Jacob’s small business page was hacked

The issue

Jacob’s* social media account was hacked, and the account recovery details changed. He operates his business primarily through social media pages linked to his account, which is his main source of income.

After he was hacked, he could no longer contact customers or promote his products. The hacker asked for a ransom of $5,000 to recover the account.

The investigation

Jacob tried to contact the social media platform for help but received no response.

The outcome

He was worried about his business staying afloat, so he contacted the TIO.

*Names of all parties have been changed.