The question of your channel security is something you should never neglect or compromise. The latest statistics show that the cases of YouTube account thefts are growing daily and becoming increasingly sophisticated. Staying one step ahead of cybercriminals isn’t just advisable; it’s a necessity. This guide will arm you with practical strategies to safeguard your channel, recognize early warning signs of unauthorized activity, and act swiftly if the unthinkable happens.
How to Protect The YouTube Channel from Theft
How can you protect yourself and your channel? Prevention is always the best solution. To minimize risks, here are professional recommendations:
- Never Share Access to Your Channel: YouTube never requests passwords, identification numbers, or any other financial or personal data, and whoever tells you otherwise is lying.
- Enable Two-Step Authentication (2FA). 2FA is your best anti-hacking soldier that provides the highest level of security and helps protect your account. Always ignore any requests to disable 2FA under any pretext, even if the request allegedly comes from YouTube.
- Ignore Suspicious Messages and Emails. Thieves will often ask you to follow links or fill in forms. Under no circumstances should you respond to such requests.
- Avoid Downloading Unknown Files. Scammers often put on the guise of advertising agents offering you unbelievable opportunities and asking to open or download files. Always google domain names, phone numbers, and account nicknames, and never open or download suspicious files.
- Be Wary of Channel Purchase Offers. This is one of the strategies scammers use to steal channels. Always use specialized services for Internet transfers and ask for payment in advance to discourage scammers. Remember also, that YouTube policies prohibit the sale of channels and therefore the platform does not provide help in such cases.
So, you’ve done everything right and didn’t jeopardize your channel security, but still, your channel got hacked. Unfortunately, this can happen; the resourcefulness of scammers seems to never end.
What are the Signs that Your YouTube Channel Got Hijacked?
Some signs of account hijacking may seem minor at the start, but can escalate quickly if ignored. Watch for these red flags:
- Unexpected Changes to Account Details
If your channel name, profile picture, video descriptions, or associated email addresses suddenly change without your input, someone may have gained access. - Unauthorized Video Uploads
Scammers may upload content, often promoting scams like cryptocurrency schemes, to exploit your audience or violate YouTube’s policies. - Altered AdSense or Monetization Settings
If your AdSense account is disconnected or linked to an unfamiliar account, this is a clear sign of interference. - Login Alerts from Unrecognized Devices or Locations
Google typically sends notifications when your account is accessed from a new device or IP address. Take these alerts seriously and act promptly.
If you notice any of these signs, it’s critical to respond immediately to prevent further damage.
Common Schemes of YouTube Channel Theft
The hacking schemes are always evolving and improving. However, here are the most common ones:
- Phishing Emails and Messages: Hackers send emails pretending to be from YouTube, often with alarming subject lines like "Your Account Will Be Terminated." These emails include malicious links to fake login pages that steal your credentials.
- Fake Sponsorship Offers: Scammers pose as representatives of reputable brands offering paid promotions. These often include links to malware disguised as contracts or product details.
- Browser Extensions or Add-Ons: Some extensions may claim to enhance your YouTube experience but instead steal your login details. Always download extensions from verified sources.
What to Do if Your YouTube Channel is Hacked and Stolen
If you still have access to your account, check if anyone signed in from other devices and if they did sign out of those devices and change your password. To review devices that have used your account, follow these steps:
- Go to your Google Account.
- Click Security on the left navigation panel.
- Select Manage devices on the Your devices panel.
- You’ll see devices that signed in to your account.
To sign out on a device, select the device and click Sign out.
When changing your password, choose a strong one that you haven’t already used with this account.
If you’ve lost access to your account, fill in this form. You’ll be asked to answer some questions to recover your account. Answer them as best as you can and try not to skip questions even if you’re unsure of an answer. Use the device you’ve always used to access your account and preferably from the same location. Be patient as the number of creators who had their channels stolen grows daily and it might take months to receive an answer from YouTube.
AIR Can Help You Get Your YouTube Channel Back
But if you don’t want to wait and desire to recover access to your account as soon as possible, you can request an account recovery through AIR Media-Tech. Our experience and special relationship with the platform allow us to prioritize your case and minimize the chances of refusal. Sometimes when creators apply for help to YouTube directly, the platform might see them as a scammer and deny assistance. We can confirm that the recovery email belongs to the rightful owner and recover access to your account.
Our support team regularly monitors partnering channels for any suspicious activity. In many cases, we notice the early signs and recover access before it gets blocked by scammers. We regularly check creators’ Personal Accounts to make sure they haven’t been hacked and the person we talk to is the real channel owner. Sometimes we identify problems before channel owners do. We contact them immediately and provide them with the channel recovery form that they have to fill in. After they do that, we continue working directly with YouTube to recover the channel.
The key condition for account recovery is to respond to your partnering MCN. In 2020 we successfully recovered 19 channels for creators that stayed in contact with us. But 8 channels were not recovered simply because the channel owners never responded.
The safety of your channel is not something you should be lax about. Always stay alert to any suspicious activity, ignore any requests to provide account data or follow links, and report immediately if your YouTube channel was stolen. From the moment your account was hacked, every minute counts. The sooner you start the recovery process, the better results you’ll get. So, don’t waste any time and report immediately to receive timely help.