PlayStation Account Hacked? Here’s What to Do!

Header

Author: Trend Micro

November 5, 2021

This article is from Trend Micro.

Do you have reason to believe your PlayStation Network account has been compromised? Maybe you’ve received some unusual credit card notifications, or your bank statement has some unexplained purchases on it, or maybe you’ve even received a receipt from the PlayStation Store via email. The last one’s a smoking gun, but they can all be big signs that somebody has gained access to your PSN account. If you think that’s the case, here’s what you need to do!

Step #1 — Try to reset your password

The hacker may have changed your password, but resetting it yourself can help you regain control of your account. Here’s how to do it:

1.     Click here and select Trouble Signing In > Reset your password and enter your sign-in ID (your email address).

2.     You will receive an email containing a verification link. It is normal for it to take a few minutes to arrive, but if you don’t receive it within 24 hours, follow the steps outlined here.

3.     Click on the verification link in the email, fill in the required information, and set a new password. For tips on creating super-strong passwords, check out our awesome article here!

If you were able to reset your password, move on to step 2. Otherwise, you should contact Sony directly for help resecuring your account. You can do so by clicking here.

Step #2 — Kick the hacker out!

After changing your password, you can banish the hacker for good by requiring all devices to log back in (but the hacker doesn’t have your new password!). Here’s what you need to do:

1.     Go here and sign in to your account.

2.     From the panel on the left-hand side, select Security.

3.     Click on Sign Out on All Devices in the bottom right.

Step #3 — Secure your account with 2FA

Not sure what 2FA is? You probably want to check out this article: What is Two-Factor Authentication and How Does It Work?

In short, 2FA (or 2-step verification as Sony calls it) adds an extra layer of security to your PlayStation Network account.

To set it up, click here and follow the instructions on Sony’s website.

Stay ahead of the game

Properly securing your PlayStation Network account and your other online accounts can seem like a chore. For ease of use, it’s tempting to use the same password across multiple accounts and not bother to set up 2FA, but the truth is, hackers are looking for easy targets. After reclaiming your PSN account, by practicing good password management and using 2FA, your account will be effectively unhackable!

 

 

 

Report a Scam!

Have you fallen for a hoax, bought a fake product? Report the site and warn others!

Help & Info

Top Safety Picks

Your Go-To Tools for Online Safety
Disclaimer: Some of the links here are affiliate links. If you click them and make a purchase, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

  1. ScamAdviser App - iOS : Your personal scam detector, on the go! Check website safety, report scams, and get instant alerts. Available on iOS
  2. ScamAdviser App - Android : Your personal scam detector, on the go! Check website safety, report scams, and get instant alerts. Available on Android.
  3. NordVPN : NordVPN keeps your connection private and secure whether you are at home, traveling, or streaming from another country. It protects your data, blocks unwanted ads and trackers, and helps you access your paid subscriptions anywhere. Try it Today!
  4. Incogni : Incogni automatically removes your personal data from data brokers that trade in personal information online, helping reduce scam and identity theft risks without the hassle of manual opt-outs. Reclaim your privacy now!

Popular Stories

As the influence of the internet rises, so does the prevalence of online scams. There are fraudsters making all kinds of claims to trap victims online - from fake investment opportunities to online stores - and the internet allows them to operate from any part of the world with anonymity. The ability to spot online scams is an important skill to have as the virtual world is increasingly becoming a part of every facet of our lives. The below tips will help you identify the signs which can indicate that a website could be a scam. Common Sense: Too Good To Be True When looking for goods online, a great deal can be very enticing. A Gucci bag or a new iPhone for half the price? Who wouldn’t want to grab such a deal? Scammers know this too and try to take advantage of the fact. If an online deal looks too good to be true, think twice and double-check things. The easiest way to do this is to simply check out the same product at competing websites (that you trust). If the difference in prices is huge, it might be better to double-check the rest of the website. Check Out the Social Media Links Social media is a core part of ecommerce businesses these days and consumers often expect online shops to have a social media presence. Scammers know this and often insert logos of social media sites on their websites. Scratching beneath the surface often reveals this fu

How do I recover my crypto after it’s stolen? What happens if your crypto wallet is compromised? Can stolen crypto be traced, and can police actually recover crypto in 2026? These are the questions most people ask within minutes of realizing their wallet has been drained. Crypto theft is fast, quiet, and unforgiving. By the time most victims notice something is wrong, the funds are already moving across the blockchain. Once seen as a problem for exchanges and whales, crypto theft now heavily affects everyday investors. Phishing links, fake support chats, wallet approval scams, SIM swaps, and malware attacks have become common. Knowing what recovery realistically looks like—and what it doesn’t—can prevent panic, bad decisions, and costly follow-up scams. In a Nutshell Crypto recovery is possible, but only in limited situations Blockchain transactions are irreversible, but stolen crypto can still be traced Speed and documentation matter more than optimism Police and exchanges play a bigger role than private recovery services Guaranteed recovery offers are almost always scams Is it Actually Possible to Recover Stolen Crypto? Yes, crypto recovery is possible, but only under specific conditions and rarely through direct action by the victim. Blockchain transactions are final by design. Once crypto is sent and confirmed, it cannot be reversed. There is no central authority, no chargeback process, and no technical “undo” button, even if the transaction was clearly fraudulent. This is where many people ask whether stolen crypto can be traced. In most cases, it can. Every transaction