4 ‘Dead Giveaways’ That Your Apple ID Is Being Hacked–And What To Do Immediately

For the most part, your Apple ID keeps your phone private and secure. But your phone can be compromised at times — no one is immune to this happening — and the faster you act when you suspect this, the more effectively you can save your data from being stolen and used. There are four important signs to look out for that may indicate your Apple ID has been stolen and is being used. Look out for these signs and then take immediate steps to rectify the situation and re-gain control over your phone’s security. 

Unusual Activity 

One major sign that your Apple ID could be compromised is that you’re noticing unusual activity on your device, such as messages that you didn’t send or items that have been deleted that you didn’t delete. Even scarier: if you’re noticing purchases have been made on your phone, it’s important to not wait and change you Apple ID password. 

You’re Locked Out

Is your password not working for you, no matter how many times you keep trying to enter it? If your device was locked, your password refuses to work, or your iPhone was placed in Lost Mode — and you are sure you didn’t set it that way — there’s a good possibility your Apple ID may have been hacked.

You’ve Received Apple’s Notification

Apple does a good job of notifying you if unfamiliar activity has taken place on your device. If Apple has alerted you to account activity that you have nothing to do with and you haven’t give anyone you know access to your device, this could be a sign that your ID was hacked. One example of this would be if your Apple ID was used to sign into a device you don’t recognize or your ID password was changed without your consent.

What To Do First

Even if you suspect your Apple ID has been stolen, and you don’t have concrete proof yet, it’s never too early to take action by changing your Apple ID password. According to Apple, these are the steps you should take:

*Change your Apple ID password

*If your Apple ID password has been changed by someone else, reset your password.

*Go to appleid.apple.com to update any of personal or security information that isn't correct or that you don't recognize.

*Check with your email address* provider to make sure that you control every email address associated with your Apple ID. If you don't control an email address, work with your email provider to regain control or use a different email address.

Don’t stall and procrastinate with these important steps — they could mean the difference between you securing your phone and your data being compromised.