for your Facebook login. Other times, Facebook Messenger malware triggers a drive-by download that installs a stealer or keylogger on your device, allowing hackers to steal your passwords or session cookies.
What happens if you reply to a message from someone who was hacked?
Replying to a message from someone whose Messenger was hacked doesn’t mean you will get hacked. However, you may stand a higher chance of receiving more unsolicited messages in the future. Additionally, your chances of having your account compromised increase the moment you start interacting with questionable messages.
So, could Facebook Messenger be considered safe?
Facebook Messenger is as safe as any other mainstream online tool if you use the proper precautions. It uses end-to-end encryption for personal chats and calls, allows you to enable 2FA, and even sends out “Be aware of scams” pop-ups when attempting to chat with suspicious accounts.
But like any other app, Facebook can still get hacked. You can strengthen your account’s security with the following tips:
- Enable 2FA on Messenger, preferably opting for a third-party authentication app instead of SMS.
- Use a passkey wherever Facebook supports it, as they’re more phishing-resistant than SMS codes.
- Use a strong, unique password and never reuse it elsewhere.
- Don’t click on any unexpected links, even ones sent by friends or family.
- Keep the Facebook and Messenger apps, as well as your iPhone, fully updated.
- Review “Where you’re logged in” regularly.
- Never share login codes or account recovery details with anyone.
What can happen if your Facebook gets hacked?
So much information is put on a Facebook account that, if hacked, it can cause immeasurable damage. But let’s focus on Messenger and what can happen there if a hacker gets into the driver’s seat:
- They can impersonate you. having control of your Messenger means the hacker can talk to your contacts, and it will appear to be you doing the talking. They can then use your contact’s trust in you to persuade them to click links or send private data and/or money. Even worse, by mining your message history for personal details, such as your address and birthday, they can impersonate you outside of Facebook, opening credit cards and social media accounts in your name.
- They can read your past messages. your past messages are a potential treasure trove of personal and business information that should ideally stay private. The hacker will have access to these messages, as well as pictures, account login details, invoice PDFs, and much more.
- They can blackmail you over embarrassing content. have you ever participated in a risque conversation online or had an affair? Have you had an embarrassing medical procedure done? If a hacker can learn about these details from your Messenger, they can use the information to blackmail you.
- They can get into connected accounts.If the hacker has your Facebook login details, they can also access your Facebook Ads account, Instagram, Facebook business pages, and any connected apps that use Facebook for login purposes. The damage will only get worse. You might permanently lose your Facebook and all other connected accounts.
- Facebook cloning. Unlike a complete account takeover, in which someone accesses your real account and then locks you out, cloning creates an entirely separate profile. The scammer creates a fake profile using your name, photos, and details to impersonate you on Facebook and scam others.
What to do if your Facebook Messenger account is hacked
If you find yourself searching “Messenger hacked, what to do,” your first priority should be to stop the attacker’s access and warn all your contacts.
1. Inform your friends as soon as possible
If you notice that your account has been compromised, try contacting your friends immediately. Tell them to help reach out to as many other friends as possible. Above all, alert them that they should ignore any messages sent from your account asking for personal information.
2. Log out of all sessions and change your password
If you still have access to your account, immediately check all active sessions. Log out of all other sessions and change your password to something stronger.
- Open Facebook, then tap Menu.
- From Security & Privacy, go to Settings.
- Under Account Center, tap “Password and security.”
- Tap “Where you’re logged in.”
- Select the Facebook accounts you don’t recognize, then tap “Select devices to log out.”
- Tap “Log out” and confirm.
To change your password:
- Open Facebook, then tap Menu.
- From Security & Privacy, tap Settings.
- Under Account Center, tap “Password and security.”
- Tap “Change password.”
- Enter your current password, then the new one.
- Tap “Change password.”
Make sure you use a strong and unique password that’s not used anywhere else.
3. Report the incident to Facebook
If you’ve been locked out, start the Facebook account recovery process at facebook.com/hacked and follow the prompts to identify and secure your account.
4. Check your device for malware
If this happened after clicking a suspicious link or opening an attachment, scan your device for malware before logging back in, as it could be the cause of the hack. Malware like spyware and keyloggers can capture credentials and compromise your account again.
Start a 7-day free trial of Moonlock to run your first scan and secure your Mac:
- Open Moonlock, then navigate to Malware Scanner from the left-hand sidebar.
- From the drop-down menu, select the Deep scan type.
- Click Scan.
If Moonlock finds anything suspicious or malicious on your Mac, it will immediately isolate and remove it.
5. Remove suspicious applications
If you’ve been hacked, check your devices for suspicious applications. You can do this by going to Settings > Apps and Websites. From there, remove any suspicious applications with access privileges.
6. Turn on 2-factor authentication
Once you regain control of your account, go to Settings > Accounts Center > Password and security > Two-factor authentication, and enable it. Facebook supports authentication apps, security keys, and SMS messages.
What do I do if I no longer have access to the email or phone number on my account?
If reporting your issue to Facebook at facebook.com/hacked didn’t work, try recovering your account from a different device that might still be logged in by going to facebook.com/login/identify.
Focus on recovering your email if it is connected to another one of the emails associated with your family’s account. You may be able to recover it through the email provider when contacting them and answering the security questions you set.
If Facebook’s standard recovery techniques still don’t work and you remain locked out of your account, don’t fall for third-party “account recovery experts.” Never pay anyone who claims they can “hack back” your account in exchange for a small fee.
As you enjoy your time on the Messenger app, don’t forget about the possibility of a break in security. And if you do get hacked on Facebook Messenger, follow the steps highlighted above to get your account back and running again.
