Compromised Hotmail account, emails being modified automatically

Question

Hello,

My Hotmail account has been compromised.

I have already taken the following security measures:

Logged out of all active sessions

Changed my password

Enabled two-factor authentication

However, the issue is still happening.

Every time I receive a new email, its content is automatically modified and replaced with the exact same spam message from the hacker. The message always starts with:

“What happened here? About a few months ago, I gained access to your devices and started tracking your online activity. I was able to hack into your computer and access your email: ‘[my email]’. Your password was easily compromised.”

Even if I delete emails, new ones get altered in the same way.

It appears that something is still actively manipulating my mailbox.

Please investigate this urgently and let me know what additional steps I should take to secure my account and restore normal functionality.

Thank you.

Answer 1

Hello,

Thank you for your response.

I would like to clarify that I have already completed all the steps you mentioned:

I ran a full antivirus scan.

I changed my password again.

Two-step verification is enabled.

I signed out of all sessions.

I checked and removed all inbox rules.

I verified that no email forwarding is enabled.

I reviewed recent account activity.

Despite all of this, the issue continues.

Every new email I receive appears normal for 2–5 seconds, and then the subject and body are automatically modified and replaced with the same hacker message.

This also happens when I send an email to myself for testing.

This behavior strongly suggests that there is still an active unauthorized access or server-side manipulation affecting my mailbox.

Additionally, my Microsoft account was genuinely hacked. Multiple online services connected to this email address have also been compromised. I urgently need to fully regain secure control of my mailbox in order to recover those other accounts.

This matter is critical.

Thank you for your assistance.

Answer 2

Hi, I'm John! I will help you with this.

Is it possible that your account has been hacked? If you haven't tried anything yet please start by running a full antivirus scan on your computer using Windows Security and any third-party antivirus software you have.

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To be safe, I recommend the following steps:

Check your account rules and forwarding settings, hackers create rules that automatically forward or delete emails. You can do this in Outlook settings under Mail > Rules and Forwarding. https://support.microsoft.com/office/manage-email-messages-by-using-rules-in-outlook-c24f5dea-9465-4df4-ad17-a50704d66c59

Just to be safe, I’d recommend to sign out everywhere. Visit: https://account.live.com/proofs/manage/additional Scroll down to Sign me out and select "Sign me out".

And changing your password again and enabling two-step verification if you haven’t already. This will add an extra layer of security to prevent future unauthorized access.

If you notice anything unusual in your account settings or purchase history, you might also want to check the Microsoft account security page https://account.microsoft.com/security to review recent activity.

"How to help keep your Microsoft account secure" https://support.microsoft.com/account-billing/how-to-help-keep-your-microsoft-account-secure-628538c2-7006-33bb-5ef4-c917657362b9

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I really hope this information is helpful! Let me know if you have any further questions or concerns.

Regards,

John J.D.

Answer 3

It sounds like your Hotmail account is still compromised despite taking several security measures. Here are some additional steps you can take to secure your account and restore normal functionality:

1. Check for Suspicious Rules: Sign in to Outlook on the web and navigate to Settings → Mail → Rules. Look for any suspicious rules that may have been created by the hacker and delete them.
2. Review Forwarding Settings: Check the Mail → Forwarding settings to ensure that no unknown forwarding addresses are set up that could be sending your emails to the hacker.
3. Sign Out Everywhere: Use the Microsoft Account Security feature to sign out of all active sessions again to ensure that any unauthorized access is terminated.
4. Manage App Permissions: Go to Manage App Permissions and revoke access to any apps you do not recognize, as hackers often use these to maintain access to your account.
5. Check for Add-Ins and Connectors: Look for any suspicious add-ins or connectors that may have been installed in your account and remove them.
6. Run Antivirus Scans: Ensure that all devices you use to access your Hotmail account are scanned for malware or viruses that could be compromising your security.
7. Factory Reset Devices: If the issue persists, consider performing a factory reset on devices that were used to access the compromised account, especially if you suspect they may be infected.
8. Contact Microsoft Support: If you are still unable to regain control or if the problem continues, reach out to Microsoft Support for assistance. They may have additional tools to help you recover your account and secure it against further attacks.

By following these steps, you should be able to secure your account and prevent further unauthorized modifications to your emails.

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References:

• Respond to a compromised cloud email account
• Hacker set up continuous draft ransomware email - Microsoft Q&A