Social media account hacking happens every single day. Although some people think that account hacking only occurs to celebrities, the truth is that it happens to people just like you and me on a daily basis. Even when you think that you’re boring and lame, hackers have a different impression and want to gain access to your account. There are many reasons why hackers do what they do and several ways to protect yourself when using social media.
First, let’s take a look at some of the most common reasons for an account to be hacked:
- Some people think that it is funny to hack other people’s accounts and so, that is just what they do. They gain a thrill by simply knowing they can access someone else’s account and have free reign with it.
- Sometimes accounts are hacked to share content. Sadly, it’s often viruses that are shared from your account, oftentimes sent as a PM. The hope is that the person will click the information before they realize that it’s not a message from you.
- The worst possible reason that your social media account can be stolen is to steal your identity or other personal information. It is sad to think that something as innocent as participating in social media can cause such an uproar, but it is true.
There are certainly other reasons why your account could be hacked but these are among the most common.
So, what can you do to avoid being the victim of a hacker? There’s no 100% foolproof way to prevent hacking if using social media. But you can reduce the risks of being a victim.
To protect yourself against a social media hack, keep the following tips in mind:
- Be mindful of anything that you download. Never download anything from a site that you’re not familiar with or that you do not trust.
- When you buy followers or likes for Insta or other social sites, choose a reputable company and never work with a company that sells fake followers. It’s never worth it just to get more Instagram followers.
- Choose complex passwords that people cannot easily guess. Most hackers start by entering birthdays and other personal information because most people use this as their password. Don’t make this mistake.
- Don’t click on anything that looks suspicious, even if it is sent from a friend’s account. Also, avoid clicking links on social media pages because this could be phishing programs.
- Don’t give out your passwords to anyone.
- Never give your credit card information out to a person on the internet. Remember, you never know who is behind the screen.
- Be mindful of friend requests you accept.
Stay Safe on Social Media
Social media is a lot of fun but there are also dangers that you must safeguard yourself against. Hackers are out there and they’ll steal your account before you know what’s happened. Once they have your information, it’s anyone’s guess what they’ll do with it and the consequence may not be favourable to you. Don’t take this risk when it is easy to protect yourself!
