Snapchat is one of the most popular social networks out there and is apparently used by over 160 million people. As such, it is often a target of hackers and scammers that go after the platform itself or its users.
If you think your account may have been compromised, here is how to check if someone else is using your Snapchat account.
Snapchat has already been hacked a couple of times. Once in 2013 where a database of 4. 6 million users was taken. Then again in 2016 when Snapchat’s payroll details were compromised. Finally, in 2017 a group of hackers claimed they had stolen 1. 7 million user details only to be found out as a hoax.
So we know for a fact that the platform is a target but so are users.
We all have to be on our guard when online. Regardless of what social network we use, who we use for email, what websites we are members of or what we do while online, every one of us has to be careful. Careful to safeguard our accounts and to be aware of the risks of hacking and scamming.
How to tell if your Snapchat account has been compromised
There are three ways you can tell if a social media account has been hacked or otherwise compromised. You will see unusual activity, you will regularly be logged out for no reason and you may see more emails from Snapchat asking about your logins or activity.
These three signs are only really viable of the person using your account is actually using it. If they hacked it to harvest your personal details, you may not see any of these signs. You will instead begin to see more emails from banks, credit companies and other financial organizations as your identity is used for nefarious means.
If someone else is using your Snapchat account, you should begin seeing one or all of these signs.
Unusual activity
Spotting unusual activity is usually the first sign someone else is using your Snapchat account. If you see snaps that aren’t yours, new friends you didn’t make or you are following people you didn’t follow, your account may have been compromised. If you’re a regular Snapchat user, these signs may be more difficult to spot than if you are an occasional user.
Having to log in all the time
Usually, a Snapchat login will last a while. At least until you manually log out, restart the app or reboot your device. If you find you keep having to log back into your account, it may be a sign that someone else is logging in and forcing you out. It isn’t definitive by any means as there are a few technical reasons you may be being logged out, but it is definitely a sign that you need to investigate further.
Emails from Snapchat
Snapchat does what it can to monitor account activity and will notify you via email if any changes are made to that account. If the username or password is changed, you will see an email. If someone logs in from a completely different location, Snapchat should detect that and alert you.
If you begin seeing these kinds of notifications, you need to take action.
How to stop someone using your Snapchat account
If you suspect that your Snapchat account has become compromised, you first need to secure the account and then find out how it was compromised. Log into Snapchat as soon as possible and change the password. Then enable two-factor authentication as an extra safeguard.
- Log into Snapchat from here.
- If your password is still valid, change it immediately.
- If your password has already been changed, use the Forgot Password link and change it.
If someone accessed your account to change the password or associated email address you should have been notified before the system allows it to be changed.
Once you have changed your password to something complicated but memorable, or used your password manager to come up with something good, go ahead and enable two-factor authentication. This will add either a Google Authenticator step or SMS verification to the login process. From now on, when you log in you will have to enter a code from the app or SMS message. It is an extra step, but means it is almost impossible for a hacker to access your account if they don’t have your phone.
Once your Snapchat account is secure, you should take a little time to see if you can see how they got your details. Check your email is secure, check that you don’t leave your phone unattended and make sure you use unique passwords for every account and use two-factor authentication wherever you can.
Have you ever been hacked? Noticed something up with your Snapchat account? Tell us about your experience below!
