My email has been hacked

Question

My Outlook.com account was compromised. I have secured the account, enabled 2FA, and removed unauthorized access. However, inbound email is still being silently dropped with no bounce-back. Please reset mailbox delivery, remove any blocks, and reinitialize the account.

Answer 1

Hi Ed Pennington

Thanks for reaching out to Microsoft Q&A Forum. That's a good job securing the account and enabling 2FA.

Since your mailbox was compromised, it’s possible the attacker changed hidden mail‑flow settings that cause incoming emails to be silently redirected, deleted, or filtered.

Let’s double‑check everything directly in Outlook on the web:

1. Double-check Outlook on the web

• Sign in to Outlook on the web in your browser
• Send yourself or ask a friend to send you a plain text email with no links/attachemnts
• Check all folders (Inbox, Junk Email, Deleted Items, Archive), ensure your inbox filter is set to All (not "Unread", "Flagged", etc.)
• Check Focused / Other tab (if Focused Inbox is enabled), emails may land in Other. You can also temporarily turn Focused Inbox off to test.

2. Check Inbox rules/forwarding 

In Outlook on the web's settings, go to:  

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

3. Review Blocked / Safe senders and domains

Still in Outlook web, go to Settings > Mail > Junk email:

If a sender or domain is blocked, Outlook will automatically route messages to Junk. Review your lists and remove anything unexpected. You can also add trusted senders/domains to Safe senders to prevent false filtering.

Please feel free to let me know how it goes after trying these steps. I truly appreciate your understanding.

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Answer 2

If your Outlook.com account has been compromised and you're still experiencing issues with inbound emails being silently dropped, here are some steps you can take:

1. Check Mail Flow Rules: Log into your Outlook.com account and check for any mail flow rules that may have been set up by the hacker. Go to Settings > View all Outlook settings > Mail > Rules. Remove any suspicious rules that could be affecting email delivery.
2. Review Blocked Senders: Ensure that no legitimate senders are blocked. Go to Settings > View all Outlook settings > Mail > Junk email and check the blocked senders list.
3. Check for Forwarding Settings: Verify that there are no unauthorized forwarding settings in place. Go to Settings > View all Outlook settings > Mail > Forwarding and ensure that forwarding is turned off unless you have set it up yourself.
4. Contact Microsoft Support: If the problem persists, it may be necessary to contact Microsoft Support for assistance. They can help you investigate further and reset any settings that may be causing issues with email delivery.
5. Monitor Account Activity: Keep an eye on your account activity for any further unauthorized access or changes. Regularly update your password and security settings to ensure your account remains secure.

By following these steps, you should be able to address the issue of silently dropped emails and restore normal functionality to your Outlook.com account.

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References:

• Respond to a compromised cloud email account
• Troubleshoot sign-in issues and account access problems