Recovering a hacked account

Question

Good day to anyone reading this,

I am in dire need of help or support since my account got hacked a few days ago and I am trying to enter my main email on Microsoft and there's always an error message stating: "We couldn't find an account with that username. Try another, or get a new Microsoft account." that's always the message I get.

Now I tried logging in to my Copilot on my phone I was able to enter my account but this time I checked that the email was changed and I am trying to recover it with my old email, all my data is still there but in somebody else's hands.

Please I need immediate assistance to anyone for this.

Added info: I know the email of the hacker and I can share it if needed because I really want this guy out of my account and bring back my email or account. PLEASE HELP ASAP!

Answer 1

Hi, I'm John!

If you haven’t already, you can try using the Microsoft Self-help tool:

• Visit https://support.microsoft.com/account-billing/how-to-recover-a-hacked-or-compromised-microsoft-account-24ca907d-bcdf-a44b-4656-47f0cd89c245 and click "Start".
• The tool will ask for your email address or phone number, and either show appropriate self-help.

You can also use the Xbox recovery form here:

• Visit https://support.xbox.com/forms/recover-your-microsoft-account
• For guidance using the form please see "Guidance notes for the Microsoft account recovery form" https://support.microsoft.com/account-billing/guidance-notes-for-the-microsoft-account-recovery-form-4dd8fef1-33d2-4fbe-9352-66127ab9b50e

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If the issue still persists, and the email address has been changed and two-factor authentication has been enabled by the hacker, unfortunately, the account may no longer be recoverable.

Answer 2

Follow these steps to try to recover the hacked Microsoft account and secure it. All actions must be done through the official self-service tools; support agents cannot manually take the account back from the hacker.

1. Use the Sign-in Helper for hacked/"account not found" issues

• Go to the Sign-in Helper: Open the Sign-in Helper for support options or hacked account issues.
• Enter the original email/phone/Skype name that was used before the hacker changed it.
• Follow the guided flow. It will:
  • Check if the account still exists under that identifier.
  • Offer the correct recovery or hacked-account path.

2. If the account is recognized but you cannot sign in

• Follow the hacked-account guide: How to recover a hacked or compromised Microsoft account.
• Before changing any password, scan all devices used to access the account for malware:
  • On Windows 10/11 or 8.1, open Windows Defender and run a full scan.
• Then:
  • Try to change the password if sign-in is still possible.
  • If sign-in is not possible, use reset your password from that article.

3. If the sign-in page says “We couldn’t find an account with that username”

• Confirm the exact address and domain are correct (for example, ******@outlook.com vs ******@hotmail.com, or .com vs .co.uk). See: My username and password have stopped working.
• If the address is correct but still not found, use the Recover your account link in that article and try any other alias/phone that was ever added to the same account.

4. If the hacker changed the primary alias and removed the original email

• When the original alias has been removed and the recovery form says the account does not exist, there is no manual override. The official guidance is:
  • Use the hacked-account guide and Sign-in Helper as above.
  • If the account recovery form (ACSR) cannot locate the account or keeps failing, there is no alternative recovery method and support cannot forcibly restore access.
  • This is confirmed in similar cases: once security info and aliases are fully replaced by the attacker and the system cannot verify ownership, the account cannot be recovered.

5. Use the Microsoft account recovery form (if the account is still found)

• Go to the account recovery form: https://account.live.com/acsr (also linked from the support articles).
• Provide:
  • The hacked Microsoft account address (or alias that still exists).
  • A different working email where Microsoft can contact.
• Follow the guidance in Help with the Microsoft account recovery form:
  • Use a device and location that were regularly used with the account.
  • Provide old passwords, frequent contacts, subject lines, and other details.
• Microsoft will review and respond within about 24 hours to that contact email.

6. If the account is locked or blocked while you try to recover it

• If the account shows as locked or you cannot proceed with “Next” during sign-in, follow: Microsoft account has been locked.
• Use the aka.ms/ link shown on the lock screen to submit the unlock form.
• After submitting, wait for the Online Safety team to respond by email; do not submit multiple requests in parallel.

7. If Outlook.com / email itself is blocked or hacked

• If the mailbox is blocked due to unusual activity, use: Unblock my Outlook.com account and start with the Sign-in Helper button there.
• If the mailbox is accessible but clearly hacked (rules, forwarding, auto-replies changed), follow the steps in the hacked-account article to:
  • Change password.
  • Check connected accounts, forwarding, and automatic replies for malicious changes.

8. If recovery keeps failing

• If the recovery form is repeatedly declined or the system always reports “account not found” for every alias that was ever attached, the official position is that the account cannot be restored and support cannot bypass security.
• In that case:
  • Create a new Microsoft account.
  • Secure it immediately with a strong password and updated security info.
  • For services tied to the old account (for example, Xbox, Minecraft, or store purchases), contact each product’s support separately to see if they can help move entitlements to the new account, as suggested in similar cases.

9. Notify and protect against further abuse

• If any unusual sign-in alerts were received, review them via the Security basics page and Review activity as described in What happens if there's an unusual sign-in to your account once access is regained.
• Inform contacts via another account that the old address is compromised and that they should ignore suspicious messages.

The hacker’s email address is not used in the recovery process and does not change the available options. Only the official self-service tools (Sign-in Helper, password reset, account recovery form, and lock/unlock forms) can be used to attempt to regain control.

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References:

• Hello , welcome to Account help & learning
• How to recover a hacked or compromised Microsoft account
• Help with the Microsoft account recovery form
• Microsoft account has been locked
• My username and password have stopped working
• What happens if there's an unusual sign-in to your account
• Unblock my Outlook.com account
• Not receiving emails after my facebook account was hacked - Microsoft Q&A
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• Cannot Access Microsoft Account After Hacker Changed Email, Advice Needed - Microsoft Q&A
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