For some hacked Facebook users, it can be a lengthy nightmare to get their accounts back from the social media giant. That’s why some of these users have begun to take creative and unorthodox steps to get Facebook’s attention, including buying $300 Oculus VR headsets just to prove to Facebook that they’ve bought something from the company.

Though Facebook has an automated system in place to help hacked users recover their accounts, many say that the process can take weeks — especially during COVID-19, which Facebook says has caused the company to have fewer people available to review such cases.

“I sent these forms in morning, noon and night, multiple times a day,” one hacked Facebook user said. “Nobody got back to me, not once.”

To get around this delay, some users have tried unusual tricks, including contacting Facebook’s customer service line about a product they have bought.

“The only way you can get any customer service is if you prove that you’ve actually purchased something from them,” a user said.

Of course, these are not sustainable or acceptable methods to get a hacked account back. A Facebook spokesperson admitted that there’s still room for improvement in this area — but that might be a severe understatement.

We often encourage users to beef up their Facebook security to help prevent their accounts from getting hacked in the place.

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