This could mean the hacker changed your credentials to lock you out of your own account. When you try to log in, you may get a message that your username or password is incorrect. Here are three indicators that your email account has likely been hacked. Or they may simply send these panic-inducing words: “You’ve been hacked.”īut you may be able to spot signs of trouble before you get tipped off by a friend. You may get an urgent message from a friend or family member who received a suspicious email from you. Learn what to do if your email has been hacked so you can stop these scammers quickly. This could happen to you and the colleagues, friends, and family members in your email contacts list. The email had a weight loss story from the sender and a link to fake endorsements from Oprah and other stars. Federal Trade Commission charged four scammers who hacked accounts to send millions of emails urging the recipients to try “miracle” weight loss pills. The ultimate 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 the victim’s device. Scammers hack email accounts so they can send phony messages from a trusted email address in hopes of getting the recipients to take action.
