What to do when outlook email has been hacked and can't use it and have been using the help line for two hours with no results???

Question

My outlook email has been hacked and compromised and can not send or receive emails and the help center has me going in circles to help me with a resolution which has been very stressful and frustrating. Could someone please help me?

Answer 1

Hi! This Microsoft forum is public, so don't post personal information.

• No forum member will have access to your account data or information.

You can try using the Microsoft Sign-In Assistance Tool.

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/account-billing/how-to-recover-a-hacked-or-compromised-microsoft-account-24ca907d-bcdf-a44b-4656-47f0cd89c245

If you're unable to recover your Account, you'll need to use the Recovery forms. You can try these two forms:

https://aka.ms/recovermyaccount

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/account-billing/guidance-notes-for-the-microsoft-account-recovery-form-4dd8fef1-33d2-4fbe-9352-66127ab9b50e

These are the methods Microsoft provides for account recovery. I have already used the recovery form, and I managed to recover my account after a few days.

• You can submit the form multiple times.
• Try to remember important personal information.
• Look for old emails that may have been sent to friends or family.
• Don't give up. The form works if you provide accurate information. If it didn't work like that, anyone could steal your account.

Answer 2

If your Outlook email has been hacked and you are unable to send or receive emails, it is important to take immediate action to secure your account. Here are some steps you can follow:

1. Change Your Password: If you haven't already, change your password to a strong, unique one that the hacker cannot guess. Ensure it includes a mix of upper and lower case letters, numbers, and special characters.
2. Enable Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA): If MFA is not already enabled, set it up. This adds an extra layer of security by requiring a second form of verification.
3. Check for Suspicious Activity: Sign in to your Outlook account and check for any suspicious activity. Look for any unfamiliar rules or forwarding addresses that may have been set up by the hacker. You can do this by:
   • Going to Settings > Mail > Rules and deleting any suspicious rules.
   • Checking Mail > Forwarding for any unknown forwarding addresses.
4. Sign Out of All Sessions: Go to your Microsoft Account Security settings and use the option to sign out of all active sessions. This will help to disconnect any unauthorized access.
5. Review App Permissions: Visit the Manage App Permissions section in your Microsoft account and revoke access to any apps that you do not recognize.
6. Run Security Checks: Use the Microsoft Defender tools to check for any security issues. This includes reviewing audit logs and sign-in logs to identify any unauthorized access.
7. Contact Support Again: If you continue to experience issues, consider reaching out to Microsoft Support again. Provide them with detailed information about your situation, including any steps you have already taken.

These steps should help you regain control of your Outlook account and secure it against future attacks.

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References:

• Respond to a compromised cloud email account
• Detect and remediate Outlook rules forms attack