PROTECTING YOUR AD ACCOUNTS FROM HACKERS: A CAUTIONARY TALE OF CLICKS, CONS, AND CHAOS

EVERYONE HATES A HACKER. BUT YOU KIND OF HAVE TO ADMIRE THEIR SHEER INGENUITY (SAID THROUGH GRITTED TEETH). FROM CHARMING PRINCES NIGERIAN OF THE 1990S TO TODAY’S SLICK, AI-POWERED IMPERSONATORS, CYBERCRIMINALS STILL APPEAR TO PERSONIFY THE ADAPT OR DIE PRINCIPLE. AND NOW, THEY’VE GOT THEIR SIGHTS LOCKED ONTO SOMETHING VERY CLOSE TO YOUR MARKETING HEART: YOUR AD ACCOUNTS.

From plausible but pseudo Meta warnings to suspicious links that look just legit enough, ad account scammers are using smart tactics to break in, burn through your budget, and wreak havoc. If you’re in performance marketing, take this as a warning shot.

So, now feels like a good time to unpack how the scammers are getting in, what you can do to stop them, and how to stay calm and carry on if the worst comes to the worst.

SO, HOW ARE THESE SCAMMERS GETTING IN?

You know the drill: you’re sipping coffee, clearing your inbox, and ping — a polite little message pops up in Messenger saying your Meta ad account has been suspended due to a ‘copyright violation’. There’s an official-sounding link. It looks urgent. It looks real.

Spoiler: it’s not.

These scams are getting slicker by the minute. Hackers now pose as Meta reps, sending panic-inducing messages that claim your account is in violation of some obscure rule. The goal? To scare you into clicking a malicious link, hand over your login details, and roll out the red carpet for an all-you-can-eat fraud-fest.

THIS IS WHAT SCAMMING LOOKS LIKE

Here are two screenshots of genuine scam messages sent to our clients:

SURVEYING THE WRECKAGE

Once inside, here’s what the scammers can do:

It’s digital marketing sabotage — and it’s costing businesses real money and reputational damage.

LET’S GET DEFENSIVE. SEVEN STEPS TO LOCK THINGS DOWN

TIDAL has helped clients come back from these situations before, so trust us when we say: prevention is a lot less painful than recovery.

Here’s how to build a digital moat around your ad account in seven straightforward steps:

Step 1. Turn on two-factor authentication (2FA)

We know it’s a pain. But do it anyway. Enable 2FA across both your Facebook profile and your Business Manager. Authentication apps like Google Authenticator or Duo are safer than relying on an SMS.

Step 2. Use a strong, unique password

‘Password123’ doesn’t cut it. Nor does your dog’s name. Use a password manager like LastPass or 1Password to generate and store long, random, unique passwords. Bonus points if can’t ever remember it yourself.

Step 3. Audit anyone with access

Ex-employees. Freelancers you forgot about. That intern from 2019. Check your Business Manager access regularly and remove anyone who doesn’t need to be there. Only grant admin access to people who actually need it.

Step 4. Trust no link

Meta will never DM you about account issues. Seriously. If you get a message like that via Messenger, assume it’s fake. Then assume it’s got malware. All legitimate comms go through the Business Support Inbox or your registered email.

Step 5. Bookmark the real stuff

Don’t go Googling your way into a phishing trap. Save these to your browser bar:

Step 6. Verify your domain

This one’s easy to forget, but it’s critical. Verifying your business domain via Meta helps prevent impersonation and is essential for attribution tracking. It also makes you look like you know what you’re doing. Which you do, obviously.

Step 7. Run Facebook security checkups

Just like flossing or changing your car’s oil, security maintenance is one of those chores you’ll be glad you did. Visit facebook.com/security/checkup and see what’s out of date.

SCAMMED? HERE’S WHAT TO DO NEXT

If you think your account has been compromised, time is everything. Move quickly.

ONE LAST THING: THE GOLDEN RULE

Repeat after us: Never click a Messenger link claiming to be from Meta.

Say it louder for the people at the back. Never!

If you’re not sure? Forward it to us. We’ll vet it, no judgment. In this game, better safe than hacked.

LET’S KEEP YOU SAFE AND GROWING

Your ad account is the beating heart of your digital growth engine. Don’t let it crash and burn because of a phishing scam.

TIDAL Digital doesn’t just build high-performance campaigns. We also help protect the systems that power them. From strategic account audits to rapid-response recovery, we’ve got your back.

Need help tightening up your security? Get in touch before the scammers get you.