Over 94 million people have PlayStation Network accounts, and with that vast number of people comes the risk of being attacked by a hacker. Since games, movies, and music can all be tied to an account, losing it could be a big deal.
So what should you do if someone stole your PSN account? Here are the best steps you can take to get it back.
Watch our PlayStation Network Recovery Video Below
1. Act Immediately
The second that you think someone has accessed your PSN account, you should take action. There is a black market for PSN accounts online, and if you don’t stop them, someone could make money selling access to games through your account.
2. Change Your PlayStation Network Account Password
The first and simplest step you should take should be to change your password. Your password is now known to the hacker. Any accounts that use the same password are potentially compromised. There are two methods to do this, depending on if you’re on a console or your PC/phone.
On Console:
Go to your settings menu and click on ‘Account Management.’
Click on ‘Account Information,’ then ‘Security.’
To reach the ‘Security’ menu, enter your current login ID and password. Then click on ‘Password.’
The final step is to enter your current password and your new password twice to finalize the change.
On PC:
Log into your PSN account and click your profile picture. Select ‘Account Settings’ from the dropdown menu. You may be asked to log in again to confirm your identity.
Click ‘Security’ in the panel on the left side of the screen.
Click ‘Edit’ next to the password entry, and you can enter a new password.
In either case, it is recommended to use a service such as Dash Lane to generate and store more secure passwords.
3. PlayStation Network Account Recovery
If you cannot log into your account to change the password, you’ll have to go with PSN account recovery. For the best results, use your PC/phone/laptop.
Go to the Sony Entertainment Network login page and click ‘Trouble Signing In?’.
Click ‘Reset your password.’
Enter your email address to receive a password reset link.
4. Kick Out Intruders
You should use Sony’s security feature to kick out any intruders who’ve logged into your account once you’ve recovered access.
Log into your PSN Account and click ‘Account Settings.’
Click ‘Security’ in the panel on the left of the screen.
Click ‘Sign Out on All Devices’ at the bottom of the ‘Security’ page.
Click ‘OK’ to confirm the logout.
Once you’ve followed these steps, you should visit our article on securing your PSN account to ensure you don’t get hacked again.
Playstation image by Joeri Mostmans from Shutterstock.com