My mom has a 2017 Macbook Air, and today she couldn't log in with her password. She tried to reset it but got some strange messages that didn't look like typical Apple password reset prompts. After multiple attempts, a hint appeared saying "My Pretty," which is definitely not something my mom would use. Since she's not very careful online and often clicks on random things, I'm worried she might have gotten hacked. We have an appointment at the Apple Store, but is there anything we can do in the meantime?
4 Answers
You should show her some videos about online security. Channels like Scammer Payback or Jim Browning showcase what can happen if people are careless online. It might help her understand the risks of clicking on suspicious links.
It's best not to use the Mac until you've had it checked. While Macs are generally secure, if your mom isn’t careful online, there’s always a risk. The Apple Store will likely recommend erasing the Mac and reinstalling macOS, so hopefully, she has her important files backed up and is using iCloud for her photos and messages.
Macs are tough to hack in a traditional sense, but if your mom is clicking everything, she could accidentally install malware. What were those strange messages? It would help to know what exactly she saw.
Given that the Macbook is 8 years old, there could be several reasons for the password issues. While it's less likely she's been hacked, it’s good to be cautious. If you have a backup, erasing and reinstalling the OS is a solid troubleshooting step. If that fails, it could indicate a hardware issue.
Thanks for the advice! She has everything backed up, but it's tough getting her to stop clicking random things.