Before we discuss how to get back your ad accounts and restart advertising, it's important to understand why these issues happen. This knowledge will help prevent future problems and save you time and money.
Getting your ad account disabled or hacked is quite common, especially if you're new to advertising, though it can happen even to experienced professionals.
In this guide, we'll properly examine why these issues occur and how you can get your ad account back.
Hacked Ad Account
If your ad account is hacked and you think someone else is using it, this means your profile has been compromised. Someone probably knows your password or somehow has access to your profile or Business Manager, which is why they were able to access your ad account.
Ways to Secure Your Profile and Ad Account
To keep your ad account safe, you need to keep your profiles secure. You can follow these methods below to protect your profile from hackers.
- Enable Two-Factor Authentication (2FA): This adds an extra layer of security by requiring a code from your phone when logging in
- Use Strong Passwords: Create unique, complex passwords that combine letters, numbers, and special characters
- Regular Security Checks: Monitor your account activity and check login history frequently
- Secure Business Manager Access: Only give access to trusted team members and regularly review who has permissions
- Keep Payment Info Safe: Regularly verify your payment methods and remove any outdated payment information
- Use Trusted Devices: Only log in from secure, trusted devices and avoid public computers
- Update Contact Info: Keep your recovery email and phone number up to date for account recovery
Remember to log out when using shared devices and never share your login credentials with anyone.
How to Know if Your Ad Account Was Hacked?
Hackers are smart and operate in ways that make it hard to detect their activities until it's too late. Your ad account could be hacked, and hackers might use your available balance or card details to run ads on your behalf. This is a type of fraud that, while rare, does happen—so it's better to stay protected. Here are the things you should monitor to verify that everything is alright.
- Unexpected Charges: You notice unauthorized or unusual charges on your payment method
- Unknown Ads Running: You see ads that you didn't create running from your account
- Changed Settings: Your account settings, payment information, or access permissions have been modified without your knowledge
- Strange Login Locations: You notice login activity from unfamiliar locations in your account history
- Email Notifications: You receive notifications about account changes you didn't make
- Unusual Spending Patterns: Your ad spend suddenly increases or shows patterns you didn't authorize
If you notice any of these signs, take immediate action to secure your account:
- Change your password immediately
- Enable two-factor authentication if not already active
- Review and remove any unauthorized access or admin permissions
- Contact Facebook support to report the security breach
- Check and update your payment information
Read More: Facebook Ad Account Disabled For No Reason, How To Fix ASAP in 2025
What Happens When Your Account Is Hacked?
If hackers gain access to your ad account, they can misuse it in several ways. They might use your card details to make payments to Facebook and run unauthorized ads. However, Facebook has been increasing their security measures against these frauds. That's why if your ad account gets hacked or compromised, Facebook's systems might disable your account temporarily to keep it safe.
How to Recover a Hacked Account
To get back your ad account, you need to inform Facebook about the situation and secure your account. Then you wait until they review it. If they find you were the victim of hacking, they will reinstate your ad account.
Even though Facebook is improving their fraud detection systems, it's still better to follow all the security measures we discussed above to keep your account safe and prevent these issues from happening.
Disabled Ad Accounts
This is quite common, and in some cases you can get your disabled ad account back if you have followed Facebook's rules and policies. Let's understand why they ban ad accounts at a deeper level.
Understanding Facebook's Ban Process
Facebook takes ad account banning very seriously to maintain the quality and safety of their advertising platform. Here are the main reasons why Facebook bans ad accounts:
- Policy Violations: Not following Facebook's advertising policies, community standards, or terms of service
- Suspicious Activity: Unusual spending patterns, multiple payment method changes, or suspicious login behavior
- Poor Ad Quality: Low-quality ads, misleading content, or excessive negative feedback from users
- Restricted Content: Promoting prohibited items, services, or content that violates Facebook's guidelines
- Account Trust: New accounts or those with a history of violations are more likely to face restrictio
Understanding these reasons is crucial because it helps you:
- Prevent future bans by following guidelines correctly
- Prepare better appeals if your account gets disabled
- Maintain a good standing with Facebook's advertising platform
The key is to maintain transparency and follow Facebook's policies consistently while running your ads.
Read More: Pros and Cons of Using Agency Ad Accounts
Meta's Rules and Guidelines
Meta has strict rules and guidelines that all advertisers must follow to maintain a safe and effective advertising platform. Here are the key areas:
Advertising Content Standards
- Prohibited Content: No promotion of illegal products, drugs, weapons, or adult content
- Restricted Content: Special requirements for ads about alcohol, gambling, dating, or financial services
- Image Guidelines: No excessive text in ad images, no shocking or violent content
Technical Requirements
- Landing Pages: Must be functional, relevant to the ad, and provide good user experience
- Ad Quality: Clear, accurate, and free from grammatical errors
- Media Specs: Correct image sizes, video lengths, and file formats
Business Practices
- Accurate Information: Business details must be truthful and verifiable
- Customer Service: Must handle customer issues professionally
- Transparency: Clear disclosure of costs, terms, and conditions
Account Management
- Payment Methods: Valid, authorized payment sources only
- Account Access: Only authorized personnel should have access
Breaking these rules can lead to account restrictions or permanent bans. It's important to regularly review Meta's latest policies as they often update their guidelines.
Ways to Recover Your Ad Account
If your ad account has been disabled, here are the steps you can take to try to recover it:
- File an Appeal: Go to Meta Business Help Center and submit a formal appeal explaining your situation
- Review Violation Notifications: Check all notifications from Facebook about why your account was disabled
- Fix Policy Violations: Address any policy violations mentioned in the notifications before appealing
- Wait for Review: Be patient as Meta reviews your appeal - this can take several days
Important tips when appealing:
- Be professional and courteous in your communication
- Provide clear, accurate information
- Explain what steps you've taken to comply with policies
- Include any relevant account details or reference numbers
While waiting for a response, avoid creating new cases or support tickets as this could further delay your situation.
Conclusion
To get back your ad account, first fix any mistakes you've made, then contact support and explain the situation. Wait for their reply. If you don't receive a response after appealing to support for 5-6 days, you can raise a new support ticket and mention the old ticket ID to ask for updates.
Keep in mind that in most cases, if they find everything is alright, your ad account will be reinstated. However, in some cases, your ad account might get disabled permanently.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q1. How long does the account recovery process typically take?
Ans: The account recovery process typically takes 5-7 business days on average. However, the timeline can vary depending on several factors.
During this time, it's important to:
- Monitor your email for communications from Meta
- Avoid creating multiple appeal requests as this can delay the process
- Keep proof of any relevant information ready if requested
Q2. Can I prevent future hacks if I've been hacked once before?
Ans: Yes, you can prevent further hacking attacks. Just make sure to follow the security measures mentioned in this guide to keep your profile and Business Manager safe, ensuring your ad account always stays protected.
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