Facebook came and everyone was excited about how it was easy to connect with friends, meet old acquaintances, have some laugh and also read about latest happenings and events.

Facebook has become a pain in the ass to some vulnerable people. Did you ask why?, I will tell you.

Cybercriminals are leveraging on this social network used by millions of people to defraud people. They take over access to your Facebook account and use your account to request for money from friends and loved ones. People loose thousands of Naira every day because of this cyber criminals.

How can your Facebook be Hijacked?

There are various ways Facebook accounts are hijacked.This includes;

1. Clicking on links and inputting your Facebook details: A lot of you are guilty of clicking on links sent via WhatsApp after which you are required to enter your username and password. Most people cannot differentiate between a real Facebook link and a masked one.
2. Using weak passwords: A lot of Facebook users whose passwords are being hijacked is as a result of weak passwords. Using dictionary words (words that can be found in the dictionary), phone numbers, or date of birth is considered a weak password as it gives cybercriminals easy access to your account.
3. Posting/Revealing too much information: You might be wondering “how does this criminal knows my password?” Well! Your password is your phone number and it is seen boldly on your profile.

How can I Ensure My Facebook isn’t Hijacked?

1. Use Strong Passwords: A strong password is a password that isn’t less than 8 characters, contains lower case, upper case, numbers, special characters and not a dictionary word. Strong password limits the chances of your Facebook from being hijacked. To change your password, go to Settings > Security and Login > Change Password.
2. Enable Two factor Authentication: Two factor Authentication gives you an opportunity to log in with to your facebook with your password and another unique code retrieved via either SMS or a code-generating app. To turn on two-factor on your Facebook account, go to Settings, then look for Security and Login on the left-hand side. Toward the bottom, you will see an option to Use two-factor authentication. While it’s easier to set up two-factor using a phone number. It doesn’t guarantee complete security but it is better than using just a password
3. Review your Sessions: It is very important to be at the top of security. Identifying devices that have logged in to your Facebook account or currently logged in is very important. Sometimes, you sign in to your Facebook in a device that isn’t yours and you forget to sign out . There is also a chance that hackers have broken into your account as well. If so, you can log them out of the account remotely using your own device. Session on your Facebook account shows you devices that have logged in and currently logged in. it’s very easy to sign out of any or all active Facebook sessions. Click here to learn how
4. Avoid using the “remember password” feature on computers other than your own: When the “remember password” prompt comes up and you are not at your own computer, click on the “not now” button.