Hacked Email

When an attacker gets a hold of your email account and sends emails from your email account (Gmail, Yahoo, Hotmail, etc.) to your friends or your financial institution, it is considered email hijacking.

In the emails, the attackers insert links that include malware, hoping your friends or financial institution will click on the link because it is from a known contact or trusted friend.

You might have been hacked if:

• Friends and family are getting emails or messages you didn’t send
• Your sent messages folder has messages you didn’t send, or it has been emptied
• Your social media accounts have posts you didn’t make
• You can’t log into your email or social media account

In the case of emails with random links, it’s possible your email address was “spoofed,” or faked, and hackers don’t actually have access to your account. But you’ll want to take action, just in case.

What to do if you have been a victim of email hijacking:

Change your email password. Create a strong password that you don’t use for any other service. Contact your service provider for help and advice.

Go into your email account’s advanced options and change your account recovery options (challenge questions, phone numbers, and backup email address). Review these settings for changes you did not make.

Check the websites and applications that are allowed to access your account and revoke any settings that are unfamiliar.

Check your advanced mail settings for suspicious forwarding addresses or delegated accounts. Check your email folders (such as spam, sent items and deleted items) for any messages that may have been sent from your account.

Contact recipients of unauthorized email to inform them of what occurred. Consider advanced security settings that protect you from future issues.