What should I do if someone is trying to take over my phone and accounts?
Answer
Start by securing the Google account and phone: change the password, turn on 2-step verification, and review Photos, Contacts, and connected devices. Contact Social Security only if a my Social Security account was opened or taken over in your name, or if you see benefit or ID misuse—SSA generally cannot clean a hacked phone.
Before you start: stop right away if…
- Never share passwords, recovery codes, or one-time codes with anyone who contacts you unexpectedly.
- Social Security generally cannot remove malware from a phone or stop scam calls; use them for SSA account or benefit identity issues.
Follow these steps
Secure the Google account first
On a trusted device, sign in to your Google account at the official Google account site, change the password to a new unique one, and sign out other sessions if Google shows that option.
You should see: Your Google password is updated and unfamiliar sessions are removed or listed for review.
Turn on 2-step verification
In Google account security settings, turn on 2-step verification and make sure recovery phone and email are yours alone.
You should see: Google requires a second factor you control before new sign-ins succeed.
Check Photos, Contacts, and connected devices
From a second phone or computer, review Google Photos, Contacts, and the list of devices signed into the account for anything unfamiliar or recently changed.
You should see: You confirm whether personal data was accessed and remove unknown devices if shown.
Check for a my Social Security account
Using the official Social Security website, check whether a my Social Security account already exists in your name. If you cannot access an account that exists, or you see benefits or identity activity you do not recognize, follow SSA’s official recovery or fraud reporting steps.
You should see: You either confirm no SSA account misuse, or you start the official SSA identity/account recovery process.
Escalate money or identity theft if needed
If money was taken or your Social Security number was used, contact your bank or card issuer, and use official government identity-theft reporting such as IdentityTheft.gov. A Social Security office visit helps with SSA account or benefit issues, not routine phone malware cleanup.
You should see: Financial and identity reports are filed through the correct official channels.
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Extra tips
What to look for: Unexpected Google sign-ins, changed passwords, unknown devices, scam calls asking for codes, or a my Social Security account you did not create
Before you change anything: Write down what already looks compromised: phone, Google, email, banking, or Social Security. Use a second trusted phone or computer if your main phone may still be controlled by someone else. Sign in only on official Google and SSA websites or apps. Never share passwords or one-time codes with callers, texts, or popups.