Is my email account hacked?
Short answer
One strange message is not proof. Compare recent sign-ins, account changes, sent mail and forwarding rules. Treat an unfamiliar successful sign-in or setting change as an incident.
What you need to know
A triage route for an account you own.
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Separate a signal from confirmed access
A warning, changed setting and unexplained sent message are different evidence. Write down what the provider actually reports: attempted or successful access, time and the setting affected. Do not treat a map pin as an identified attacker.
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Choose the control that changed
If only delivery differs, inspect mailbox rules. If account security changed, use the provider security route. If access is lost, recovery is a prerequisite; this page does not substitute a new generic reset form for the provider.
Check, act, and the limit
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Start by checking
Open the provider’s security page from a saved address and review recent activity.
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Then act
Change the password on a trusted device, remove sessions you do not recognize, then inspect mailbox settings.
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Know the limit
This site cannot inspect an inbox or identify an intruder from an address.
Next guide: Unusual email sign-in alert
Official sources
Provider security pages this guide is based on. Product details change, so check them before acting.
- Google Account Help: secure a compromised account support.google.com
HackEmail is an independent guide. We never ask for your password or verification codes, never read messages and never access anyone’s inbox. Not affiliated with Google, Microsoft, Apple or Yahoo.