Managing personal Outlook.com account settings, security, and privacy
The email can be checked for authenticity and the account can be secured before contacting support.
- Verify whether the email is legitimate
- Confirm the sender address is from the Microsoft account team, such as ******@accountprotection.microsoft.com or another address ending in @accountprotection.microsoft.com.
- If unsure, inspect the message headers (for example, in Outlook) to confirm it was sent by Microsoft.
- Check for unusual sign-in activity
- Go to the Security basics page and open the Recent activity page to review sign-ins and security events. If any activity is not recognized, mark it as “This wasn’t me” and follow the prompts.
- Secure the account
- If there is any suspicion that someone accessed the account, follow the guidance in How to recover a hacked or compromised Microsoft account to:
- Change the password.
- Review and update security info (phone, alternate email, etc.).
- Remove any unrecognized security info or sign-in methods.
- If there is any suspicion that someone accessed the account, follow the guidance in How to recover a hacked or compromised Microsoft account to:
- Contact Microsoft Support to speak with a live person
- Use the official support channel:
- Go to Contact Microsoft Support.
- Enter the problem (for example, “Account hacked” or “Account security issue”) and select Get Help.
- If self-help does not resolve the issue, select Contact Support.
- Sign in with any available Microsoft account (or create a new one if necessary).
- Under Products and Services, choose the appropriate product (for example, Outlook.com or Other Products), then choose a security-related category such as Manage account security.
- Choose Chat with a support agent in your web browser or a callback option if offered, to speak with a live agent.
- Use the official support channel:
If verification codes are not being received or there are sign-in issues, the Sign-in helper tool can also be used to diagnose and route to appropriate help.
References:
- What happens if there's an unusual sign-in to your account
- Can I trust email from the Microsoft account team?
- How to recover a hacked or compromised Microsoft account
- Troubleshoot Microsoft verification code issues
- Get help with your Microsoft account
- I need to speak with a real person and it seems impossible. - Microsoft Q&A
- How do I get a live person at Microsoft.? - Microsoft Q&A
- My account got hacked. - Microsoft Q&A
- My personal hotmail account hacked by hacker with authentication app enabled. - Microsoft Q&A
- How do I send an email to Microsoft about my account being hacked and taken over by <removed> ? - Microsoft Q&A