Account Deleted - No Idea why

Question

Hi,

my first ever time posting but i'm desperate for help Can anyone please shed some light on this please, as I feel like I keep hitting a brick wall.

I have a Microsoft 365 subscription which is logged under my email, for the sake of this query, it’s --PII REMOVED--

 

That email address was my outlook login and Microsoft login, xbox login, etc 

 

I received an emails from Microsoft email to --PII REMOVED-- that stated the following

 

 “Security info was deleted

 

The following security info was recently deleted from the Microsoft account --PII REMOVED-- 

• --PII REMOVED-- (which was my tel number)

If this was you, then you can safely ignore this email. 

If this wasn't you, a malicious user has access to your account. Please review your recent activity and we'll help you secure your account. "

 

This activity wasn’t done by me, and each time  I try and login to --PII REMOVED--  I get the following message

 “We couldn't find a Microsoft account. Try entering your details again, or create an account.”

Can someone please help as I’m in total limbo and can’t access anything

many thanks

mick

Answer 1

Hi Mick Lowe,

Please note that our Microsoft Q&A forum is a public platform, and we will modify your response/ question to hide your personal information in the description. Kindly ensure that you hide any personal or organizational information the next time you post an error or other details to protect personal data.

Based on what you've described, this does not sound like a normal account deletion. The sequence of events is much more consistent with an account compromise (account takeover). The fact that Microsoft sent you a notification that your phone number/security information was removed, followed by the message "We couldn't find a Microsoft account" when you try to sign in, often indicates that someone may have gained access to the account and changed the sign-in alias or security details. A Microsoft account is not usually deleted immediately. In many compromised-account cases, an attacker:

1. Signs into the account.
2. Removes the existing security information.
3. Adds their own recovery methods.
4. Changes the primary alias/sign-in address.

Once this happens, the original email address may no longer be recognized, even though the Microsoft account itself still exists.

I would recommend:

• Attempting Microsoft's account recovery process as soon as possible.
• Gathering proof of ownership, such as Microsoft 365 subscription details, billing information, Xbox gamertag details, previous passwords, and any recovery emails or phone numbers previously associated with the account.
• Checking whether the email account itself has also been compromised and changing its password immediately if you still have access.
• Contacting Microsoft Support directly and explaining that you received a legitimate Microsoft notification stating that your security information was removed without your authorization.

Unfortunately, community members here do not have access to Microsoft account records, so only Microsoft's account recovery and support teams can investigate the account history and determine whether the account alias was changed or the account was otherwise compromised.

I hope you're able to recover the account quickly. The notification about security information being removed is the key piece of evidence, so be sure to mention that when speaking with support.