What To Do When Outlook Account Hacked?
Outlook is one of the most-used email services catering to billions of people. People use it for work and personal communication, to create reminders, and to manage a big part of their daily life. But imagine if you find your Outlook hacked on any given day. The thought itself is scary as you wouldn’t want a complete stranger to access your private data, resell it, and empty your bank accounts. However, recently, 225 million breached logins of Outlook have been reported. This staggering number should alert you about your account’s safety. That’s why in this article, we’ve compiled steps to figure out if your Outlook account has been hacked and ways to recover it.
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Signs That Your Outlook Account Has Been Hacked
Are you unsure of experiencing the Outlook account hacked issue? You can feel sure about it by watching out for these signs.
- Your contacts are getting spam messages from your Outlook email address.
- There is a virus on the system you use to access the Outlook email service.
- You find that your emails are already read, but you didn’t open them.
- The emails are being deleted from your inbox without your permission.
- Your Outlook password is not the one you created. It is a sure-shot sign of a compromised Outlook account.
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How to Recover Hacked Outlook Account?
If you’ve had your Outlook.com account hacked, you must follow the methods mentioned below to recover it. These steps will also prevent your account from becoming a victim of a hacker in the future.
Set Up Antivirus on Your System
The first step is to do a scan of your computer for viruses. It will also enable you to confirm that your Outlook account was hacked. Eliminate any viruses you discover before you change the password.
- Choose the Start option on your PC.
- On the screen, input Windows Defender in the Search area. You can also select ‘Windows Defender.’
- Now just go by the directions that come up on the screen.
- After installing an antivirus program, set it to receive updates and to scan your system periodically.
It is also a good step to install Microsoft Security Essentials. You can install it for free if you have a Windows OS. To learn further about Microsoft Security Essentials and download it, click this link.
Change Your Account Password
If the hacker hasn’t yet taken over your password, it’s time to change it right away. Sign into your Outlook account after you install the antivirus program. If you aren’t able to change the credentials of your account, you can reset your Outlook password. Head over to this link. You just need to input your email or phone number. After that, follow the directions that you are shown and make your account secure.
Configure Two-Factor Authentication
If your Outlook got hacked and you have changed the password after setting up an antivirus, you can proceed to configure two-factor authentication. In order to install the two-factor authentication on your MS account, you are required to employ the Microsoft Authentication app. Android users can configure this app using these points.
- Head to the Google Play Store.
- Now find the Microsoft Authenticator app.
- Install this app and open it.
- Go through the terms and conditions and agree to them.
- Choose to sign in using the Microsoft link.
- Confirm the email ID related to your Microsoft account
- Hit the ‘Next‘ button.
- Confirm the password associated with your MS account.
- Click the ‘Sign in‘ option.
- Select your preferred secondary confirmation method. It can be another email ID or your contact number.
- Finish the process of verification.
- Tap the Got it link followed by ‘OK.’
- After this, configure multi-factor authentication. Open your Microsoft account in your browser.
- Log in and tap the ‘Security‘ tab.
- Choose the ‘Advanced Security option.
- Tap ‘Additional Security.’
- Choose to switch on multi-factor authentication.
- Choose ‘Next‘ and confirm the platform you desire two-factor authentication to run.
- Choose ‘Next‘ and lastly, ‘Finish.’
Reconfigure Your Account Settings
Users finding their Outlook hacked can go the extra mile and reset their account settings. Follow these pointers to reconfigure sending or receiving mail and linked IDs.
- Tap ‘Options‘ present on the upper-right corner of your Outlook window.
- Next, click ‘More Mail Settings.’
- Look below ‘Managing your account.’ Tap the ‘Sending/receiving email from other accounts, Email forwarding, and Sending automated vacation replies‘ option.
- To reset your linked IDs, tap ‘Options‘ in the upper-right corner.
- Now, hit ‘More Mail Settings.’
- Below the ‘Managing your account section, tap ‘Account details.’
- After inputting your password, click ‘Linked IDs.’
- Now click ‘Add linked ID.’
- You can also reset the reply-to address. For doing so, hit the ‘Options‘ icon.
- Hit ‘More mail settings‘ after that.
- Below the ‘Writing email‘ section, tap ‘Reply-to address.’
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Tips to Maintain the Security of Your Outlook Account
You must be very vigilant about the security of your Outlook account. With the increasing number of breaches, it makes sense to be equipped with the necessary steps in this regard.
- When you change or reset your Outlook password, ensure it is strong.
- Use a good blend of upper and lower case letters and symbols.
- Never use the same password for each and every account.
- Check that your operating system is well-updated. It will boost the security of your system and its performance.
- Do not ever reply to any email asking for your Outlook credentials.
- Do not save your credentials if you are accessing your account from a cybercafé.
- Add security information to your account as it makes it easy to recover if it’s compromised in the future. Under ‘Account Security,’ tap ‘Manage.’
- Tap ‘Add New‘ on the ‘Manage security info‘ page and go by onscreen directions to add security information.
Final Thoughts
Malware, attacking websites, and phishing are the key entry points for hackers. So you must be careful when surfing the internet and replying to emails. Now that you know what to do, if you find your Outlook hacked you can feel relieved. Use these steps in a series and apply the additional tips given afterward. If you require further support to restore your account, connect with a trusted Outlook support service.
Written By
John
John is a Technical Writer at Email Support, has 10 years of experience, and is an expert in Email and Cloud Computing. His specialty is writing about the Email clients such as Outlook, Yahoo, Verizon, SBCGlobal, Gmail, Apple Mail, AOL, WildBlue, and others.
