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What To Do If Your Twitter Account Has Been Hacked

October 31, 2012
When using social media networks like Twitter, it could be inevitable that you come across hackers that prey on your personal account. You have to be familiar with the initial signs of a hacker attack and find the best solution right away to stay safe online. Hackers, malware, viruses and other damaging components are bound to roam the internet. Many online users, particularly social media enthusiasts, will sometimes encounter problems with their accounts or computers. That said, it?s always helpful to know the right preventive measures and understand the techniques that will alleviate the situation. If you believe that your Twitter account has been compromised, there are a number of things that can fix the problem quickly.

Initial Log In Guide

One of the most noticeable signs that your account has been hacked is when you're unsuccessful logging in. If you can?t access your Twitter account, ask for the site to reset your password. The ?password reset form? will send you an email upon your request where in you can fill in the username and email address.

The password reset will be done using the email address you indicated upon creating your Twitter account. You can log in after the successful reset. Be sure to use very strong passwords composed of unintelligible words and numbers. Some individuals might not be able to log in even after the password reset request. Forward a support request instead.

A number of options will be provided. Select ?hacked account? so that Twitter can provide more details and guidelines. Check the email you started Twitter with for these. You will need to provide your username and the last date you logged on to the site. There will be more help provided if you still cannot access the email or account.

Identifying the Problem

It?s important to fully determine whether or not your Twitter account has been compromised or hacked. Some of the noticeable changes aside from failure to log in include having unexpected Tweets coming from your account. There might be new people you?re currently following which you do not remember following before. You might also have approved a number of followers which you knowingly delayed to confirm or ignored before. You might also receive a notice from Twitter informing you that the email address linked to your account has been changed recently. You might also get posts and direct messages from other people you don?t know or unknowingly have sent these to others.

Protect the Account

Once you confirm that the problem truly stems from hacking, remove messages and posts that you might have posted unknowingly. Also, inform your contacts that your account has been hacked so that they can understand if there might have been some offensive posts made by the hacker recently. Invest in a reliable antivirus and anti-malware program then scan your system thoroughly. Change your password as well. Make sure it?s hard to guess by using terms that cannot be comprehended and a mix of letters and numbers. Remove access to any third-party application that you did not know having or installing. Also, use patches that will constantly protect your account. Update your antivirus software regularly. Finally, read Twitter policies and guidelines on how to report possible abuse by users on your account. Read More on Reporting Violations and Abuse on Twitter.

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