My email was hacked, support cant help me recover emails, what do i do?

Question

my email was hacked and contents deleted. is there a way to recover to a date before i was hacked?

Answer 1

Hello Brian Baker

Thank you for reaching out to Microsoft Q&A Forum. I’m really sorry to hear that your account was hacked and that your emails were deleted. I know how stressful that can be.

Could you let me know whether you’ve tried the steps mentioned in the Q&A Assist reply above? If yes, did you face any difficulties with those steps?

Also, just to confirm, are you currently able to sign in to your Outlook.com mailbox? If yes, please try these steps:

1. Recover emails from Outlook web

In Outlook on the web, open Deleted Items folder, if it's emptied then look for "Recover items deleted from this folder" at the top and restore anything you recognize (if they’re still within the recovery window).

Please see this guide: Recover and restore deleted items in Outlook - Microsoft Support

2. Check Inbox rules

In Outlook on the web's settings, check for malicious rules/forwarding:

• Go to Settings > Mail > Rules/ Sweep: delete any suspicious rules you did not create (especially rules that moves/deletes mail)
• Settings > Mail > Forwarding: make sure nothing is forwarding

3. Secure your account

Also, please secure your account right away by following the steps here: How to help keep your Microsoft account secure - Microsoft Support

Looking forward to your reply so I can guide you further. Thank you for your time and understanding!

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Answer 2

If your email was hacked and contents were deleted, you may still have options to recover your emails depending on the email service you are using. Here are some steps you can take:

1. Recover Deleted Items: Check if your email service has a "Deleted Items" or "Trash" folder. Many services keep deleted emails for a certain period, allowing you to recover them.
2. Recoverable Items Folder: If you are using Exchange Online or Microsoft 365, you may be able to recover items from the "Recoverable Items" folder. This folder stores items that have been deleted from the Deleted Items folder. The retention period can vary, but it is often set to 14 days by default.
3. Contact Support: If you cannot recover the emails yourself, contacting your email provider's support team may help. They might have additional tools or methods to assist with recovery, especially if the account was compromised.
4. Audit Logs: If you have administrative access, you can check the audit logs to see if there are any records of deleted items and possibly recover them if they are still within the retention period.
5. Backup Solutions: If you have been using any backup solutions for your emails, check those as well. Some users back up their emails regularly, which can be a lifesaver in such situations.

Make sure to secure your account by changing your password and enabling two-factor authentication to prevent future hacks.

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References:

• Recover deleted items or email in Outlook on the web
• Secure and Restore Email Function to a Compromised Microsoft 365 Mail Enabled Account