Snapchat account getting hacked isn’t uncommon. Various websites claim to offer
services to hack Snapchat accounts. Additionally, many phishing websites claim to
offer awesome features if you log in with your Snapchat account details, and then they hack your
account. Plus, Snapchat now lets you send payments to other people by attaching your card with
it, so it’s no surprise that hackers are looking to hack Snapchat accounts.
If you think your Snapchat account is hacked or there is some unusual activity, we are here to help
you identify and recover your hacked Snapchat account. Without further ado, let’s get your account
back!
Is Your Snapchat Account Hacked?
Before you try to recover your account, it’s best to identify if your Snapchat account is
hacked and if there is no misunderstanding. Below are some factors that should indicate if your
account is hacked or not:
Any suspicious activity on your Snapchat account that wasn’t performed by you. Like
changes in account settings, your display name, the addition of new friends, messages that
you don’t remember sending, or any other particular activity you don’t recognize.
You are frequently logged out of your account and need to log in.
You received an email that your Snapchat password was changed or Snapchat alerted
you that your account was accessed from a different location or device. If you don’t
recognize these changes, your account might be hacked.
You can’t log in at all. Snapchat keeps saying that the password is wrong even when
you are sure about entering the right password.
Read Also: What Data Does Snapchat Collect and How Is It Utilized for Personalization
What to Do if Your Email Address and Cell Number Are Still Secure
Address suspicious login prompts from Snapchat right away. If you act fast and stop hackers from changing your contact details, you’ll recover your account within minutes. You can easily get out of this situation.
Step 1: Click the “Forgot Password” Button
If your profile’s contact details haven’t changed, use Snapchat’s Forgot Password feature. It resets your login credentials.
Launch Snapchat, open the login page and hit Forgot Your Password. The feature works via the mobile app and on a web browser.
Afterward, Snapchat will ask whether you want to confirm your identity via phone or email. We suggest trying both in case the other has been compromised.
Step 2: Confirm Your Identity via Email or Phone
For phone verifications, Snapchat will text you a One-Time Password (OTP). You can request a new code via SMS or call if it doesn’t arrive in 60 seconds.
Meanwhile, email confirmations use verification links. They don’t reach you as quickly as OTPs do, although they’ll stay live for 24 hours.
Neither option will work should your contact details change. Just skip the Forgot Password feature altogether and contact Snapchat directly.
Read Also: Unraveling Snapchat Scams: Understanding Their Tactics and Mechanisms
Step 3: Enter the Recovery Code
After Snapchat automatically loads the account recovery page, input your confirmation code. Report anyone who requests your OTP. Snapchat will never ask you to input confirmation codes outside of its app.
For email confirmations, click the verification link. Make sure you verify the message isn’t a phishing scam; otherwise, you’ll further compromise your privacy.
Step 4: Update Your Login Credentials
Once you regain access to your account, update your login credentials. Hackers already know your password, so ensure you use a new, unique combination. Avoid using predictable variations.
Instruct Snapchat to log out of all devices too. You can also double-check the instances wherein unauthorized users accessed your profile.
Prevent similar hacking incidents by updating your Snapchat privacy settings. There are several steps you can take to make your account less vulnerable to hackers and identity thieves.
Step 5: File a Report to Snapchat
Visit Snapchat’s Privacy page and report that your account was compromised. The site should still know about the hacking incident even if you’ve regained access. There’s no saying when hackers will strike again.
Read Also: DTB mean and How do you use it?
What to Do if Hackers Have Changed Your Email Address and Phone Number
Once hackers change your contact details, they’ll have total control over your profile verification links. The Forgot Password feature won’t work anymore in these cases. Instead, you’ll have to contact Snapchat directly.
Step 1: Visit the Snapchat Support Page
Normally, you can file Snapchat reports access via the app. But since you lost access to your profile, launch the Snapchat Support Page on your web browser.
We suggest reviewing the site’s policies before filing reports. The Privacy Settings and Report a Safety Concern pages to explain what information might speed up the investigation process.
Step 2: Go to My Account Is Compromised
Once you’re ready to file your report, go to My Account is Compromised. You’ll find several categories under Submit a Request. Feel free to explore which one describes your situation, although you’ll likely fall under I can’t access my account > I think my account was compromised.
Step 3: Fill Out the Form Completely
The contact form will load after you choose your report categories. Enter your username, smartphone number, email address, and complaint.
Describe the hacking incident explicitly so that Snapchat’s security team will know how to help you. Share everything you know about the attack.
Use the contact details initially attached to your profile. Otherwise, Snapchat will ask you to resubmit everything with the correct information, giving hackers more time to steal data.
Step 4: Update Your Previous Email’s Login Credentials
Snapchat should respond within five to 10 business days. Use that period to bolster your cybersecurity systems, or else hackers might take over your other accounts.
We suggest updating all your login credentials. Although time-consuming, setting new passwords minimizes the risk of hackers pulling information across different platforms.
Read Also: How to Unblock Someone on Snapchat: Ultimate Guide
What to Do if Hackers Have Compromised Multiple Accounts
Snapchat profiles can serve as gateways to other social media sites. Once hackers change your account recovery details, they’ll control all verification links.
Consider seeking help from legal and cybersecurity professionals if you end up in a similar situation. Otherwise, crooks will continue exploiting your Personally Identifiable Information (PII).
Step 1: Assess the Damage
Objectively assess the damage. Watch out for suspicious activities in your social media profiles, banking apps, and email accounts. But scan your devices with reliable malware removal tools first.
Also, see if your friends received any weird messages. Hackers might impersonate you and trick your online connections into sharing personal information. You need to spread the word: by telling your family, friends, and other contacts that you’ve been hacked, you might stop them from falling for similar scams.
Step 2: File a Report on the Snapchat Support Page
Visit the Snapchat Support Page on your web browser and file a report. You can still select I can’t access my account > I think my account was compromised—just mention that your other accounts also got hacked.
Step 3: Contact the FTC
Considering the data on your digital profiles, losing them leaves you vulnerable to identity theft. Crooks won’t hesitate to abuse your personal information.
So if multiple social media accounts get hacked, contact the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). It helps victims track down hackers, recover stolen identities, clear fraudulent debt, and file lawsuits. Submit a report on the FTC identity theft prevention site.
Step 4: Consult a Legal Professional
Never engage with blackmailers. Instead, seek legal help immediately if hackers threaten to leak your private photos or personal information. Many Snapchat hacking attacks focus on leaking your personal information.
Remember: the law is on your side. Snapchat says it will also cooperate with law enforcement agencies and legal professionals should you end up in this situation.
Secure Your Snapchat Account
After going through the above steps, you should be able to gain access to your Snapchat account.
Once you’re inside your account, you can follow the below-mentioned Snapchat security tips to
secure your account against any future mishaps:
Use a Strong Password: Like any other online account, a strong password is the first
defense against hackers. Make sure your Snapchat account password contains random
words, numerals, characters, and upper & lower case alphabets. You can use a password
manager to save the complicated password.
Never Share your Account Information: Whether it is your friend or someone
claiming to offer you incentives, you should never give up your account information.
No one will ever need your account login credentials to offer services or solve a
problem, including the Snapchat support team.
Refrain From Using Third-party Apps and Services: There are dozens of third-party
apps and services that will let you connect your Snapchat account to access more
features. However, these services could be less secure and some could even be outright
scams. The more you stay away from such services, the better.
Use Snapchat Login Verification: Snapchat offers 2-factor Authentication in the form
of Login Verification to protect your account. Once Login Verification is enabled, you
will have to provide your Snapchat account password and a random code sent to your
phone to log in. This will make it almost impossible for a hacker to hack your account,
as they will need physical access to your phone. Here is the Snapchat support page that
offers all the details regarding the Login Verification process.
Read Also: Snapchat Account Temporarily Disabled Due to Repeated Failed Login Issue
Did you recover your hacked Snapchat account?
In most cases, the “Forgot your password” option should be enough to recover your account.
Even if you are locked out, the Snapchat team will be able to help if you provide the right
details. If the account is truly yours, there should be no problem in providing details such as the last
snap sent, last successful login time, old password, and other similar details. Having said that,
a hacked personal account can be pretty exhausting, mentally, so we hope you have recovered your
Snapchat account using the aforementioned ways.
Recover Your Snapchat Account Quickly
There’s no one-size-fits-all recovery plan—determine the best course of action based on your situation. Of course, you don’t have to sort everything at once. Just work with what you know. What’s important is to act quickly and mitigate damage.
Learning to recover Snapchat accounts is crucial, but you should also focus on stopping hacking attacks. Learn how they bypass login credentials. You can deter prevalent methods like brute-force attacks, phishing links, and malware infections if you anticipate them.
