# What to Prepare Before an Account Recovery Case > What do you need to recover a hacked or locked account in Malaysia? A checklist of the details, emails, devices and ID Facebook, Instagram and Google ask for. - URL: https://www.awarexone.com/research/what-to-prepare-before-account-recovery-case - Author: Md Shariar Shanaz Shuvon, Founder & CEO, AwareXone - Published: 2026-10-05 - Topics: Account recovery, Account security, Malaysia - Related service: Social media account recovery: https://www.awarexone.com/all-types-of-social-media-problem-solutions ## Short answer Before an account recovery case, gather a dated timeline of what changed, screenshots of every notice, the platform's security emails, your original sign-up email or phone and device, a secure new email, access to a familiar device and, only if asked, a clear photo of an ID matching your profile name. Never share passwords or codes. ## Summary - Before you open any recovery form, gather a dated timeline, screenshots of every notice and the security emails the platform sent you. - Note the email or phone you signed up with and the device you used, because Instagram may ask for both when an account has no photos of you. - Set up a fresh, secure email that only you can access, and work from a phone or computer you have logged in on before. - If ID is requested, photograph the original document clearly in good light, with your name matching the profile, and never edit it. - Never put passwords, login codes, backup codes or session cookies in your file or send them to anyone, because anyone asking for them is a scammer. - Good preparation makes your request clearer, but only the platform decides, and some accounts are not restored. Your Facebook, Instagram or Google account is locked or taken, and you are about to fill in a recovery form. Or you are about to ask someone for help. Either way, the same question comes up first: what do I actually need to have ready? The short answer: a dated timeline, screenshots of every notice, the security emails the platform sent, your original sign-up details, a secure email only you control, a familiar device and, only if the platform asks, a clear photo of your ID. A little preparation saves you from guessing halfway through a form that may not let you start again. This guide is the checklist, with what each item is for, how to capture it properly and what must never go in the file. Last checked: 5 October 2026. ## What Do You Need Before You Start an Account Recovery Case? You need evidence that matches what the platform already holds about the account, plus a safe place for it to reply. In practice that means: a timeline of what changed and when; screenshots of every notice; security emails such as Instagram's message from security@mail.instagram.com or Facebook's email change notice; the email or phone you signed up with and the device type you used; a new email address only you can access; a phone or computer you have logged in on before; and a clear photo of a government ID whose name matches the profile, kept ready in case it is requested. Never prepare or share passwords, login codes or backup codes. The platform makes the final decision. ## Why Preparation Matters More Than a Long Explanation A support system does not know you. It compares what you send with its own records: the contact details, the devices and locations that usually log in, the photos on the profile, and the details given at sign-up. A short, accurate answer that matches those records is worth more than paragraphs about how long the account has been yours. Preparation also stops a common self-inflicted problem: answering a question from memory, getting it wrong, then submitting again with a different answer. Google's [account recovery tips](https://support.google.com/accounts/answer/7299973?hl=en) say to answer as many questions as you can and to take your best guess rather than skip, and that wrong guesses will not end the process. Having the facts written down means fewer guesses in the first place. For what each platform accepts as proof, see our guide to [proving you own a social media account](https://www.awarexone.com/research/prove-social-media-account-ownership). ## The Pre-Case Checklist at a Glance *What to gather before a recovery case and how each item is used, based on Meta and Google help pages at the time of writing.* | What to prepare | Why it helps | Where it is used | | --- | --- | --- | | A dated timeline of what changed | Keeps every answer consistent across forms and conversations | Every platform, and any police or bank report | | Screenshots of every notice and error | Shows the exact situation: hacked, disabled, locked or suspended | Choosing the right route; support requests | | Security emails from the platform | Some contain a link to reverse an email change | Instagram and Facebook email change notices | | Original sign-up email or phone, and device type | Matches the details the platform recorded at sign-up | Instagram identity checks for accounts without photos of you | | A new secure email only you can access | Gives the platform a safe place to send next steps | Instagram support requests; Facebook new contact details | | A familiar phone or computer and usual location | Meta and Google both advise recovering from a device you have used before | Facebook and Google recovery | | A clear photo of a government ID | Confirms your name when the platform asks for it | Facebook identity confirmation, only if requested | | A list of linked Pages, ad accounts and admins | Shows what else is at risk and who else can help | Business and creator accounts | ## Build a Dated Timeline of What Changed Write down, in order, everything that happened. Use dates and approximate times. Keep it to plain facts: what you saw, what you clicked, what changed. This one page becomes the source for every form you fill in, and a chronology of events is also the first item on the National Scam Response Centre (NSRC) list of what to have ready if money is involved. - The last time you used the account normally, and on which device. - Any suspicious message, link or call before the problem started, with the sender's name or number. - When you noticed the problem and what the screen said. - Each security email or login alert you received, with its time. - What you have already tried, such as password resets or forms submitted, and any reference numbers. ## Save Every Notice and Security Email Screenshot every notice on the screen before you tap anything, including error messages, with the date and time visible where possible. The exact wording matters, because "disabled", "suspended" and "locked" lead to different routes, and wording varies by app version and region. Then search your inbox, spam and junk folders for the platform's security emails. Instagram's [hacked account page](https://help.instagram.com/149494825257596) says that if you got an email from security@mail.instagram.com saying your email address was changed, you may be able to undo the change by selecting "secure my account" in that message. Facebook's [hacked account page](https://www.facebook.com/help/203305893040179) says that when an account email changes, Facebook sends a message to the previous address with a special link to reverse the change. > Note: **Use the reversal link first.** If one of these emails is in your inbox, it may be the fastest route back. Open it from your own mail app, check it really came from the platform, and act on it before preparing anything else. Do not forward it to anyone. ## Know Your Original Sign-Up Details Platforms record how an account was created, and some ask you to repeat it. Instagram says that if you request support for an account without photos of you, Meta's support team may ask for the email address or phone number you signed up with and the type of device you used at sign-up, for example iPhone, Android or iPad. For an account with photos of you, Instagram instead asks for a video selfie of you turning your head in different directions. - Every email address and phone number that was ever linked to the account, not only the current one. - The device type you used to create the account, and roughly when you created it. - Whether you signed up with an email, a phone number or another account such as Google or Apple. - Your exact username and profile link. A friend can copy the link from your profile if you have forgotten it. Facebook's page on [recovering without your email or phone](https://www.facebook.com/help/132243923516844) suggests trying other numbers or addresses you may have forgotten are linked, and including the country code for phone numbers. For Malaysian numbers, that means entering +60 before the number without the leading zero. If you no longer control any of these, our guide to [recovery after losing your email, phone or 2FA](https://www.awarexone.com/research/lost-email-phone-2fa-account-recovery) covers what to recover first. ## Set Up a Secure Email Only You Can Access Recovery forms need somewhere to send next steps, and it must not be an inbox the attacker can read. Instagram asks you to enter a secure email address that only you can access when you request support. Facebook says the new contact information you provide must not have been used on your Facebook account before. 1. Create a new email account, or use one that has never been linked to the locked account. 2. Give it a strong, unique password and turn on two-factor authentication. 3. Check that no forwarding rules or unknown recovery details are set on it. 4. Use only this address for every form, so replies do not scatter across inboxes. ## Find a Familiar Device and Usual Location Both Meta and Google advise starting recovery from a device you have used before. Facebook says its recovery steps are most helpful on a device you have used to log in before, which could be your own phone, an old phone or a family member's laptop, and recommends visiting facebook.com/hacked on such a device. Google's tips say to use a device and browser you usually sign in with, in a location where you usually sign in, such as home or work. - Charge and keep any old phone or tablet that was once logged in. Do not factory reset it. - Use the same browser you normally use on that device. - Start the recovery from home or work Wi-Fi rather than a café or a VPN. ## Photograph Your ID Properly If You Are Asked Do not send ID unless the platform asks for it inside its own app or help centre. When it does, the photo has to pass a check. Facebook's page on [accepted IDs](https://www.facebook.com/help/159096464162185) says one government ID is enough, such as a national identity card, passport, driving licence or birth certificate, showing your name with either your date of birth or your photo. For most Malaysians that means a MyKad or passport. If you have lost access, the photo or date of birth may need to match the details on your account. Facebook's page on [why an ID might be rejected](https://www.facebook.com/help/1002318563746662) lists the usual failures: a photo that is blurry, poorly lit, missing required information, not fully in frame, or a picture of a screenshot or photocopy. So: - Photograph the original card, flat on a plain surface, in daylight, with all four corners in frame. - Make sure the name matches the name on the profile. If it does not, prepare an explanation rather than a different document. - Never edit the photo. Facebook says it does not accept images digitally modified to hide information, though you may physically cover details it does not need, such as your ID number, before taking the photo. - Send only what is asked for. Facebook says extra documents may delay the review. ## List Linked Pages, Ad Accounts and Admins A personal account is often the key to other things. Write down what was connected to it, because each may need its own route. - Facebook Pages, Instagram professional accounts and Business portfolios you manage. - Ad accounts and the cards or payment methods attached to them. Call your bank if you see charges you did not make. - Other admins who still have access and can remove an attacker or protect a Page while you recover. ## What Never Goes in Your Recovery File Some things must never be written down in the file or sent to anyone, including a helper, a friend or someone claiming to be platform staff. - Passwords, current or old. - One-time login codes, SMS codes or authenticator codes. - Backup or recovery codes. - Session cookies, browser exports or anything from a "copy this into your browser" instruction. - Altered documents, borrowed IDs or invented answers. A false claim to a platform can sink a genuine request. > Warning: **The scam aimed at people preparing a case.** Google says it never asks for your password or verification codes over email, phone call or message, and that you should only enter them at accounts.google.com. Anyone who offers to recover your account and asks for codes, a password, money for a contact "inside" the platform or remote access to your phone is a recovery scammer, whether the message is in English, Bahasa Malaysia or Chinese. Our guide to [fake hackers offering account recovery](https://www.awarexone.com/research/fake-hackers-offering-account-recovery-scam) shows how these offers work. ## If Money Was Lost or a Code Was Shared in Malaysia Deal with the money before the account. The NSRC's [FAQ on the NFCC website](https://nfcc.jpm.gov.my/index.php/en/about-nsrc) says to contact your bank's 24-hour hotline or call the NSRC on 997 as soon as you discover the fraud, then make a police report at the nearest police station. It adds that quick action can reduce losses but there is no guarantee the money comes back. The same FAQ lists what to bring, and it overlaps with your recovery file: a chronology of events, your personal details, the scammer's details, transaction details and receipts, any website address the scammer shared, and your conversations with them. Computer security incidents such as phishing can also be reported to CyberSecurity Malaysia's [Cyber999 incident response centre](https://www.cybersecurity.my/portal-main/services/cyber999-overview). If your phone suddenly showed "No service" around the time the account was taken, call your carrier from another phone and ask whether your SIM was replaced. ## When a Case Review Makes Sense With this file ready, many people can work through the official forms alone, and they should try. A second opinion helps when the email and phone are both gone, when a business Page or ad account is involved, or when forms keep returning the same rejection. SocialSafe by AwareXone, our recovery service, starts with a review of what you have gathered and tells you honestly which official route still has a chance; sometimes you already have everything you need. We work only through the platforms' own processes, recovery is best effort, and some accounts do not come back. Start on our [account recovery hub](https://www.awarexone.com/all-types-of-social-media-problem-solutions), and read our [Trust Center](https://www.awarexone.com/trust) for what we will never ask you for, starting with passwords and codes. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### What documents do I need to recover my Facebook account? Often none, if you still have the email, phone or a familiar device. When Facebook asks for ID, it accepts one government ID with your name and either your date of birth or photo, or two non-government IDs if you have no government ID. ### Can I send a photocopy or screenshot of my MyKad? No. Facebook lists a picture of a screenshot or a photocopied ID among the reasons it rejects ID photos. Photograph the original card clearly in good light. ### What if I do not remember the email I signed up with? Try every address and number you have ever used, including old work or school emails. Facebook suggests trying contact details you may have forgotten were linked, and Google says to give your best guess rather than skip a question. ### Should I keep submitting the recovery form until it works? No. Prepare first, then submit accurate and consistent answers from a familiar device. Repeated rushed attempts tend to produce different answers each time, and consistency is what helps your request match the account. ### Does AwareXone need my password or login codes to help? No. We never ask for passwords, OTPs, backup codes or session cookies, and anyone who does is not helping you. We review your case and work only through official platform processes. ## Official sources - [Facebook Help Center: Types of IDs that Facebook accepts (read 5 October 2026)](https://www.facebook.com/help/159096464162185) - [Facebook Help Center: Why Facebook might reject your ID (read 5 October 2026)](https://www.facebook.com/help/1002318563746662) - [Facebook Help Center: Recover your Facebook account if you can't access your account email address or mobile phone number (read 5 October 2026)](https://www.facebook.com/help/132243923516844) - [Facebook Help Center: Recover your Facebook account if you were hacked (read 5 October 2026)](https://www.facebook.com/help/203305893040179) - [Instagram Help Center: If you think your Instagram profile has been hacked (read 5 October 2026)](https://help.instagram.com/149494825257596) - [Google Account Help: Tips to complete account recovery steps (read 5 October 2026)](https://support.google.com/accounts/answer/7299973?hl=en) - [NFCC: National Scam Response Centre FAQ (read 5 October 2026)](https://nfcc.jpm.gov.my/index.php/en/about-nsrc) - [CyberSecurity Malaysia: Cyber999 Cyber Incident Response Center (read 5 October 2026)](https://www.cybersecurity.my/portal-main/services/cyber999-overview) --- AwareXone is an independent Malaysia-based provider, not affiliated with any platform. The platform makes the final decision on every account. AwareXone never asks for passwords, OTP codes, backup codes or session cookies.