Repeated Password update requests codes from Microsoft

Question

I have been recieving an email form Microsoft at least one a week for the last 3 months providing a code to change my password. Someone is obviously trying to hack into my email account, without success, so keeps trying. Is there any way to find out who is doing this and block them? I don't see any reason to change my password as it is doing its job but the fact that someone is targetting my account is worrying.

Answer 1

Hi Nitram99, my name is Neil, and I'm an Outlook user like you.

I'm very sorry you keep receiving these security code emails.

I will try and explain what is usually the case in these circumstances and why you keep receiving such emails.

What normally happens is someone else has either forgotten their email address or typed it incorrectly as a backup email address when originally setting up their account and is attempting to gain access to their own account by requesting a code. Unbeknownst to them, you are receiving the code because of the email error or typo they made. So not only is this bombarding you with these code emails, but the person waiting for their code never gets it.

This happens all the time, especially with some users getting on in age, it is difficult for them to remember email addresses and it's easy for them to make mistakes. My own elderly parents have made similar errors, I've had to rectify for them.

It is very unlikely for it to be a budding hacker trying to break into your account. If it is, they wouldn't be doing a very good job of it by alerting you to the fact of what they are doing.

I appreciate that these emails are annoying, but they are necessary to alert you for security purposes.

To see your Account Sign In Activity, please log in at the following link: https://account.live.com/Activity

It is not unusual to see attempted logins and Syncs from China, Brazil, and other places here. Hopefully all these should say "Unsuccessful sync". These places have computers that are continually trying to access accounts around the world. I have lots from China on my own account. So, seeing these is not a reason to panic, almost everybody has these attempted syncs.

I hope this at least helps possibly explain what could be going on. Of course, with these codes you keep receiving, your account is secure, as nobody can gain access without these codes. And you're correct, there's no need for you to change your password as the security is doing its job.

Kindest regards,

Neil