Yet small investments to buy or steal user data can yield big gains because 66% of people use the same passwords for multiple accounts [*]. This means that if one account gets breached, it could give hackers access to many more.
You can also report a hacked account to Facebook using the facebook.com/hacked link. Simply follow the on-screen instructions to give Facebook an overview of your situation and report the suspicious activity. If the cloned account has blocked you, you can ask your friends on Facebook to follow the same procedure and report it to Facebook.
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Some social media services let you link apps to your account. These apps are able to post for you, as well as read and write information about your account. You may have authorized a number of apps to use Facebook or Twitter, but hackers may plant their own apps thinking that you may not notice, and use them at a later date.
Spyware: Here hackers attempt to gather sensitive data about you, such as your log in details. They might use key loggers to record what you type and eventually have the information they need to log in to your accounts. In one example, the OSX/OpinionSpy spyware was stealing data from infected Macs and selling it on the dark web.
A lot of bad things can be done whenever a hacker gets his hands on your Facebook account. They can post anything they like with you being all helpless to do anything about it. Imagine yourself chilling at home, as your friends start calling nonstop to warn you the inappropriate posts are on your timeline. To avoid all of that, you should take certain precautions while using Facebook, and here are a few.
Every time that you visit a website or online service, that site can detect your IP address. This allows the service to track you each time you return to its site. As a result, it can engage in profiling to figure out what you are interested in on its site.\nYour IP address also allows the site to detect which country you are in, which allows it to enforce geo-restrictions. This may cause you to be locked out of its service when you go on vacation, or cause you to be served differing content in different regions (as is the case on Netflix, for example).\nFinally, if you engage in any Peer to Peer activities such as torrenting, it is essential to conceal your IP address. When you connect directly to other internet users P2P it is possible for them to see your home IP. If you torrent without a VPN, for example, you could expose yourself to hackers who are also on the swarm, and those nefarious individuals could probe your IP for vulnerabilities such as open ports.\nBy using a VPN, you conceal your IP address from other internet users, which removes the potential of them attacking you either by exploiting vulnerabilities or by engaging in DDoS attacks (something that can happen if you play competitive games).","author":"@type":"Person","name":"Paul Bischoff","description":"Paul is Comparitech\u2019s editor and a regular commentator on cyber security and privacy topics in national and international media including New York Times, BBC, Forbes, The Guardian and many others. He's been writing about the tech industry since 2012 for publications like Tech in Asia, Mashable, and various startup blogs. \nPaul has an in-depth knowledge of VPNs, having been an early adopter while looking to access the open internet during this time in China.\nHe previously worked in Beijing as an editor for Tech in Asia, and has been writing and reporting on technology for the last decade. He has also volunteered as a teacher for older adults learning basic tech literacy and cyber awareness. You can find him on Twitter at @pabischoff.\n","url":"https:\/\/www.comparitech.com\/author\/paul-bischoff\/"}},"@type":"Question","name":"Can my IP address leak my identity?","answerCount":1,"acceptedAnswer":"@type":"Answer","text":"Your IP address doesn\u2019t directly give away sensitive information such as your contact details or exact location. As such, an IP address on its own does not leak your identity. However, cybercriminals could use your IP address as a starting point to find out more information about you. Piecing this together could lead to a cybercriminal hacking your device or impersonating you. Using a VPN ensures your IP address is hidden.","author":"@type":"Person","name":"Paul Bischoff","description":"Paul is Comparitech\u2019s editor and a regular commentator on cyber security and privacy topics in national and international media including New York Times, BBC, Forbes, The Guardian and many others. He's been writing about the tech industry since 2012 for publications like Tech in Asia, Mashable, and various startup blogs. \nPaul has an in-depth knowledge of VPNs, having been an early adopter while looking to access the open internet during this time in China.\nHe previously worked in Beijing as an editor for Tech in Asia, and has been writing and reporting on technology for the last decade. He has also volunteered as a teacher for older adults learning basic tech literacy and cyber awareness. You can find him on Twitter at @pabischoff.\n","url":"https:\/\/www.comparitech.com\/author\/paul-bischoff\/","@type":"Question","name":"How do I hide my IP address on iPhone?","answerCount":1,"acceptedAnswer":"@type":"Answer","text":"The easiest way to hide your IP address on your iPhone is to use a VPN. This requires signing up with a VPN service that offers an app for iOS (all major providers do). Once you\u2019ve signed up, you\u2019ll be able to download and install the iOS app on your iPhone. You can then log in to the app and connect to a server in your preferred location. This assigns you a new IP address, effectively hiding your true IP address and location on iPhone.","author":"@type":"Person","name":"Paul Bischoff","description":"Paul is Comparitech\u2019s editor and a regular commentator on cyber security and privacy topics in national and international media including New York Times, BBC, Forbes, The Guardian and many others. He's been writing about the tech industry since 2012 for publications like Tech in Asia, Mashable, and various startup blogs. \nPaul has an in-depth knowledge of VPNs, having been an early adopter while looking to access the open internet during this time in China.\nHe previously worked in Beijing as an editor for Tech in Asia, and has been writing and reporting on technology for the last decade. He has also volunteered as a teacher for older adults learning basic tech literacy and cyber awareness. You can find him on Twitter at @pabischoff.\n","url":"https:\/\/www.comparitech.com\/author\/paul-bischoff\/","@type":"Question","name":"How do I hide my IP address on Android devices?","answerCount":1,"acceptedAnswer":"@type":"Answer","text":"To hide your IP address on your Android device you should sign up with a VPN provider before downloading its Android app. You can then download and install the Android app on your device (this should only take a minute). Open the app and then connect to a server. Any server will do although the closer a server to your location, the faster the connection is likely to be. You\u2019ll now have a new IP address while your actual IP address is hidden.","author":"@type":"Person","name":"Paul Bischoff","description":"Paul is Comparitech\u2019s editor and a regular commentator on cyber security and privacy topics in national and international media including New York Times, BBC, Forbes, The Guardian and many others. He's been writing about the tech industry since 2012 for publications like Tech in Asia, Mashable, and various startup blogs. \nPaul has an in-depth knowledge of VPNs, having been an early adopter while looking to access the open internet during this time in China.\nHe previously worked in Beijing as an editor for Tech in Asia, and has been writing and reporting on technology for the last decade. He has also volunteered as a teacher for older adults learning basic tech literacy and cyber awareness. You can find him on Twitter at @pabischoff.\n","url":"https:\/\/www.comparitech.com\/author\/paul-bischoff\/","@type":"Question","name":"Is hiding your IP address legal?","answerCount":1,"acceptedAnswer":"@type":"Answer","text":"Yes, it\u2019s perfectly legal to hide your IP address. Using a VPN hides your IP address and the good news is that VPNs are legal in the vast majority of countries. A few exceptions include China, Russia, and the United Arab Emirates. However, it should be noted that any illegal online activities such as torrenting copyrighted material remain illegal, regardless of whether you\u2019re using a VPN to hide your IP address.","author":"@type":"Person","name":"Paul Bischoff","description":"Paul is Comparitech\u2019s editor and a regular commentator on cyber security and privacy topics in national and international media including New York Times, BBC, Forbes, The Guardian and many others. He's been writing about the tech industry since 2012 for publications like Tech in Asia, Mashable, and various startup blogs. \nPaul has an in-depth knowledge of VPNs, having been an early adopter while looking to access the open internet during this time in China.\nHe previously worked in Beijing as an editor for Tech in Asia, and has been writing and reporting on technology for the last decade. He has also volunteered as a teacher for older adults learning basic tech literacy and cyber awareness. You can find him on Twitter at @pabischoff.\n","url":"https:\/\/www.comparitech.com\/author\/paul-bischoff\/","@type":"Question","name":"How can I check if my IP address is hidden?","answerCount":1,"acceptedAnswer":"@type":"Answer","text":"It\u2019s actually very easy to check if your IP address is hidden. First, make sure you\u2019re connected to a VPN server. This is how you are assigned a different IP address. It may be that the VPN app you\u2019re using displays the new IP address. However, you can make sure by using our IP address checker tool. Not only does this show your current IP address, it provides an approximate location so you can see if it matches the VPN server to which you\u2019re connected.","author":"@type":"Person","name":"Paul Bischoff","description":"Paul is Comparitech\u2019s editor and a regular commentator on cyber security and privacy topics in national and international media including New York Times, BBC, Forbes, The Guardian and many others. He's been writing about the tech industry since 2012 for publications like Tech in Asia, Mashable, and various startup blogs. \nPaul has an in-depth knowledge of VPNs, having been an early adopter while looking to access the open internet during this time in China.\nHe previously worked in Beijing as an editor for Tech in Asia, and has been writing and reporting on technology for the last decade. He has also volunteered as a teacher for older adults learning basic tech literacy and cyber awareness. You can find him on Twitter at @pabischoff.\n","url":"https:\/\/www.comparitech.com\/author\/paul-bischoff\/","@type":"Question","name":"Is my IP address permanent?","answerCount":1,"acceptedAnswer":"@type":"Answer","text":"Not exactly. The IP address provided by your Internet Service Provider (ISP) may be static which means it doesn't change. Alternatively, it may be dynamic, meaning it can change. If having a static IP address as assigned by your ISP concerns you, you can use a VPN to change your IP address. This means your browsing activity will no longer be connected to you.","author":"@type":"Person","name":"Paul Bischoff","description":"Paul is Comparitech\u2019s editor and a regular commentator on cyber security and privacy topics in national and international media including New York Times, BBC, Forbes, The Guardian and many others. He's been writing about the tech industry since 2012 for publications like Tech in Asia, Mashable, and various startup blogs. \nPaul has an in-depth knowledge of VPNs, having been an early adopter while looking to access the open internet during this time in China.\nHe previously worked in Beijing as an editor for Tech in Asia, and has been writing and reporting on technology for the last decade. He has also volunteered as a teacher for older adults learning basic tech literacy and cyber awareness. You can find him on Twitter at @pabischoff.\n","url":"https:\/\/www.comparitech.com\/author\/paul-bischoff\/","@type":"Question","name":"Can I choose which city my new IP comes from?","answerCount":1,"acceptedAnswer":"@type":"Answer","text":"Certain VPNs allow you to choose which city your new IP address points to. However, it's rare for providers to have servers in more than a few cities in each country, since the cost of maintaining hardware all over the world can quickly build up. This is also one of the reasons why free VPNs are less likely to let you select a city. After all, these providers are more focused on getting users an IP address from a few in-demand locations than on providing city-specific IP addresses.","author":"@type":"Person","name":"Paul Bischoff","description":"Paul is Comparitech\u2019s editor and a regular commentator on cyber security and privacy topics in national and international media including New York Times, BBC, Forbes, The Guardian and many others. He's been writing about the tech industry since 2012 for publications like Tech in Asia, Mashable, and various startup blogs. \nPaul has an in-depth knowledge of VPNs, having been an early adopter while looking to access the open internet during this time in China.\nHe previously worked in Beijing as an editor for Tech in Asia, and has been writing and reporting on technology for the last decade. He has also volunteered as a teacher for older adults learning basic tech literacy and cyber awareness. You can find him on Twitter at @pabischoff.\n","url":"https:\/\/www.comparitech.com\/author\/paul-bischoff\/","@type":"Question","name":"Can I hide my real IP address from advertising networks?","answerCount":1,"acceptedAnswer":"@type":"Answer","text":"There are a few ways to hide your real IP address from advertising networks. One way is to use a VPN, which will encrypt your traffic and route it through a server in another location. This will mask your true IP address.\nAnother way is to use an ad blocker, which will block all advertisements from websites. This will also prevent advertising networks from tracking your activity on the web. However, ad blockers can be annoying to use and may not work on all websites.","author":"@type":"Person","name":"Paul Bischoff","description":"Paul is Comparitech\u2019s editor and a regular commentator on cyber security and privacy topics in national and international media including New York Times, BBC, Forbes, The Guardian and many others. He's been writing about the tech industry since 2012 for publications like Tech in Asia, Mashable, and various startup blogs. \nPaul has an in-depth knowledge of VPNs, having been an early adopter while looking to access the open internet during this time in China.\nHe previously worked in Beijing as an editor for Tech in Asia, and has been writing and reporting on technology for the last decade. He has also volunteered as a teacher for older adults learning basic tech literacy and cyber awareness. You can find him on Twitter at @pabischoff.\n","url":"https:\/\/www.comparitech.com\/author\/paul-bischoff\/","@type":"Question","name":"Can I hide my IP address to get around government restrictions?","answerCount":1,"acceptedAnswer":"@type":"Answer","text":"There are a few methods that can be used to hide your IP address and thereby get around government restrictions. One way is to use a VPN. Another way is to use Tor, which is a free software that allows people to browse the internet anonymously. However, doing so can be risky and may not always be successful.","author":"@type":"Person","name":"Paul Bischoff","description":"Paul is Comparitech\u2019s editor and a regular commentator on cyber security and privacy topics in national and international media including New York Times, BBC, Forbes, The Guardian and many others. He's been writing about the tech industry since 2012 for publications like Tech in Asia, Mashable, and various startup blogs. \nPaul has an in-depth knowledge of VPNs, having been an early adopter while looking to access the open internet during this time in China.\nHe previously worked in Beijing as an editor for Tech in Asia, and has been writing and reporting on technology for the last decade. He has also volunteered as a teacher for older adults learning basic tech literacy and cyber awareness. You can find him on Twitter at @pabischoff.\n","url":"https:\/\/www.comparitech.com\/author\/paul-bischoff\/","@type":"Question","name":"Can an IP address reveal your specific location?","answerCount":1,"acceptedAnswer":"@type":"Answer","text":"The good news is that an IP address can\u2019t reveal your specific location. Should someone take the time to look up your IP address via an IP lookup tool, they\u2019ll be provided with an approximate location (most likely the nearest major city). They\u2019ll also be able to see your ISP. However, none of this information is enough to reveal your specific location on its own. Indeed, it would only be a starting point in trying to locate you.\nIf you\u2019re curious to see this information for yourself, take a look at our IP address Check tool.","author":"@type":"Person","name":"Paul Bischoff","description":"Paul is Comparitech\u2019s editor and a regular commentator on cyber security and privacy topics in national and international media including New York Times, BBC, Forbes, The Guardian and many others. He's been writing about the tech industry since 2012 for publications like Tech in Asia, Mashable, and various startup blogs. \nPaul has an in-depth knowledge of VPNs, having been an early adopter while looking to access the open internet during this time in China.\nHe previously worked in Beijing as an editor for Tech in Asia, and has been writing and reporting on technology for the last decade. He has also volunteered as a teacher for older adults learning basic tech literacy and cyber awareness. You can find him on Twitter at @pabischoff.\n","url":"https:\/\/www.comparitech.com\/author\/paul-bischoff\/"]} "@context":"http:\/\/schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":["@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.comparitech.com\/","@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Blog","item":"https:\/\/www.comparitech.com\/blog\/","@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"VPN & Privacy","item":"https:\/\/www.comparitech.com\/blog\/vpn-privacy\/","@type":"ListItem","position":4,"name":"How to Hide Your IP address","item":"https:\/\/www.comparitech.com\/blog\/vpn-privacy\/hide-ip-address-free\/"]BlogVPN & PrivacyHow to Hide Your IP address We are funded by our readers and may receive a commission when you buy using links on our site. How to hide your IP address (8 ways, 6 are free) Your IP address can be used to track your device and location over the internet. We explain how to change or hide your IP address for free so you can protect your privacy online. Paul Bischoff TECH WRITER, PRIVACY ADVOCATE AND VPN EXPERT @pabischoff UPDATED: January 6, 2023 body.single .section.main-content.sidebar-active .col.grid-item.sidebar.span_1_of_3 float: right; body.single .section.main-content.sidebar-active .col.grid-item.content.span_2_of_3 margin-left: 0; 2ff7e9595c
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