What to Do If Your Email Gets Hacked (Step-by-Step Recovery)

Few things feel more violating than discovering someone has broken into your email account. That sinking feeling when you see messages you didn't send, or worse—when friends call saying they received strange emails from you. If you're dealing with this right now, take a breath. You're not alone, and this can be fixed.

For Connecticut residents, a hacked email is especially concerning because so many of us manage critical accounts online. Your email is likely connected to your bank's online portal, your healthcare provider's patient system, prescription refills, and dozens of other sensitive services. The good news? If you act quickly, you can lock out the hacker and protect your accounts before real damage occurs.

This guide will walk you through exactly what to do, step by step, in plain language.

Step-by-Step: How to Recover Your Hacked Email Account

These steps work for most email services including Gmail, Yahoo, Outlook, and others. Take your time with each one.

1. Change Your Password Immediately (If You Still Can)

   Try logging into your email account right now. If you can still get in, change your password immediately. Create a strong password that's at least 12 characters long, mixing uppercase letters, lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols. Don't use words from the dictionary or personal information like birthdays.

   Why this works: If the hacker hasn't changed your password yet, this kicks them out of your account. They won't be able to get back in with the old password.

   Success rate for this step alone: About 40% if you catch it early.

2. Use Account Recovery If You're Locked Out

   If your password no longer works, click the "Forgot Password" or "Can't Access Your Account" link on the login page. Most email services will send a recovery code to your backup phone number or alternate email address. Follow the prompts to reset your password.

   Why this works: Email providers have built-in systems designed specifically for this situation. As long as you set up recovery options when you created your account, you can prove you're the real owner.

   This works about 70% of the time, unless the hacker changed your recovery information too.

3. Check and Update Your Recovery Information

   Once you're back in your account, immediately verify your recovery phone number and backup email address. The hacker may have changed these to lock you out permanently. Go to your account settings and make sure your current phone number and a backup email you control are listed.

   Why this works: This prevents the hacker from using the same recovery system against you to get back into your account.

4. Turn On Two-Factor Authentication

   This is the single most important security step. Two-factor authentication (sometimes called 2FA or two-step verification) means that even if someone steals your password, they can't get into your account without also having access to your phone. You'll find this option in your account security settings.

   When you log in from a new device, the email service will text you a code. You'll need to enter both your password and that code to get in.

   Why this works: Hackers almost never have physical access to your phone. This stops about 99% of account takeover attempts.

5. Review Your Email Settings

   Hackers often change settings to forward copies of all your emails to themselves, even after you've changed your password. Check these specific settings:

   • Email forwarding rules (turn off any you didn't create)
   • Filters or rules that automatically delete or move messages
   • Connected apps and devices (remove any you don't recognize)
   • Your email signature (hackers sometimes add spam links)

   Why this works: These hidden changes let hackers keep monitoring your email even after you think you've kicked them out.

6. Scan Your Computer for Malware

   Run a full virus scan using Windows Defender (built into Windows) or your antivirus software. The hacker may have gotten your password through malware on your computer. If the malware isn't removed, they'll just steal your new password too.

   Why this works: Keyloggers and other malware can record everything you type, including new passwords. Removing the infection stops the information leak.

   Important: If you're not comfortable doing this, it's worth getting professional help.

7. Alert Your Contacts and Change Other Passwords

   Send a quick message to your contacts explaining that your email was hacked and they should ignore any strange messages from you. Then change passwords on your important accounts—especially banking, healthcare portals, shopping sites, and social media. Use different passwords for each account.

   Why this works: Most people use the same password across multiple sites. If hackers got into your email, they're probably trying that same password on your bank account right now.

Still Not Working?

If you've tried these steps and you're still having problems, you may be dealing with one of these more complex situations:

• The hacker changed your recovery information before you could: This requires contacting the email provider directly with identity verification, which can take days or weeks
• Your computer has persistent malware: Some infections hide deep in the system and come back even after antivirus scans
• Multiple accounts are compromised: If your email, banking, and other accounts are all affected, you need a systematic approach to secure everything in the right order

These situations need professional attention. Trying to fix advanced security problems without experience can sometimes make things worse.

STILL HAVING PROBLEMS?

Don't waste more time troubleshooting. Call Chapin Business Services at (203) 262-1869.

✓ Same-day service often available
✓ We come to you (house calls)
✓ Serving Southbury, Danbury, Waterbury, Litchfield County, and all of western Connecticut
✓ Real human answers the phone

25+ years serving Connecticut families and small businesses.

Frequently Asked Questions

How did hackers get my email password in the first place?

The most common ways are phishing emails that trick you into entering your password on a fake website, data breaches where hackers steal passwords from other companies, or malware on your computer. Sometimes people also use weak passwords that hackers can guess.

Should I delete my email account and start over?

Usually not. If you follow the recovery steps above, you can secure your existing account. Starting over means losing years of messages and having to update your email address with dozens of services. Only consider this if the account is completely unrecoverable.

How can I tell if my email was hacked?

Common signs include: friends receiving spam from your address, messages in your sent folder you didn't write, password suddenly not working, unfamiliar recovery information in your settings, or notifications about logins from strange locations. If you notice any of these, act immediately.

Will antivirus software prevent this from happening again?

Antivirus helps, but it's not enough by itself. The best protection is two-factor authentication combined with strong, unique passwords for each account. Think of antivirus as your seatbelt and two-factor authentication as your airbag—you want both.