Cases of social media account hijacking are surging, with cybercriminals specifically targeting profiles with a large number of followers for subsequent use in financial scams or mass dissemination of malicious content.
Social engineering remains the main entry point
Most incidents still rely on social engineering—fraudulent messages posing as official platform support, tricking victims into handing over credentials or verification codes without realizing the trap.
Recovery can be a lengthy ordeal
Victims report that the account recovery process with platform providers is often slow and bureaucratic, maximizing the damage while the profile remains under the control of hackers posting on the victim's behalf.
Prevention remains the ultimate defense
Experts reiterate basic yet highly effective recommendations: never share verification codes received via SMS or email, remain skeptical of urgent messages demanding immediate action, and enable all available security layers offered by the platform.