My Apple ID Was Hacked. What Should I Do?

If your Apple ID was hacked, some immediate steps you can take include resetting your password and setting up Two-Factor Authentication (2FA). You should also consider placing a fraud alert on your credit report. A fraud alert is helpful because it requires lenders and creditors to go through additional steps to ensure your identity in case whoever hacked your Apple ID was planning on opening credit in your name. Check your account’s personal information and remove unfamiliar devices from your Apple ID. It is very dangerous for your Apple ID to be hacked because a hacker can gain access to your personal content, including but not limited to your private messages, photos, location and payment methods.

Continue reading to learn the common indications of a hacked Apple ID, what you should do if your Apple ID was hacked and how to prevent your Apple ID from being hacked in the future.

Signs your Apple ID is hacked

If you suspect that your Apple ID has been hacked, here are some telling signs that your account is compromised.

You’re unable to log in to your Apple ID

One of the easiest ways to tell that your Apple ID may be compromised is if you are unable to log in to your account. If you attempt to log in with your password and Apple informs you that it’s incorrect, there is a high chance that the hacker changed your password after they gained access to your account to lock you out. This is also known as an account takeover attack, which is a type of identity theft where a cybercriminal will take over your account and impersonate you.

Your device is locked

If someone else has access to your Apple ID account, your device might have been locked by the hacker. A hacker could also place your device in Lost Mode, which would prevent you from using it because the hacker has marked your device as lost or stolen. Being locked out of your device when it’s in your possession is a strong indicator that your Apple ID has been hacked.

You get an email from Apple that someone logged in to your account

When your Apple ID account has been hacked, you could receive an email from Apple saying that your Apple ID was used to log in to another device. This message will tell you the date, time and type of device (iPhone 13, iPad, Mac, etc.) your Apple ID was used to log in to. If you have recently purchased a new device and used your Apple ID to sign in, you could safely ignore this kind of message. However, if you haven’t signed in to the device mentioned in the email, this is a sign that someone else has logged in with your Apple ID credentials on another device.

You’re notified that your associated email and phone number were changed

Every Apple ID is created with an email address and phone number. If you receive a notification that your email address or phone number was changed without your knowledge, this is a sign your account was hacked. Similar to the example above, Apple will send you an email saying that your Apple ID information has been updated. If you did not make these changes to your Apple ID account, your account has most likely been compromised by an unauthorized individual.

You receive a password change notification

If you receive a pop-up notification asking you to change or reset your Apple ID password, it is likely a scam. These notifications are caused by someone who knows both your email address and phone number, but not your password. The hacker hopes that, by clicking the fake Apple pop-up, you will “reset your Apple ID password” which would help them crack the password to your Apple ID account. 

You see unfamiliar charges on App Store and iTunes

Someone else may have access to your Apple ID account if you start to notice unfamiliar charges from the App Store or iTunes. For example, if you use another streaming service to play music like Spotify or Pandora but you see a charge on your iTunes account for an album, you will know this purchase activity was not yours. When you notice an unfamiliar charge on the App Store or iTunes, you can assume that your Apple ID account has been hacked.

You notice unfamiliar photos, messages and apps

Some of us have hundreds if not thousands of photos and videos on our camera rolls, but if you notice unfamiliar content in your apps, it is likely that your Apple ID has been hacked. You could also see messages you didn’t send or items that have been deleted by someone else. Activity like this is a clear indication that someone besides you has access to your Apple ID and, therefore, your private information.

Your account details were modified

Another sign that your Apple ID account was hacked is if your account details were modified by someone else. For example, a hacker might change your billing address, birthdate or name on your Apple ID. If you notice these changes and still have access to your account, take action by following the steps below immediately.

What to do if your Apple ID is hacked

Although your Apple ID being hacked can be scary and dangerous, there are several steps you can take to protect your private information.

Try to log in to your account

One of the most important things you can do when you suspect that your Apple ID has been hacked is to see if you can log in to your Apple ID account. 

If you can’t log in to your account, initiate a password reset

Assuming you are locked out of your Apple ID account, you can initiate a password reset by going to iforgot.apple.com. This should allow you to reset your password, but if this does not work, you will need to contact Apple Support. Remember that Apple Support can only answer your questions about this process, but they do not have access to verify your identity to your Apple ID account. If you can’t log in to your Apple ID account after these steps, you will need to create a new Apple ID.

If you can log in, immediately update your password

If you’re able to log in to your Apple ID account, change your password immediately. If you are changing your password on your iPhone or iPad, go to Settings, [your name], Sign-In & Security and Change Password. Type in your current password, then enter a new password and tap Change to complete this update. The same process applies to Mac users, except before resetting your Apple ID password, you must enter the password used to unlock your computer.

When changing your Apple ID password, you want to create a strong and unique password. You can do this by using a password generator, which will use criteria that you choose like character length, uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers and symbols to create a new password. Strong passwords are made up of at least 16 characters, and using a random combination of the criteria above will make it much more difficult for cybercriminals to access your account. 

Set up Two-Factor Authentication (2FA)

If you still have access to your Apple ID account, enable Two-Factor Authentication (2FA). 2FA is a security measure that forces you to use an additional authentication method to access an account. In addition to your username and password, when you have 2FA set up, a user will need another form of authentication, such as a PIN, code from an authenticator app or facial recognition. Without this additional form of authentication, a user will be unable to get into your account even if they have your username and password.

To do this on your iPhone or iPad, go to Settings, [your name], Sign-In & Security, then tap Turn On Two-Factor Authentication and follow the prompts on the screen.

Remove unfamiliar devices from your Apple ID

You should remove devices you do not recognize if you still have access to your Apple ID account because the hacker could have logged in to your Apple ID from one of their devices. iPhone and iPad users can do this by going to Settings, [your name], then scrolling down to select the device to see its details. At the bottom of the next screen, tap Remove from Account and confirm after reading the message that pops up.

Check your Apple ID account’s personal information

You should check to make sure your Apple ID account’s personal information is correct. You can do this on your Mac by going to the Apple menu (the apple symbol in the top left corner of your screen), System Settings, [your name], then Personal Information. Here, you can see your photo associated with your Apple ID account, your name and your birthdate. Check to make sure that a hacker hasn’t changed this information; if this information has changed, change it back to your own information.

Place a fraud alert on your credit report

Regardless of whether you have access to your Apple ID account, if you know it was hacked, consider placing a fraud alert on your credit report. It’s a good idea to do this because there is a good chance that whoever hacked your Apple ID account took your personal information from your payment methods. A hacker could then use this personal information to impersonate you and steal your identity. To place a fraud alert, contact one of the three major credit bureaus (Experian, TransUnion or Equifax).

If you store passwords in iCloud Keychain, update all of them

If you regularly save your passwords to your iCloud Keychain, make sure to update them because the hacker could have compromised your passwords. Although iCloud Keychain may be convenient when you want to store a password from a website instantly, it is not secure because a hacker who gains access to your Apple ID account will be able to see all your saved passwords in your iCloud Keychain. When you update your passwords, make sure not to reuse the same password on multiple accounts and instead create passwords with at least 16 characters. Ideally, a strong password contains a combination of numbers, symbols and uppercase and lowercase letters.

How to prevent your Apple ID from getting hacked

Luckily, there are a few easy things you can do to be prepared and prevent your Apple ID from getting hacked.

Use a strong, unique password

The most important way to protect your Apple ID account is to use a strong and unique password. You can create a strong password by using a password generator or passphrase generator, which are tools that randomly generate passwords based on your selected criteria. Choose how many characters you want your password or passphrase to be, then select whether you want uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers and symbols. Passphrases are more secure than passwords because they are typically longer and more complex, making them harder for cybercriminals to crack. Although they are entirely random, words (passphrases) are easier to remember than a string of random letters, numbers and symbols (passwords).

Enable Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)

Turn Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) on for your Apple ID account. Having more than one way to verify your identity is crucial to securing your Apple ID account in case a hacker does learn your username and password. For example, if you have MFA enabled, a hacker would need to know your answer to a security question, receive a code from an authenticator app, scan your fingerprint or be in a set geographic location to access your Apple ID account.

Be cautious of emails or text messages claiming to be Apple

Always check email and text messages claiming to be from Apple to verify that it is the official company messaging you. Hackers may impersonate Apple as part of a phishing scam, where a hacker hopes to trick you into believing they are really Apple so you will give them your personal information.

For example, in the image above, a hacker is trying to get their target to click on the link in the message by claiming that their Apple ID has been locked. This phishing attempt lures the recipient of this message to click on the link and potentially share private information with someone who pretending to be Apple. Make sure not to click any suspicious links and to double-check the sender’s email address if you receive an email like this.

Keep your device’s software up to date

Stay in tune with the latest software updates for all of your devices and make sure to keep your devices on the most recent software version. This is important because each software update comes with new security features, bug fixes and improved performance. If your devices do not stay updated, there is a higher risk of them remaining unprotected from threats and cyber attacks like malware. Malware is software that can infect your device through phishing emails, fake websites or downloading from third-party sources. Once a device becomes infected with malware, a cybercriminal can access your private information and steal your identity.

Keep your Apple ID protected against hackers

You now know the common signs of a hacked Apple ID account, what to do if your Apple ID has been compromised and how to protect your Apple ID account from getting hacked. Although there are no guarantees that following these steps will keep your Apple ID account safe forever, you can be prepared by using strong passwords, enabling MFA and remaining cautious of messages from Apple.

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