My account was hacked

This behavior is consistent with a compromised Outlook.com account. After changing the password, check for leftover mailbox changes that attackers commonly add.

1. Run a full malware scan on the PC first.
   • Open Windows Security.
   • Go to Virus and threat protection.
   • Select Scan options > Full scan > Scan now.
   • This should be done before changing account settings again.
2. Use the Microsoft account sign-in helper to secure and recover the account.
   • Start here: Sign-in Helper
   • If the tool cannot resolve the issue, use the sign-in recovery flow in When you can't sign in to your Microsoft account from the account unblock guidance.
3. Check Outlook.com mailbox settings for attacker changes.
   • Review Rules and remove anything not created intentionally.
   • Review Forwarding and remove any unknown forwarding addresses.
   • Review connected accounts and automatic replies.
   • Attackers often create rules that move or forward mail, which can also affect delivery behavior.
4. Check for signs of compromise in the mailbox.
   • Look for suspicious messages in Sent Items and Deleted Items.
   • Look for missing or deleted mail and suspicious inbox rules or forwarding.
   • These are common symptoms of a compromised email account.
5. Change the password again after the malware scan if needed, and make sure it is strong.
   • If sign-in works, change it from the Microsoft account security page.
   • If sign-in does not work, use the password reset flow.
6. If mail is still being rejected after cleaning rules and forwarding, use the recovery/support path offered by the sign-in helper, which can provide self-help steps or the option to talk to an agent.

Important: if deleted messages were permanently removed from the mailbox, Microsoft does not keep backups of personal mailboxes, so those messages might not be recoverable.

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• Unblock my Outlook.com account
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