Possible remedies: You have three fundamental options if you find yourself in this last circumstance:
1. Now would be a good time to leave Facebook. The problem is that someone is using your identity to commit crimes and put themselves in difficult circumstances. Not to mention that they could attempt to use your connected bank accounts or establish credit cards in your name. (More to follow on that.)
2. Use the cryptic and sometimes conflicting methods provided by Facebook to attempt to restore your account on your own. Most individuals I know have tried it that way. You’ll shortly see there isn’t a simple method to accomplish this, though. It seems a little counterintuitive that you have to contact Facebook support through someone else’s account, so perhaps your spouse or friend is ready to help. (Avoid the temptation to create a second account; doing so can lead to the cancellation of both of your accounts.) Then, in order to reclaim your account, you must select one of three choices (finding an unlawful post, locating an account that uses your own name and/or images, or going down the rabbit hole).
Disconnecting these links will prevent a hacker from accessing your other accounts if you use Facebook to log into other online services. You will need to get in touch with these organizations to get these charges reversed if, like Elizabeth, you have connected your credit card or other bank accounts. First, see whether you can access Facebook on any other devices you’ve previously used; possibly the hacker didn’t log you out immediately.
3. Use a recovery service provided by a third party, like Hacked.com. This will cost you $249, but the business will be persistent and will return your money if they are unable to assist you. A year’s worth of digital protection is also included, generally priced at $99 on its own. I advise using this route if your circumstances are complicated like Elizabeth’s (related money, mismatched birthdays).
However, be cautious to avoid hiring an arbitrary hacker who could be collecting your money and doing nothing else. I met with Jonas Borchgrevink, the creator of Hacked.com, who described the different iterations of procedures his employees take in a recent Washington Post piece. And he reaffirmed that it is very hard to get your account back if you are using a name other than the one that is shown on your ID.
