My Facebook Account Was Hacked and Deleted – What Should I Do?

Having a hacked Facebook account is highly frustrating, and it can lead to misunderstandings. However, some hackers go further and delete the account altogether. If this happened more than 30 days ago, your only option is to create a new account.

However, if the deletion happened less than a month ago, you might still have a chance to save your account. Let’s see what you need to do.

Protect Your Facebook Account from Deletion by a Hacker

Before we dive into fixing the problem, let’s first explore actions you can take before the hacker ever gets the chance to delete your account.

If you aren’t sure whether your Facebook account is compromised, you should verify whether or not someone is using your Facebook account. Catching the problem at the onset is the best-case scenario for recovering your account.

As a Facebook user, you should keep your contact information up-to-date, including your email and phone number. Facebook will send you alerts for new logins and changes to your login information. If someone has taken over your account, the first place you’ll want to go is to your email account. Search for communications from Facebook.

If you’ve received an email from Facebook alerting you of changes, open the email and click on the Secure your account link. This process sends you to a help page that assists you in recovering your account.

Assuming you didn’t catch this email in time, that’s ok. There are still other options to help you recover your Facebook account after deletion, even if the hacker changed your login credentials.

How to Recover a Hacked and Deleted Account

The good thing about account deletion is that Facebook doesn’t delete it right away. Instead, it keeps the account “alive” but makes it invisible to your friends for 30 days. Here’s how to go about recovering a hacked and deleted account.

Recover Facebook if Password and Email Were Not Changed

There is a slight chance the hacker forgot to change your login data before they deleted the account. If that’s the case, here’s what to do to reactivate and regain access to your account.

1. Open the browser on your computer and go to https://facebook.com. If you’re on a smartphone or tablet, launch the Facebook app.
   
2. Next, enter your email and password. If you used to log in with your phone number, type in your phone number instead.
   
3. Click or tap the Log In button.
   

If you’ve succeeded, you should see all your contacts, photos, posts, and so on, assuming the hacker didn’t delete them.

Recover Facebook if Password was Changed

The most common scenario, especially with inexperienced hackers, is that they’ll only change the password. While you can’t reactivate your account with the old password, you can still get your account back. Here’s how to do it.

1. Open a browser on your computer and navigate to facebook.com. If you’re on a smartphone or tablet, launch the Facebook app.
   
2. Enter your old login credentials and click/tap Log In.
   
3. Facebook will then show you a screen saying you have entered an incorrect Password.
   
4. Click or tap the Forgot Password option.
   
5. Check the email account you have associated with Facebook. Choose Send code via email, then hit Continue.
   
6. You will receive an email with a six-digit code. Type the provided Security Code into the field provided, then click or tap on Continue.
   
7. You will then be prompted to provide a new password for your account. Type in the new password. Make sure it is a strong one. Use special characters, mix uppercase and lowercase letters, and throw in some numbers too.
   
8. Tap or click the Continue button.
   
9. Next, you will see a message telling you when your account will be deleted if you don’t cancel the deletion. Keep in mind that after that date, recovery will be impossible.
   

Recover Facebook if You Can’t Access Your Email

Let’s say that the hacker was a bit more thorough than in the previous case and that they’ve disabled your access to the email account you use to log in to Facebook. You still have a way to get your account back. First, you should check whether the password is still valid.

1. Open a browser on your computer or launch the Facebook app on your mobile device.
   
2. For the mobile app, click on your profile photo and skip to Step 4. If on a PC, continue to Step 3.
   
3. Enter the last password you used. If the hacker hasn’t changed it, Facebook will allow you to cancel the deletion of your account. Skip to Step 5.
   
4. For mobile, type in the last password you’ve used. If it checks out, Facebook will show you the Confirm Your Identity message. Tap Get Started. You will then see the message about when your account was slated for deletion.
   
5. Tap the Cancel Deletion option on the browser or the Yes, Continue to Facebook button on the mobile app.
   

Recover Facebook using PC if Both Email and Password Were Changed

If the hacker was thorough and changed both the email and password, you can possibly recover your account using your phone number.

1. Launch a web browser and go to facebook.com.
   
2. Enter the last credentials that worked, then click on Log In.
   
3. On the next screen, click Find your account and log in.
   
4. Enter your email address in the search box. If the email search fails, enter the mobile number linked to your account instead.
   
5. Check the Send code via SMS option.
   
6. When you get the text, copy the code and paste it into the correct box, then click Continue.
   
7. Enter a new password, then click Continue.
   
8. Select Cancel Deletion.
   

Recover Facebook using Android/iPhone if Both Email and Password Were Changed

1. Launch the Facebook app.
   
2. Choose the Find Your Account option.
   
3. Check the Confirm via SMS option, then tap on Continue.
   
4. Copy the SMS code, then paste it into the provided field and tap
   Continue.
   
5. Create a new password and tap Continue once more.
   
6. On the Confirm Your Identity screen, tap Get Started.
   
7. Choose Yes, Continue to Facebook to cancel the account deletion.
   

If none of the methods helped, you should report it to Facebook.

No matter what process you used to resolve your hacked Facebook/Meta account issue, ensure you create a super-strong password now and in the future. Also, consider changing the associated email and adding 2-factor authentication to make future hacks even less likely to happen.

Hacked Facebook FAQs

Can I recover my Facebook data after 30 days?

Facebook gives users the option to download and save all of their Facebook data on the website. But, if your account got deleted after the 30-day holding period, there is no way to retrieve it. While Facebook states that they can store some information, this has no personal posts, pictures, or anything related to the individual.

Essentially, if someone has hacked your account and deleted it, there is no way to recover anything after the first 30 days.

Does Facebook have a customer support team?

Unfortunately, Facebook doesn’t have a phone number or chat service that puts you in touch with a customer service representative for more help. The only option you have is to reach out to the Facebook Support Team. You won’t receive immediate feedback, but the team will do their best to help you.

Remember, you must be as detailed as possible when filling out the forms to reduce the number of interactions you have and how long it will take to resolve your issue.