Are you worried about your Zalo account being hacked and don’t know how to handle it? There are many ways to protect your personal information from being invaded and stolen. If you own a Zalo account and suspect it has been hacked, don’t miss out on helpful information from FPT Shop. Today’s article will reveal the signs, causes, and quick fixes for a hacked account within just 2 minutes.
Signs of a hacked Zalo account
Along with the explosive development of information technology is the rampant rise of high-tech criminals. They are so cunning that they steal your account without leaving any signs for you to notice. So how can you tell if your account has been compromised? Let’s take a look at some ways to identify it:
- Password change: If you access your account and are asked to enter a new password, this is the clearest sign that your account has been hacked.
- Login alerts: Usually, when your account is logged in from a different device or location, Zalo will notify you.
- Unusual posts: Unusual and unauthorized posts often appear on your personal page. These posts could be about lottery numbers, suspicious links, or tags involving multiple people in your friend list.
- Unusual activities: Your friends list, likes, comments, and post sharing all show unusual activities that you did not perform.
- Suspicious messages: One clear sign is receiving messages asking for money or sending malicious links from your own account when you haven’t sent any.
- Notification of information changes: When you receive notifications about changes in personal information, such as username, profile picture, phone number, and you haven’t made any changes.
Causes of a hacked Zalo account
In addition to professional hacker attacks, there are other objective reasons that may unintentionally cause your account to be lost:
- Simple password: Setting a weak password that includes simple characters or personal information, such as name or date of birth, can easily be guessed. Even non-hackers may be able to guess your password based on publicly available information.
- Logging in from multiple devices: Logging in from unreliable places or devices can create security vulnerabilities. This inadvertently provides opportunities for hackers to attack.
- Accessing fake apps and misleading links: Accessing deceptive links or downloading untrustworthy apps can also lead to Zalo hacking. These actions can contain malicious code that steals login information.
- Logging into a device and forgetting to log out: When you log into Zalo from a new device, your login information may be stored in the cache or through the “Remember Me” feature. If you don’t log out after using the device, others can continue to access your Zalo account from that device.
How to recover a hacked Zalo account
Method 1: Recovering the account by sending a verification code
When your account has been hacked, your old password has undoubtedly been changed. So what can you do to recover your account? The first method, and the most commonly used one, is to send a verification code to your phone number. Just follow these steps:
Step 1: Access Zalo, click on “Login” and then click on “Reset password” to start recovering your account.
Step 2: Enter your registered Zalo phone number in the “Phone number” field and click “Continue”. Then click on “Confirm” to receive the verification code on your phone.
Step 3: After clicking “Confirm”, a call will be made to your phone. Press the listen button to hear the 6-digit verification code. Listen carefully and enter the code in the verification field.
Step 4: Zalo will display a successful login, and your task now is to set a new password for your account.
Method 2: Permanently deactivating the account
If you notice that your phone number has also been compromised, the only option left is to permanently deactivate your account. When choosing to delete your account, you will lose all the information and contacts in your hacked Zalo account. Follow these steps to deactivate your account:
Step 1: Click on the Settings button at the top right of the screen.
Step 2: Click on “Account and Security” and select “Delete Account”.
Step 3: Click on “Delete Account” again. Then enter your phone number in the “Enter phone number” field, enter the reason for deleting your account in the “Enter content” field, and click “Continue”.
Step 4: Enter your password to confirm the account deletion. Then select “Delete Account” to permanently deactivate your account.
Method 3: Changing to a new phone number
This is the option many users choose when their account has been hacked and their phone number has been taken over. When you change to a new phone number, the information in your account, including profile, contact list, and activity history, will be transferred to the new phone number. The steps are straightforward:
Step 1: Go to the “Delete Account” section and choose “Change phone number”.
Step 2: Enter the new phone number you want to use to receive the verification code and click “Continue”.
Step 3: Press “Agree”, and Zalo will send an OTP code to your new phone number. Enter the OTP code to complete the change.
5 steps to take when you notice your Zalo account has been hacked
Step 1: Inform everyone that your account has been hacked
When you realize that your Zalo account has been hacked, the first thing you need to do is inform everyone about the incident on social media. This will help prevent ongoing scams and protect your loved ones from being exploited by hackers.
Step 2: Change your account password
The next step you need to take when you notice signs of a hacked account is to change your account password immediately. Changing your password is very easy. Just click on “Account and Security” -> “Change Password” -> “Enter the required information” -> “Update”. Choose a strong, secure password that is difficult to guess. You can combine uppercase and lowercase letters, special characters, and numbers to increase password complexity.
Step 3: Log out of all logged-in browsers
The next step you need to take is to log out of your account on all devices to kick the hacker out of your account. First, go to Settings -> Account and Security -> Manage logged-in devices to check recently logged-in devices. Look for unfamiliar devices and click to log out of them.
Step 4: Enable two-factor authentication for your account
To enhance security, immediately activate two-factor authentication (2FA) for your Zalo account. The activation process is very simple. Just go to “Account and Security” as previously instructed. Then click on “Two-factor authentication” to protect your account when logging in on unfamiliar devices.
You can also lock Zalo by setting a 4-digit PIN lock code by clicking on “Lock Zalo” -> “Set lock code”.
Step 5: Check your recovery information
You need to check the recovery information you previously linked, such as Gmail and phone number, to see if they have been changed. If they have been changed, update your recovery information immediately.
In conclusion
The aforementioned article has provided instructions on how to quickly recover a hacked Zalo account in just 2 minutes. Hopefully, the information shared by FPT Shop can help you successfully recover your account. Once your account is hacked, the consequences can be extremely serious. Hackers can gain access to your Gmail and even your bank account before you realize that your account has been stolen. Therefore, always be cautious when using Zalo and other social media platforms for your own safety.
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