If you’re an online course creator, high-ticket coach, or small business owner, you likely use Facebook ads to grow your business.
This platform helps you reach and engage your audience, turning clicks into customers.
Now, imagine the nightmare of waking up to find that your Facebook ad account, the core of your digital business, has been hacked.
Unfortunately, we faced this gut-wrenching situation ourselves.
But as the saying goes, what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger—or at least smarter.
Today, we’re turning our bad experience into a helpful guide for you.
We know how much effort you’ve put into building your business, and we want to help you protect it.
In this post, I’ll share the key steps you need to take to keep hackers out of your Facebook ad accounts.
Why Do Hackers Target Your Facebook Ad Account?
You might wonder why hackers would want to access your Facebook ad account in the first place.
The answer is simple: it’s not for fun; it’s a strategic move to benefit themselves.
When hackers take over your ad account, they use it to run unauthorized campaigns that drive traffic to affiliate offers.
This way, they earn commissions on any resulting sales, all while using the credit cards and payment methods stored in your business manager.
Hackers exploit your ad account’s established reputation and history.
Starting a new ad account would limit them to a few campaigns, but by using your account, they can launch multiple campaigns immediately.
Essentially, they profit from your hard work and reputation, earning commissions while you cover the costs.
How Bad Can A Facebook Ad Account Hack Be?
After a hack, you might lose access to your ad account, sometimes permanently.
This forces you to restart your advertising efforts from scratch, disrupting your marketing reach and stalling your business growth.
The disruption can result in substantial revenue losses—potentially thousands of dollars that could have been reinvested into your business.
Beyond the operational chaos, hacking also creates an administrative nightmare. I spent weeks contacting banks, canceling and replacing compromised credit cards, and securing new payment methods.
The process also involved exhausting communications with Facebook support to recover the account.
You’ll likely spend countless hours checking all your accounts for vulnerabilities and setting up new ones if needed.
This administrative burden pulls essential resources and energy away from your core business activities, causing frustration and missed opportunities.
What To Do If Your Facebook Ad Account Is Hacked
First, understand that getting hacked doesn’t mean you’re a bad business owner or marketer.
Even the most careful among us can fall victim to the sophisticated methods hackers use today.
These hackers are often part of well-organized groups with resources dedicated to exploiting vulnerabilities.
Remember, you are the victim here, targeted by skilled cybercriminals.
There is no shame in this.
Here’s what to do if your Facebook ad account gets hacked:
Step 1: Contact Facebook Right Away
Get in touch with Facebook immediately.
You can do this by filling out their online form or reporting the issue through your Ads Manager.
Provide as much detail as possible, including evidence like screenshots of suspicious ads or emails from Facebook about changes to your account.
Step 2: Disconnect Partners & Clients
Quickly remove any associated partners or clients from your business manager to stop the hack from spreading.
In our situation, we had access to our clients’ business manager accounts, allowing us to log in and remove the hacked account from their organization.
Step 3: Freeze Your Credit Cards
Freeze any credit cards linked to your ad accounts immediately to stop unauthorized charges.
Contact your bank or credit card company to report the hack and request new cards.
Step 4: Remove Payment Methods from Your Facebook Ad Account
Delete all payment methods stored in your account to protect your financial information.
The faster the funds run out for the hackers, the sooner they’ll abandon your account.
Step 5: Keep Records Of Everything
Take screenshots of your account activities and balances before the hack.
This will help with any future claims or reimbursement processes and provide a reference for changes made by the hackers.
How to Keep Your Facebook Ad Account Safe from Hackers
Given how much damage a hack can cause, here are some important steps to help prevent it:
Step 1: Set Up Two-Factor Authentication (2FA)
Add an extra layer of security by requiring another way to verify your identity, like a code sent to your phone or email before logging in.
This makes it much harder for hackers to access your account.
A good tip is to make sure everyone who can access your business manager uses 2FA — you can set this up in your business manager settings.
Step 2: Make Your Passwords Strong & Keep Them Unique
Use a password manager like OnePassword to create and securely store strong, complex passwords.
Regularly updating your passwords enhances your account’s security.
Step 3: Review Who Has Access To Your Business Manager
Regularly check who has access to your Business Manager.
Remove access for people who no longer need it, such as former employees or contractors.
Step 4: Strengthen Your Personal Facebook Account’s Security
Keep an eye on your account activity, check what devices are connected regularly, and watch out for phishing attempts.
These can put both your personal and business accounts at risk.
Step 5: Raise Cybersecurity Awareness in Your Team
Teach your team how to recognize phishing scams, follow the best ways to stay safe online, and understand why using strong passwords is so important.
This helps create a smart and safe work environment.
What Comes After a Facebook Ad Account Hack?
From our own challenging experience, we’ve learned that the impact goes beyond financial losses.
Picture being locked out of our ad accounts for over two months—no ads, no revenue.
It felt like hitting a pause on our business while everything else moved forward.
We discovered we’re not alone in this struggle.
Many businesses face long waits for assistance from platforms like Facebook, which is draining in both time and energy.
It’s a clear wake-up call: relying solely on one lead generation method, such as Facebook, carries significant risks.
To mitigate this risk, a smart strategy is to prioritize building and nurturing your email list.
Unlike platforms you don’t control, your email list gives you direct access to your audience, ensuring your marketing efforts remain consistent and effective despite disruptions elsewhere.
Through all the highs and lows, one lesson stands out: your email list is invaluable.
It has been our secret weapon for sustaining sales through any challenges.
Whether you’re running ads or engaging on social media, always prioritize growing your email list.
Ready to protect your business and grow your audience? Start by implementing those essential steps.