Summary: The outlook is grim if your email account has been stolen, but there are a couple things that you can try to do to recover it.
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Someone has stolen my email account. What can I do to get it back? |
I've actually received a couple of reports like this in recent days. The scenario is this: one day you find that you cannot log into your email account. Then, to make matters worse, you find that someone else has been sending email pretending to be you to people you know.
Sometimes damaging email.
Remedies are few, but you do need to act quickly.
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First, I definitely want to point out that this is different than the scenario I outlined in my previous article Someone's sending from my email address! How do I stop them?!. In that scenario you can still log in and send email yourself. And typically because it's virus or spam related, the email seen in that scenario is often nonsensical.
The situation we're talking about here is when someone has changed your password so that you cannot log in and send email, and you're getting reports of email to people you know that you know you didn't send, saying things you know you didn't say.
Call your ISP immediately and tell them what is happening. They should have some way of identifying you, after which they should be able to reset your password. This is typically the approach for pay services - they may verify your identity with your credit card number or some other piece of information they collected at the time you signed up.
Reset your password. Free services may or may not have customer service numbers you can call, but they typically have a "forgot your password?" function. These will either confirm your identity with a question / answer that you provided when you signed up or will reset and/or email your password to an alternate email address you provided when you signed up.
Get a new account / address. Changing or resetting your password through the service is really your only recourse to recover your email account. If that can't be made to work, then get a new account, and let your friends know that your old email account has been compromised and to disregard anything they get from the old address.
Prevention. It's tough given the number of accounts and passwords we all need to remember, but the fact is choosing a hard-to-guess password and changing it regularly are important steps you can take to avoid this situation. Similarly, make sure "remember me" is turned off if you're ever using a computer in a public place to read your email.
And as always, scan for viruses and spyware regularly.
IMPORTANT - Please Read: Since so many people seem intent on asking: I cannot and will not change your password for you. I cannot and will not email you your password. It's simply not possible, and even if it were, it would not be ethical for me to do so. Requests to do so will simply be ignored. Sorry.
Related:
I've lost my Hotmail password, can you help get it back? If you have lost your Hotmail password, it's impossible for me to get it back for you. However, there are measures you can take to avoid this situation.
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Someone's sending from my email address! How do I stop them?! Email spoofing is rampant. Spammers often send email that looks like it came from you. And there's little you can do about it.
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How do I keep my computer safe on the internet? Internet Safety is difficult and yet critical. Here are the seven key steps to internet safety - steps to keep your computer safe on the internet.
Article C2085 - June 26, 2004
To the best of my knowledge, you cannot. The steps outlined in the article are the only options I'm aware of.
Posted by: Leo at October 14, 2004 10:00 AMIMPORTANT - Please Read: Since so many people seem intent on asking: I cannot and will not change your password for you. I cannot and will not email you your password. It's simply not possible, and even if it were, it would not be ethical for me to do so. Requests to do so will simply be ignored. Sorry.
I'm closing comments on this article because people don't seem to get that even though it's stated very clearly in the article as well.
Posted by: Leo at November 22, 2004 11:55 AMMy hotmail account has been compromised! It appears that the person that hacked into my email account created an alternate email address. when I request that the new password be sent to an alternate email address I cannot enter in the new email address that I want the new password to go to.
Posted by: Rob Paulno at June 16, 2009 7:28 PMHotmail is a joke
i had an occasion where whenever i sent e mail, i never recd. answered. I found out that a hacker had reset my return to address in hotmail. i tried to contact gmail to tell them about this crud, but getting word through to him is like getting to meet with the president.t ciure, check the return to address and make it as it sshould be.
Posted by: rev. nino at July 27, 2009 11:42 PMi tried to sign in and i was told that my windows live hotmail account is temporary not avilable. what can i do?
26-Aug-2009
Posted by: jessica at August 25, 2009 12:19 PM
Someone has hacked into my email. Not only that, they have hacked over 7 sites, deleted 4, and now are stalking me. They have been threatening me, but I really don't know what to do. What can I do?
13-Sep-2009
Posted by: Cindy at September 11, 2009 10:36 AM
does msn ever respond or help ppl whose email has been hacked??? im mean some people use their email for business , professor have their students work and info you know...i really need my account back and fear they will hack into more of my account since the passwords were sent to my old email (the one that was just hacked!) email me at citytwin89@hotmail.com if anyone has sugesstions
Posted by: joyce at October 7, 2009 7:08 PMsomeone did steal my my account.........and they r sending messages....rude messages.....so i told all my friends about this to let them know it isnt me!!!
Posted by: jean at October 11, 2009 3:21 PMPlease help me! I have recently had my email hacked (literally 20 minutes ago). I have changed my password numerous times and it still isn't helping to fend off that hacker! I'm nervous, I don't know what to do! The computer I use is a shared computer between family, I'm scared that their emails and other accounts have been hacked. Should I phone the police or should I contact my internet provider? If I do contact them, how would they help me? Thanks!
Posted by: Jessica at October 13, 2009 8:43 PMIf your changing passwords and they're still getting hacked then you probably have a Trojan or keylogger infecting your computer which is sending your new password info to the hacker? So you should definitely get a good AV program or several as Leo has suggested in another article and do a complete scan of your computer before you change anymore passwords! Then make sure the passwords you are using are not systematic where someone who knows you or a hacker can easily guess them? Alphanumeric passwords using different cases is one way of creating a stronger password. If you are receiving threats then you definitely should contact the authorities otherwise this type of behavior will just continue to propagate. Some of these hackers are not just garden variety guys sitting in their garage bored, but are international criminals who use compromised computers and email accounts for nefarious activities like scams and DoS attacks. Anyway hopefully you get your email account issues fixed! Happy Computing! :)
Posted by: Shadmin at November 1, 2009 5:57 PM