Wednesday, April 21, 2021

Hacked!

I'm an optimist by nature, but the last month has been a challenge.

On March 16, at 9:30 in the morning, I finished up my computer banking to look at my email. I had four messages from Facebook, sent within ten minutes of each other, while I was doing my banking.

(1) Someone had logged into my FB account using a confirmation code.

(2) Someone had changed my password.

(3) Someone had changed my email address from budsmom48@gmail.com to budsumommy48@hotmail.com.

I tried to get help from  Facebook for the next two weeks without success. I was apparently in some kind of loop, or at the end of a VERY long help queue. 

Then my brother-in-law created a new account for me from his computer. Five days later Facebook told me I had been deactivated for good for "violation of community standards". I have no idea what I did, and Facebook is not going to tell me.

I wish I hadn't lost 13 years of data, or 200 friends, but these things happen. And I wish I hadn't lost my 4500 completed levels of Candy Crush.

Now I am using my husband Art's Facebook account. His name has been changed to ArtLinda Myers. I'm spending much less time on Facebook now. There are a couple of groups I want to participate in. Especially the one in Brier, Washington, called "Buy Nothing Brier" where you can give things away to people in the community. I have a lot more downsizing to do over the summer, and I need that group!

I do wonder why some people hack into the accounts of other people. This one had nothing to do with money. My old account disappeared from Facebook on the 30th day after it was hacked. None of my friends were contacted by the hacker, and the day before the account disappeared there were no posts other than mine.

Oh, yes. I did send an email to budsumommy48@hotmail.com, asking the person to change the email account back so I could get into my account. That didn't happen.

Of course not.



9 comments:

Joared said...

That's terrible! FB should provide more help to you in such a situation. I long ago became disgusted with Zuckerberg and Co. and how they run that site so my site is deliberately dormant and I don't use it.

Tom said...

What a pain! Unfortunately there are a few bad apples out there, and Facebook seems to attract its fair share of them. We hardly used Facebook anymore.

DJan said...

I have moved away from FB but still get on there occasionally to see what's happening with friends who live far away. I'm so sorry to hear of your being hacked. :-(

RetirementCoffeeShop said...

Every once in awhile one of our friends will send out a message that they have been hacked on FB also. I don't understand what the point would be. I wouldn't think anyone would benefit financially if they took over my FB.

Linda Reeder said...

I still use Facebook every day and would be very unhappy if my account was hacked. But it could happen. I'm sorry that it happened to you.

Joanne Noragon said...

I hoped there would be a remedy known among Blogger users, but so far, no.

Starting Over, Accepting Changes - Maybe said...

Nothing is safe today, no matter how hard we try. I am sorry this happened to you.

Allison said...

I am sorry this happened, and equal parts mad at Facebook for being so non-responsive. I've quit it, I never put much effort into it, and find that I don't miss it.

Dreamer said...

Hi Linda,

I realized today that I had not seen any of your posts in quite a while and had a hard time finding you on Facebook. I friend requested you and sent a message to you hoping that you and Art were doing well. I tried remembering the name of your blog and finally found it. When I read this post, I went back in and blocked the request. I don't know why people hack other people's account either.

I read about Art's and your surgery and I am glad that you are both recovering. I hope that there will be much improvements in your physical selves. I am so glad that you have family to help you in the process.

I don't know if you will remember me, but I am the person who read your blog, and then went on the Heritage schooner. Take care, Pam