Hotmail account hacked 3rd February 2026

Question

My hotmail account was hacked. The hacker sent emails to my contact list and they advised me of this. The emails that Microsoft were sending me to advise of the issue, I found out later were redirected to my Deleted folder. They also sent my deleted emails back into my Focused and Other folders.

I can get into the account but I cannot receive emails.

Every so often an email will come into my Junk folder.

I can send an email.

How can I get my hotmail email restored?

Answer 1

Hello, thank you for reaching out to Microsoft Q&A.

What is the exact error message the sender receives when they email you?

Send a test email from another one of your accounts to the affected email address. Check whether you receive any bounce-back (non-delivery) error messages. If you receive an error in the outbox, please share the complete error message here.

If the email is sent successfully, then please check your email forwarding rules and blocked senders list, and verify whether the messages have been routed to another folder, such as Junk or Spam or forwarded to another email address.

Open any web browser (use incognito tab), Sign in with your Microsoft account here:

Email forwarding rules: https://outlook.live.com/mail/0/options/mail/forwarding

(Click Do not forward if your emails are being forwarded to another address)

Then, check your email Rules and Blocked senders lists.

Additionally, ensure you have enough mailbox storage space to send and receive emails.

Answer 2

It sounds like your Hotmail account has been compromised, and you're experiencing issues with receiving emails and unauthorized actions taken by the hacker. Here are some steps you can take to restore your Hotmail email and regain control:

1. Check Account Security: Since the hacker has redirected emails and possibly set up rules, first ensure that your account security is intact. Change your password to a strong, unique one and enable two-factor authentication (2FA) if you haven't already.
2. Review Email Rules: Sign in to your Hotmail account and check for any suspicious email rules that may have been created by the hacker. Go to Settings → Mail → Rules and delete any rules that you did not set up.
3. Check Forwarding Settings: Verify that there are no unknown forwarding addresses set up that could be redirecting your emails. This can also be found in the Settings menu under Mail → Forwarding.
4. Recover Deleted Emails: If emails are being sent to the Deleted folder, you may want to check the Deleted Items folder for any important emails that can be restored.
5. Contact Microsoft Support: If you continue to have issues with receiving emails, it may be necessary to contact Microsoft Support for further assistance. They can help you with account recovery and may have additional tools to verify your identity and resolve any ongoing issues.
6. Monitor Account Activity: Keep an eye on your account for any suspicious activity. If you regain access, check your account activity for unauthorized changes or settings.
7. Inform Your Contacts: Since the hacker has already sent emails to your contacts, inform them about the situation to prevent them from falling victim to any phishing attempts.

By following these steps, you should be able to address the issues with your Hotmail account and work towards restoring normal functionality.

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References:

• My personal hotmail account hacked by hacker with authentication app enabled. - Microsoft Q&A
• Hacker set up continuous draft ransomware email - Microsoft Q&A