Stay Vigilant: 9 Subtle Signs Your Accounts or Devices Have Been Hacked

Threat actors who target your identity or secretly monitor you may initially blend into the background, reading messages, gathering data, or waiting for a financial opportunity. It’s crucial to recognize the early signs of account or device compromise, as they can quickly spiral into a much larger problem.

Unexpected Password Changes or 2FA Requests

If you receive password reset requests or two-factor authentication (2FA) code texts or emails that you didn’t initiate, someone is likely trying to gain access to your accounts. Hackers may use tactics like prompt bombing or phone spoofing to bypass 2FA. While 2FA adds an extra layer of security, SMS and email codes can be easily phished. Consider switching to a stronger MFA method, such as biometrics or a physical key, if possible.

Change your password immediately if you notice unrecognized login attempts. Some platforms allow you to view active sessions and locations where your account is logged in. If you find unfamiliar devices or locations, sign out everywhere and update your credentials.

Unusual Device Behavior

Suddenly behaving differently, your phone or computer may indicate compromise. Look out for:

• Rapid battery drain and/or overheating when your device isn’t in use.
• Your screen lights up or stays on for no apparent reason.
• The camera or microphone indicator lights activate unexpectedly.
• Device processes, such as shutdown, take longer than normal.
• Apps launching and/or crashing or pop-ups appearing without explanation.
• Unusual permissions requests.
• Spikes in data usage.

Malware can cause these behaviors, but they can also result from hardware or software issues. Check for system and app updates that may solve the issue with known bug fixes. If the problem persists, scan for malware.

Unknown Apps on Your Device

Discovering an app you don’t remember downloading on your device is a red flag, as it could be spyware or another form of malware. These programs can be hidden from your home screen or disguised as something more benign. Regularly audit what’s on your device and review app permissions and settings.

Increased Spam Calls or Emails

We all expect to receive spam calls, texts, and phishing emails with some regularity, but if these increase drastically and suddenly, scammers may be actively targeting you. This could indicate a data breach or other account compromise. Threat actors will use leaked or stolen information to make their communication more believable.

Keep an eye out for data breach notices, use dark web monitoring tools in your password manager, or check Have I Been Pwned.

Unrecognized Charges on Your Credit Cards

If bad actors gain access to your financial accounts, including your debit or credit card information, they may test the waters to determine whether the payment credentials still work before moving on to larger purchases and full identity theft. Test charges – which can be for as little as a few cents – are a red flag, so don’t ignore unrecognized transactions.

Check your statements regularly, as test charges may not post to your account, making them easy to miss.

New Emails or Messages Marked as Read

If you open your email or messaging app to messages in your inbox marked as read and think ‘huh, I don’t remember seeing that,’ it may be because someone has gained access to your account and looked at it first on another device.

Other signs that your email or messaging accounts are being monitored or used maliciously include contacts reporting that you’ve sent them suspicious content – phishing links, payment requests, or spam – or emails in your sent or scheduled folders that you don’t recognize.

Locked-Out Accounts

If you find yourself unexpectedly locked out of an account, it may be because hackers have already taken it over, or they’ve tried and failed to log in too many times. The same goes for a social media account that has been banned. These may be the consequences of a data breach or a successful phishing attempt.

You can report it to the platform and try to recover your account.

Strange Content in Your Streaming History

If your Netflix, Spotify, or YouTube algorithms are suddenly serving you content that’s way outside of your typical viewing or listening preferences, or if you find things in your history that you definitely didn’t stream, someone may have gained access to your account. This on its own may not seem like a big deal, but it could indicate or lead to much larger problems if your data has been compromised.

Change your password and, if you can, sign out across all devices.