Who Do Social Media Hackers Target?
Social media is so deeply intertwined into our lives that as our online presence grows, so does the opportunity for cybercriminals to exploit it. Our data shows just how widespread social media hacking is and who hackers typically target.
How Widespread is Social Media Hacking Across the UK?
Hacked social media accounts remain the most common cybercrime we see at The Cyber Helpline, and reports to Action Fraud for social media and email account hacking cases rose by 57% in 2024. Unfortunately this isn’t just because more individuals are online, the tactics cybercriminals use are becoming more advanced.
Social Media Hacking Trends and Insights
Hacked social media is perhaps the most common cybercrime we see at The Cyber Helpline because almost everyone who has internet access - regardless of demographic - has at least one social media account.
38.8% of 25-39 year olds reported hacked social media accounts. In addition, 30.8% of 40-66 year olds reported. Young adults were third most likely to experience hacked social accounts, compared to 66+ year olds whose risk declines substantially. It’s important to recognise that whilst hacked social media can affect everyone, the methods cybercriminals use to target groups of individuals may differ.
Our data shows women were most likely to disclose they were victimised by social media account hacking, with men and non-binary people also reporting such cases.
At the point of contacting The Cyber Helpline, 23.3% had reported to the police, but 76.7% did not report.
Understanding how widespread hacking has become and recognising evolving trends are the first steps toward protecting yourself online.