Help! My Email Account Has Been Hacked – What Should I Do?

Discovering that your email account has been hacked can be upsetting and overwhelming. But don’t panic! Here are some simple steps you can take to regain control and secure your account.

1. Change Your Password Immediately

Your first priority is to change your email password. This will stop anyone from continuing to access your account.

  • Choose a strong password: Use a mix of upper and lower-case letters, numbers, and symbols. Avoid obvious choices like “password123”, your date of birth, your or your relative’s name or your pet’s name.
  • Make it long: Aim for at least 12 characters.
  • Keep it unique: Don’t reuse passwords across different accounts.

Setting strong passwords is a good habit to get into, whether it’s for your email account or any other. Choosing a strong password for any bank or investment portals you may have logins for is especially important. If you’re unsure how to create a strong password, consider using a password manager to generate and store one for you.

2. Check Your Sent Items

Hackers often use your account to send emails to your contacts. Look in your sent folder for any emails you don’t recognise. If you find any, let your contacts know not to click on any links or download attachments from those messages.

3. Activate Two-Factor Authentication (2FA)

Adding 2FA to your email account gives it an extra layer of protection. This means that even if someone has your password, they’ll also need a code sent to your phone or another device to log in.

We’ve written another blog explaining how 2FA works and how to set it up here. It’s quick and easy to do and makes a huge difference.

4. Review Your Account Settings

Hackers sometimes change account settings to maintain access or monitor your activity. Check the following:

  • Email forwarding: Ensure your emails aren’t being forwarded to an unfamiliar address.
  • Recovery options: Make sure your recovery email address and phone number are correct.
  • Authorised devices: If your email provider allows it, check the list of devices logged into your account and remove any you don’t recognise.
5. Run a Security Scan

If you accessed your email on a computer, tablet, or phone, run a security scan on that device to ensure there’s no malicious software installed.

6. Contact Your Email Provider

If you’re struggling to regain control or suspect the hacker has locked you out, contact your email provider’s support team. Most providers have a process to help you recover your account. The National Cyber Security Centre has advice on what to do if your account has been hacked and taken over.

7. Stay Alert

After securing your account, keep an eye out for suspicious activity. This might include:

  • Receiving password reset emails you didn’t request.
  • Unfamiliar logins from new locations.
  • Messages from friends saying they’ve received strange emails from you.

If anything seems off, act quickly by changing your password again and reviewing your settings.

A Final Word

Finding out your email has been hacked can feel overwhelming, but following these steps will help you take back control. While we can’t set up 2FA for you, if you’re unsure about any of these steps or would like help figuring it out, feel free to contact us. We’re here to help!

And remember – stay calm, take it step by step, and you’ll have your account secure again in no time.

 

Posted on: 27th January, 2025
Posted by: The Chesterton House Team