Account Recovery

Question

So my last post was deleted for violating rules somehow, not sure in what way. But basically my account was hacked, person made purchases using my linked payment methods then changed the email and other contact info. I reached out to support, did account verification and recovery. I was given an escalation case number but then haven't heard anything in over three weeks. I am completely locked out of my personal account with no way to reach out to support. How can I get my account secure and dispute charges?

Answer 1

Hi Daniel H, 

I’m sorry to hear this happened, especially with the account being locked and the charges involved. 

To better understand the situation, could you please let me know: 

• Which support channel you used before for example, live chat, phone callback, or another contact method? 
• Is the affected account a personal Microsoft account or a business/work/school account? 
• Have you already submitted the Microsoft account recovery form for this account? 

From your message, if this is a personal account, I’d recommend contacting Microsoft Support again by signing in with another Microsoft account that you can still access. Microsoft’s Contact Us page allows you to sign in, choose the product, and then see available support options such as live chat. 

You can contact support in https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/contactus 

When you reach the support agent, please mention: 

• the affected account 
• your existing escalation case number 

That should help the agent review the previous case details without you having to explain everything again, which may save time. 

I hope this information helps point you in the right direction. Wishing you a better experience with Microsoft moving forward. 

While my initial response may not fully resolve the issue, I truly appreciate your cooperation as we work together toward identifying the most effective solution. Thank you so much for your understanding. 

---

If the answer is helpful, please click "Accept Answer" and kindly upvote it. If you have extra questions about this answer, please click "Comment".  

Note: Please follow the steps in our documentation to enable e-mail notifications if you want to receive the related email notification for this thread. 

Answer 2

For a hacked Microsoft account with changed email/contact info and unauthorized purchases, only the official self-service recovery and billing processes can be used; support cannot bypass them manually.

Follow these steps in order:

1. Recover and secure the Microsoft account
   1. Use the official hacked/compromised account troubleshooter: go to How to recover a hacked or compromised Microsoft account and select Start. The sign-in helper will ask for the email/phone and guide through self-help or offer a chance to talk to an agent.
      • How to recover a hacked or compromised Microsoft account
   2. Before changing passwords, scan all PCs/phones used with the account for malware using an up-to-date antivirus or Windows Defender, and run a full scan.
   3. After the scan, change or reset the Microsoft account password using the links in the same article and create a strong password.
   4. Once access is regained, review account settings for tampering (connected accounts, forwarding, automatic replies) using the links in the same article and remove anything the attacker added.
   If the attacker replaced all security info and the account recovery form fails, community guidance indicates there is no alternate manual override for consumer accounts; recovery is only via the automated process in the article above.
2. If the account is locked or Outlook.com is blocked
   1. If Outlook.com shows as blocked due to unusual activity, use the Sign-in Helper from the Unblock my Outlook.com account article to unblock.
      • Unblock my Outlook.com account
   2. If unblocking fails even after entering codes or changing the password, follow the link in that article to When you can't sign in to your Microsoft account for additional reset and support-contact options.
3. Dispute unauthorized Microsoft Store charges
   1. For accidental or unauthorized purchases made on the account, use the refund/returns process described in Cancel an order or pre-order from Microsoft Store under “How do I cancel an unauthorized or accidental purchase?”
      • This points to the refund process: Returning items you bought from Microsoft for exchange or refund.
   2. If there are duplicate charges for the same order, gather the Microsoft account and order number and contact Microsoft Store Support using the link in that article.
   3. If the card was used but the charge is not clear, use the billing investigation steps from the billing Q&A reference, then cancel/refund the related subscription or purchase using the refund article.
4. Prevent further unauthorized purchases
   1. After regaining access, follow Prevent unauthorized purchases from Microsoft Store (Windows 10/11 sections) to:
      • Review and secure the account.
      • Learn how to help protect the Microsoft account from fraudulent activity.
      • Reset the Microsoft account password if needed.
   2. Remove or update stored payment methods in the Microsoft account and Microsoft Store once access is restored.
5. If escalation is stalled
   1. If an escalation case exists but there has been no response for weeks, use the sign-in helper and support-contact paths in the articles above to re-engage support. Community guidance in similar cases confirms that:
      • Only the official recovery flow and automated checks can restore access when security info has been changed.
      • If the recovery form and helper cannot verify ownership, support cannot override this for consumer accounts.
   2. For Minecraft or other linked services, contact their dedicated support (for example, Minecraft Support) separately to see if they can assist with access to those specific services if the Microsoft account cannot be recovered.

In parallel, contact the bank or card issuer that was charged to report fraud and dispute any charges that cannot be refunded through Microsoft’s own refund process.

---

References:

• How to recover a hacked or compromised Microsoft account
• Prevent unauthorized purchases from Microsoft Store
• What does “Security info change is still pending” mean?
• Cancel an order or pre-order from Microsoft Store
• Microsoft account has been locked
• Unblock my Outlook.com account
• investigate a billing charge - Microsoft Q&A
• Cannot Access Microsoft Account After Hacker Changed Email, Advice Needed - Microsoft Q&A
• hello my email was (Moderator note: PII removed)@icloud.com and now its (Moderator note: PII removed)@jerkoffmail.com can please someone help me and the team change it my username in xbox is (Moderator note: PII removed) please help me team and change it - Microsoft Q&A