Scammers hack email accounts so they can send phony messages from a trusted email address in hopes of getting the recipients to act. The goal could be to get these email contacts to send money, turn over personal information, or click a link that installs malware, spyware, or a virus on a device. Show
An email hack could also put your colleagues, friends, and family members in your email contacts list at risk for getting scammed too. Learn how email accounts can get compromised and what to do if your email is hacked. Email compromised from a data breachA data breach is a common way to compromise an email account. If you believe you're safe, just check out recent headlines about breaches that involve hacked email accounts. For example, car manufacturer General Motors was hit by a data breach in April 2022. According to Security Magazine, hackers got ahold of GM customer names, email addresses, physical addresses, GM account information, and more. So, what happens if a hacker gets your email address? If a cybercriminal were to gain access to your email address without also getting a hold of your email account password, it's unlikely they could do much damage. But if they also get your password, they can cause you plenty of pain. They could send scam emails to everyone on your contact list. And it’s no fun telling your boss that you didn't really send the message urging him to try the latest diet drug, or explaining to your aunt that, no, you’re not stranded in Aruba in need of $1,000 wired immediately. Hackers could also use your email and password to reset other passwords and gain control of your social media accounts. In a worst-case scenario, they could lock you out of your accounts and post anything they want as "you." These posts could be scam posts containing malicious links or even posts that are embarrassing or personally damaging to you. It's also possible hackers could use your email account to gain access to your bank account or credit card information, draining funds from an account, or racking up charges. They might even use your email and password to sign up for online sites and services, sticking you with monthly fees in the process. As you can see, it's especially important to keep hackers from accessing your Gmail or other email accounts. Tips to help protect email accountYou never know when a hacker might go after your email account, but you can take steps to help protect yourself from a cybercriminal compromising your email. First, never use the same password for your email account and the other important sites you visit. If someone gains access to your email password, you don't want that person to use this information to get into your bank, credit card, or health care accounts. Make sure to use unique passwords for each of these key sites. And make your passwords difficult to crack. Include letters, capitalized letters, numbers, and symbols in your passwords. Never use your birthday, address, Social Security number, or anything that someone may be able to guess about you in your password. Don't click on links in emails unless you absolutely know who sent the message to you and you're expecting this person to send you a link. If you aren’t expecting a link from someone you know, avoid clicking links even if you know the sender. These fraudulent links can often lead to spoofed websites that look like they’re run by a bank or credit card provider, but they’re created by fraudsters to scam you out of your personal information. Turn on two-factor authentication. With this security measure, you must first log into a site with your username and password — such as your bank, mortgage lender or credit card provider — and then wait for a code, usually sent to your smartphone. You then enter that code to gain access to the site. This does add an extra step to logging into an account, but it also provides an extra layer of protection. How to know if your email has been hackedYou may get an urgent message from a friend or family member who received a suspicious email from you. They may ask if you sent the email. Or they may simply send these panic-inducing words: “You’ve been hacked.” But you may be able to spot signs of a hacked email account before you get tipped off by a friend. Here are three indicators that your email account has likely been hacked.
Some email service providers have tools that you can use to check your IP address. If you use Gmail, for instance, you can scroll to the bottom of the page and look for the word “details” in the right corner. Click on this and you will see a log of IP addresses from which your account has been accessed. What to do if your email is hackedA hacked email can put you and your email contacts at risk for identity theft and bank account or credit card fraud. If you think your email has been hacked, take quick action to minimize the damage. Here are four tips for what to do if you email is hacked to banish the hacker and help protect yourself in the future. 1. Change your credentials. The first step: Take back control of your hacked email account. If the hacker has locked you out, you may have to contact your email service provider for help. You will probably have to provide an array of information to prove your identity and regain control of your email. If you do still have access to your account, make these changes right away:
2. Warn your contacts. Tell the colleagues, friends, and family in your email contact list that your email has been hacked. Warn them to delete any suspicious messages that come from your account. Also tell them not to open applications, click on links, share credit card information, or send money. It can be embarrassing to let your contacts know you’ve been hacked, but the warning may save them from falling for a scam. 3. Look for signs of trouble. Hackers may make changes to allow them to get into your account again or to continue to scam people after you’ve taken back control of the account. To prevent his, you should take these steps: ·
4. Protect yourself for the future. Finally, you can put a few simple measures in place to make another email hack less likely to happen in the future. Here’s what to do:
Now that you know what to do if your email is hacked, you can put a plan of action in place in case you ever do get the dreaded “you’ve been hacked” message from a friend. That will allow you to regain your account and your peace of mind more quickly. Can someone hack your email with just the address?If a hacker wanted to try breaking into one of your online accounts, knowing your email address is a solid first step. Obviously, they can't log in without your password, but by knowing your email address, they could target you with phishing emails – malicious attachments that install malware on your machine.
What can a hacker do with just an email address?If hackers gain access to your email, they could have an open doorway to any number of other devices and accounts. They can use your email to reset other account passwords, gain access to credit information, or even delete accounts, such as social media profiles.
Can someone have access to my email without me knowing?Scammers can use phishing emails to access your email account too. “When a hacker knows your email address, they have half of your confidential information. All they need now is the password,” warns Greg Kelley of digital forensics company Vestige Digital Investigations.
Can someone hack your phone with your email address?If you happen to use your name in your email address, your primary email address to sign up for iCloud/Google, and a weak password that incorporates personally identifiable information, it wouldn't be difficult for a hacker who can easily glean such information from social networks or search engines.
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