The morning of September 21st I had a notice from my credit card company that a charge of $250 originating from Meta Platforms had been declined. Then I saw another email that a PayPal charge to my bank account for that same amount from Meta Platforms had been approved. It was a very alarming way to start a day!!!
A huge violation message from Instagram was kept blocking my phone screen. There was also an email from Facebook that I had violated something and was blocked. I thought it was all a phishing attempt and tried to get rid of the messages without clicking any links.
I then discovered that I HAD been locked out of Facebook, Messenger and Instagram for violation of their Community Standards.
I also immediately filed a report to PayPal to stop the payment as I had not authorized it, and they refused to stop it. (I’ll make a complaint about them separately, later).
I spotted other unusual emails from Facebook that had come in overnight, one being, Your video is ready! followed by Notice of Facebook Feature Restrictions. It said to report if it was a mistake, but I had to log in to report it and it wouldn’t let me log in. Instagram kept blocking my phone with a message that I had violated its terms and closed out — I had to uninstall it because it was not only a huge nuisance but very upsetting. After I got to work, I miraculously was able to change my Facebook password from another computer using 2-step verification, but when I tried to log in to issue a report that my account had been hacked and tried to defend myself, it said I had requested security codes too many times and I now had to wait 24 hours. But after 24 hours, I still wasn’t able to get past that point; until I was finally able to get a security code a few days later. I got a message that said that I had violated their Community Standards on child exploitation and sexuality!!!! A horrible accusation!!! I’m 66 years old and work in a church — really?!?
From that and from the midnight emails I had seen, I gleaned that a child-**** video had been made and then published on my account and I was being charged $250 possibly for that video. Not sure.
Again I attempted to report the hack and was asked to upload an ID, which I did. A couple of minutes later I got a message that because of Covid there was no one to review my account. Then I got a message that I was ineligible to use Facebook. It was like I was some psychotic deviant or something. It is VERY frustrating to be accused of something so horrible and labeled as guilty without being able to defend myself!!!
I use Facebook to market my art business — my art is mostly landscapes, portraits and pet portraits. I have never posted paintings of nudes or anything that anyone would take exception to.
I also depend on Facebook, Messenger – especially – and sometimes Instagram to stay in touch with my children, other family and friends. Now I am cut off. I’ve texted and emailed my loved ones, but it’s not the same at all and the level of communication has dropped low and there’s a definite sense of isolation.
Today I tried to set set up a new Facebook account using a new email account using just my maiden name and without using my phone number. I figured I could at least be back in contact with my children this way. But somehow Facebook knew it was me and I got the same nasty message. I did file another disagreement with their blocking my account and uploaded a photo from my phone camera. I don’t expect the result to be any different, though — I stand accused without ability to defend.
My question on this is — if they can detect any devices I have used to log in in the past (which is the only way I can think of that I would have been found out in trying to create a new account), then why can’t they review my account which I’ve had for years and see that this was a highly unusual and suspicious activity and that my account was clearly hacked??? There is something seriously mindless here!
As for the $250, it was pending in my checking account and I called my bank (THEY have 247 customer service!! A LIVE PERSON, too!) I had a loan payment that was going to be debited from my account in another two days, and this $250 fraudulent charge was going to make my loan payment bounce. I had to shut down my debit card (that was used on PayPal as a 2nd option after the credit card rightfully refused the charge), close my PayPal account (after their 2nd refusal to stop the payment), freeze my credit cards and have my bank stop payment on the charge. I will get new debit and credit cards in a few days, but for now I no ability to use any of these accounts.
I changed passwords on all of my Google accounts and online bank accounts. I can at least breathe a sigh of relief regarding the unauthorized $250 charge by Meta. But as for the false accusation and being blocked at every turn in trying to at least defend myself, that’s beyond frustrating. And there’s also some emotional pain there, not just from this horrible false accusation, but from this enforced and unnecessary block in staying close and in communication with my family while I’m away from them.
I will be satisfied when my Facebook, Messenger and Instagram accounts are all restored to their former condition, status and operation as they were before this hack took place, and all offensive illegal content removed.
I will re-institute 2-step verification and any other necessary secruity measures on my part, but will expect Meta to also safeguard my account.
