How Do I Know if My Email Has Been Hacked?

How to Tell if Your Email Has Been Hacked

A hacked email account can easily go unnoticed. Here's what to look for to determine whether your email has been hacked.

1. You Can't Log in to Your Account

One of the clearest signs of a hacked email is being unable to log in to your account with your password. If you've tried unsuccessfully to log in, a hacker may have changed your password. Recovering your account quickly is crucial. The hacker may try to steal sensitive information, send spam to your contacts or attempt to hack into other accounts.

2. You Receive a Security Alert

Your email might have been compromised if you received a security alert or notification from your email provider. These alerts give you a chance to secure your account before damage is done. The alert might inform you of logins or access attempts from another location or device, or that your password has been changed. For example, you may get a notification about a login attempt from a city you've never visited.

3. You Have Unexpected or Missing Emails

If your sent folder has emails you didn't send, or if you receive replies to emails you never sent, a hacker may have gained access to your inbox. Or, if expected emails are missing from your inbox, this could be a sign that your email has been compromised. Hackers might delete emails to make it harder for you to notice their activity in your account.

4. Your Account Settings Have Changed

A hacker may change your recovery email address, phone number or other details to make it harder for you to gain access to your account. They may set up email forwarding rules to send copies of emails to their account so they can monitor the emails you receive. Regularly review account settings to be sure the options are up to date.

5. You're Receiving Password Reset Emails

Hackers may attempt to access other accounts by resetting your passwords and then intercepting the reset emails. If you receive password reset emails for accounts that you did not request, it could indicate your email has been hacked. It also signals the hacker is trying to gain access to your other accounts and services.

What to Do if Your Email Is Hacked

If your email has been hacked, there are several steps you should take to secure your account and prevent hackers from gaining access to other accounts.

• Change your password. Use your email provider's recovery process to regain access to your account if necessary, then immediately change your password to a strong, unique password. If any of your other accounts used the same password as your email, change those to unique passwords as well.
• Log out of all devices. Look for the option to log out of your email on other devices. This will force the hacker out of your account. You'll have to log in again from your phone, tablet or another device.
• Enable multifactor authentication. This adds another layer of security to your account. Each time you log in to your account, you must enter a unique code sent to your phone or generated by an app.
• Verify your recovery information. Make sure the hacker hasn't added their own recovery email address or phone number to your account.
• Alert your contacts. This way your friends, family and other contacts can delete suspicious emails they may have received from your account.
• Confirm your other accounts haven't been impacted. Verify other accounts linked to your email address—like your bank, credit card or social media—haven't been compromised. Update password for these accounts as needed.
• Scan your computer. Use a reputable antivirus software to scan your computer and make sure it's free from viruses and malware that could steal your information.
• Check your credit report. Review your credit report for any signs of fraud or identity theft, like unfamiliar accounts, so you can dispute inaccurate information immediately.

Tips to Protect Your Email Account

Protecting your email account is critical for safeguarding your personal information and preventing your contacts from becoming targets of phishing scams. Here are several steps you can take to secure your email account.

• Create a secure password. Make sure your email account has a secure password that's different from your other passwords. Avoid passwords that are easy to guess like common words and phrases. Strengthen your password by combining uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers and symbols.
• Change your password proactively. Update your password regularly, especially if you receive a data breach notific.ation Email hacks often happen after passwords are leaked in a breach.
• Be cautious about email links. Avoid clicking on links in emails unless you're absolutely certain the sender is legitimate. Phishing scams are increasingly clever, often masquerading as trusted contacts to steal your password.
• Exercise caution when accessing email in public. Be mindful when using public Wi-Fi and checking your email on public devices. Always be sure you log out of your accounts when you access using public devices, like at a local library. You could use a VPN for added security, but no solution is foolproof.
• Keep your software updated. Regularly update your computer's operating system, internet browsers and other installed software—or turn on automatic updates. These software updates often include fixes for vulnerabilities that hackers can exploit.

The Bottom Line

In addition to securing your email account, you can take further steps to keep tabs on your financial accounts. Sign up for alerts on your financial accounts to quickly detect any potential unauthorized access. Enroll in credit monitoring to identify suspicious activity that could indicate fraud. Being proactive can help you spot hacking attempts early, preventing would-be thieves from causing significant damage.