Hacked, changed password, folders are empty

Question

After being hacked I changed my password. All my folders are still empty after three days. In addition some e mails are going straight into Archive folder. E mails that are not focused go to Archive. I added a rule that said after a message arrived if it went to deleted to move it to the Inbox, that seems to work as the only items in deleted now are what I put there. This applies to my Laptop on windows 11.

The e mail on my tablet and Phone Android seems to be working as normal, although the folders on these are also empty.

Answer 1

Hi,

Thank you for sharing your question.

I understand how concerning it is to see your folders appear empty and emails automatically moving to Archive after recovering from an account compromise. It’s completely reasonable to feel worried, especially after taking the right step of changing your password. Issues like missing folder contents and unexpected email routing usually happen when malicious rules or sync issues remain in place even after the password is updated. The behavior you’re seeing on Windows 11 Outlook, combined with folders appearing empty across all devices, suggests that server-side mailbox rules may still be active or the account is still recovering from security protections triggered during the hack.

To resolve this, you may need to check for hidden or malicious inbox rules in Outlook on the web, review your recoverable items folder, and confirm that your focused Inbox settings or Archive rules haven’t been altered. Microsoft documentation also recommends running a full security review at https://support.microsoft.com to make sure no unauthorized changes remain.

To better understand the situation, may I ask whether you also reviewed your Outlook rules directly in Outlook on the web and checked your Recoverable Items folder to see if your missing mail is temporarily stored there? I encourage you to follow up so we can continue working together until everything in your mailbox is fully restored.

 

I hope this helps.

 

Best Regards,

Noel

Answer 2

It sounds like your email account may still be compromised or that there are residual effects from the hack. Here are some steps you can take to address the issues you're experiencing:

1. Check for Rules: Since you mentioned that emails are going straight to the Archive folder, check your rules in Outlook to see if there are any that you did not create. Sometimes hackers set up rules to manage emails without your knowledge. You can do this by going to Settings > Mail > Rules in Outlook and reviewing any suspicious rules.
2. Review Forwarding Settings: Ensure that there are no unknown forwarding addresses set up that could be redirecting your emails. Go to Settings > Mail > Forwarding and check if there are any unfamiliar addresses.
3. Sign Out Everywhere: After changing your password, it's a good idea to sign out of all devices and sessions. You can do this by going to your Microsoft Account Security settings and selecting the option to sign out everywhere.
4. Enable Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA): If you haven't already, enable MFA on your account to add an extra layer of security. This can help prevent unauthorized access in the future.
5. Check for Suspicious Activity: Monitor your account for any suspicious activity or logins. You can check the sign-in logs in your Microsoft account settings.
6. Clean Up Your Account: If you suspect that your account is still compromised, consider doing a thorough cleanup. This includes checking for any suspicious applications that might have access to your account and revoking access to any that you do not recognize.

If after these steps your folders are still empty, it may be worth contacting Microsoft Support for further assistance.

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References:

• Not receiving emails after my facebook account was hacked - Microsoft Q&A
• I have seen great advice for deleting the idtienphuoc1 Rule but none for stopping it from re-adding itself - Microsoft Q&A
• Hacker set up continuous draft ransomware email - Microsoft Q&A