Hacked and Helpless: Businesses Face an Uphill Battle with Meta to Recover Their Accounts

When Catherine Deane, a wedding dress designer, suffered a hacking incident on her company’s Instagram, it was nothing short of devastating. With 59,000 followers and a heavy reliance on social media for business, the attack felt like having the rug pulled from under her. After a team member fell for a phishing scam posing as an Instagram verification offer, they inadvertently gave away their account credentials, leading to a four-month struggle to regain control.

Despite repeated attempts through Meta’s processes, including an admin dispute form and countless emails, there was little response, leaving her frustrated and in dire need of support. Ultimately, it took a contact within Facebook to expedite her account recovery, highlighting a widespread issue regarding account security on these platforms.

Jonas Borchgrevink, head of a cybersecurity firm, noted that Catherine’s experience is not isolated; many businesses face similar predicaments. His company aids numerous clients each week for a fee, and many cases take up to six months to resolve. Unfortunately, Meta has declined requests for statistics on account hacking, indicating a gap in their customer support system.

Hackers exploit social media accounts for various malicious purposes: from selling counterfeit products and spreading malware to extorting money from the affected businesses. One such victim, David Davila from Quantum Windows & Doors, was locked out after responding to a fabricated Meta message, later receiving a ransom demand via WhatsApp.

Borchgrevink emphasized that Meta appears overwhelmed by the volume of hacking incidents, asserting that despite the implementation of security measures, issues persist. Scammers are now utilizing AI technology to craft more convincing phishing tactics. This evolving threat includes masking as customer support, sending targeted emails that entice victims to reveal sensitive information.

Additionally, other businesses have reported losing access to their accounts without being hacked, merely due to operational mistakes within Meta, such as being flagged as duplicate accounts. Chetha Senadeera, managing a Facebook page for a bank, described how their page mysteriously vanished without notice, further stressing the need for Meta to improve their account recovery process and responsiveness.

In conclusion, as businesses increasingly depend on social media for outreach and customer engagement, the urgency for more robust support from Meta has never been clearer. Without effective assistance, many face significant risks of losing their digital presence and impact.