Locked Out of Facebook: How to Protect Your Business

What Getting Locked Out of Facebook and Messenger
Taught Me About Protecting My Business

Last year something happened that I hope never happens to you.

In an instant, I lost access to both my Facebook and Messenger accounts.

I honestly can't tell you how awful that felt.

One minute I was replying to a question on Facebook, and the next I was locked out of everything. My personal profile disappeared. My business page disappeared. Messenger disappeared. It was as though I'd become invisible online.

It wasn't because I'd been hacked.

It wasn't because I'd done anything malicious.

The Facebook bots simply got it wrong.

I'd replied to someone's question by typing a website address that started with the three "W's". Within seconds, Facebook decided I was a cyber threat and immediately suspended my accounts.

The timing was awful… I was setting up at a market. The only device I had with me was my phone.

I asked Dionne, the stallholder beside me if she could still see my Facebook page.

She searched.

Nothing.

She tried Messenger.

Nothing.

That was the moment I realised this was real.

Facebook offered me the opportunity to appeal through a video identity check. I had to record myself turning my head left and right while facial recognition confirmed I was me. They advised it might take a few days.

It took more than six weeks.

Staying Calm

I was furious.

My business had been built largely through Facebook. I had ongoing Messenger conversations with customers, friends and my team. My daughter's netball team communicated through Messenger. I was the team manager and suddenly had no way of contacting everyone. I was an administrator of several Facebook pages.

I remember thinking, "What do I do now?"

Then something Sam Hind often says popped into my head.

"You can't always control what happens, but you can control how you respond."

I couldn't fix Facebook that day.

But I could decide what to do next.

Who would know where to start?

I sent a text to Emma, who built my website, just letting her know what had happened and asking if she had any ideas. She is amazing with technology, so that was a logical place to start.

Instead of focusing on what I had lost, I asked myself:

What do I still have?

That simple question was the starting point.

Taking Stock

Thankfully, Facebook wasn't my entire business.

I still had:

• Instagram
• LinkedIn
• My website
• My customer email list
• My Square Reader customer database
• Google Business
• My phone contacts

Those became my business lifeline.

The very first thing I did was email my customers and my team to explain what had happened and tell them where they could still find me.

Instagram suddenly became my "home base."

Ironically, I'd always felt Instagram gave me plenty of reach but not nearly as much business as Facebook. Now it was all I had in the world of social media.

So I leaned into it.

I started reconnecting with customers and friends on Instagram, sending messages explaining what had happened and asking them to reconnect.

Every single person accepted.

In fact, my Instagram following actually grew during those weeks.

Two Beehives Are Better Than One

One of my hobbies is beekeeping.

We have two hives in our backyard.

There is a saying in relation to beekeeping:

"Two hives are better than one."

If one hive loses its queen or runs into trouble, the other hive has the resources to help rebuild it. (The bees will make a new Queen).

That logic applied perfectly to my business.

Instagram became my second hive.

It became the resource that helped keep my business alive while Facebook was unavailable.

Looking back, I'm incredibly grateful I'd invested time in building more than one platform.

The Long Road Back

One of the biggest frustrations was discovering there is no phone number to call Facebook.

Once you're locked out, you also lose access to many of the online support options because, as far as Facebook is concerned, you practically no longer exist.

Thankfully, my wonderful friend Emma had been doing some research.

She found an article about people successfully recovering their Facebook accounts by becoming Meta Verified through Instagram. It wasn't guaranteed, but it gave me hope.

There was a waiting list before I could even become verified. This took over a week.

Once I finally was, I could speak to a real person.

That wasn't the end of the story though.

The first Meta support person told me my case should be straightforward.

Then...

Nothing happened.

The request simply disappeared.

So I tried again.

Still no result.

In total, I think I had four different support cases before someone finally dealt with the problem.

The last support representative was fantastic. He even rang me back when he promised he would.

Ironically, the phone call came while I was on one of a coaching Zoom meeting where we were discussing the topic of feeling "stuck."

My Facebook and Messenger accounts were back.

Every memory.

Every photo.

Every friendship.

Every conversation.

Every Group.

I don't think I've ever been so relieved.

My buddy “Chat” was a great help

One tool I hadn't expected to rely on was ChatGPT. It quickly ruled out the option of finding a phone number for Facebook… That rainbow unicorn does not exist.

Each time I needed to explain my situation to Meta Support, ChatGPT helped me write clear, professional messages that explained exactly what had happened without the emotion taking over.

Sometimes when we're stressed, frustrated, and angry, it's difficult to write objectively.

Having that support made a huge difference.

Real friends are awesome (not just my AI buddy).

My friend Sue started a where has Simone gone campaign, a bit like " Where is Wally?”  So, the Facebook groups that I was usually active in were aware of how to contact me.

Emma’s suggestion really was the key to getting me back on Facebook and Messenger

Kathryn kept the CWA group going.

Lyn and Brodie helped with the netball team.

Sam helped when I felt stuck.

Cassie made me realise how helpful Google was.

So many reached out to support me during this time… apologies for only naming a handful.

Looking Back

Not long ago, I attended a BNI meeting where the guest speaker, Prosper Taruvinga, shared his own Facebook story.

He too lost his Facebook account.

Unfortunately, his ending wasn't as positive as mine.

His entire business relied almost exclusively on Facebook.

He didn't have customer email addresses.

He didn't have phone numbers.

He didn't have another way to contact clients.

When he lost Facebook, he lost his business.

He estimated it cost him more than $250,000.

Hearing his story made me realise just how fortunate I'd been.

Yes, it was stressful.

Yes, it impacted my business.

But I had other ways to stay connected.

What I Learned

If my experience helps even one business owner avoid the same stress, then something good has come from it.

Here are my biggest takeaways:

• Don't rely on one social media platform.
• Think of Facebook, Instagram and Messenger as tools—not your business.
• Build an email list.
• Keep your customer information somewhere you control.
• Download customer records wherever possible.
• Have multiple ways customers can find you.
• Keep your website current.
• Use a CRM like Square Reader so your customer information isn't tied to one platform.
• If you create Facebook Events, consider adding a co-host so someone else can still manage them if something happens.
• Continue growing more than one social platform, even if one performs better than the others.
• Have a second person as an admin on your Facebook Business account; they will still have access if you can’t access the platform.

Today I also choose to keep my Meta accounts verified.

It's an expense I'd rather not have, but after what happened, I see it as insurance.

Your Business Is Bigger Than Social Media

Facebook still brings me wonderful business, and I'm incredibly grateful to have my accounts back.

But I see it differently now.

Facebook isn't my business.

Instagram isn't my business.

Messenger isn't my business.

They are simply pathways or pipelines that lead people back to my business.

Your business should always belong to you, not to a social media platform.

The platforms are too fragile, with the Bots just getting it wrong.

The image here shows the different tools and pipelines that now make up my business ecosystem. They're all connected, and they all support one another.

If I ever lost access to one platform again, it would still be difficult.

But it wouldn't stop my business.

If sharing my experience encourages you to spend an hour this week backing up your customer list, updating your website or growing another platform, then this story has been worth telling.

Learn from my experience.

It can happen in an instant.

Being prepared makes all the difference.

Simone x