Well, aren’t we special?! It seems there’s an epidemic of Hackers running around wrecking havoc on all of us. Or, is it clowns? Guess it’s hard to tell the difference these days. Relax, I’m not going to discuss the obvious “hacking” incidences occupying the headlines.  Instead, I’ll bite my tongue and explain what happens and the steps you need to take if you think your Twitter account has been hacked.

I began to notice a couple of weeks ago strange tweets coming across my timeline from people I didn’t know or follow. Some were blatant spammers, sending pictures of beating hearts, balloons, or invitations to get to know me better (if you get my drift). Other tweets had me questioning why I was receiving so many tweets in foreign languages that could not be translated. Initially, I deleted and blocked, but they seem to multiply like rabbits. It was not only annoying but concerning, and I notified the Twitter help center.

The help center explained it appeared a third party app connected to my account might be the culprit. Below are a few of the tale tail signs.

Signs Your Account has been compromised:

1. Tweets you didn’t write coming from your account.
2. Direct messages you didn’t send.
3. You notice other tweets you didn’t make or approve (following, unfollowing, or blocking).
4. Twitter notifies you of a compromise.
5. You receive notice from Twitter about a change you didn’t make.
6. Your password no longer works, or you’re prompted to reset it.
7. You can’t log in.

What to do:

1. Open the settings on your device and update the email associated with your account. You can find the instructions in this support article. Make sure the email you use is secure. Go to your Account settings – you can find help here.
2. Change your password immediately from the settings menu. Use a strong/secure password. For instructions, click here.
3. Although you change your password, it doesn’t automatically disconnect any third-party apps you may have connected. You’ll have to go to the Apps section in your settings and revoke access to any third-party apps you don’t recognize. For those you want to keep, update the password in that application – an example is Tweetdeck.
4. If you use teams on Tweetdeck or another app, it’s advisable to review all members and delete those who are unfamiliar.
5. Delete any tweets or unwanted posts that appeared during the time in question.
6. Scan your computer for malware or viruses.
7. Consider login verification as additional security.
8. Check out Twitter’s Safe Tweeting help page or contact support if problems persist.

While working to resolve this issue, I came across TrueTwit – a validation service for Twitter which helps manage followers and weed out spam, so you don’t have to. Nice!

Security is a serious matter; consider youdelf warned and for any of my followers who may have received strange tweets – I apologize. Things will be back in order soon.

Have you ever been hacked?  I’d love to hear your comments. Talk to me. Tell me your story and look for me on Facebook at SheilaMGood,  Pinterest,  Bloglovin, Twitter@sheilamgood, Contently, and Instagram. You can follow my reviews on Amazon and Goodreads.