Gmail Account Hacked [What You Can Do to Recover It]

Gmail is the world’s most commonly used email server, used by companies to conduct business and connect to employees about important, sensitive information, which is why it’s often a hacker target. Because of the dangers of hacking, security is of utmost importance. You need to recognize if you’ve had your Gmail account hacked and how to react if it was.

How to Tell if Your Gmail Account Has Been Hacked

Anxiety over email security is expected since many operations have been moved online and are conducted strictly through email. Therefore, if you notice unfamiliar activity on your account, you might be inclined to think that ‘someone hacked my Google account.’ In such a case, there are tell-tale signs that your email address has been hacked, in which case you can take five specific steps.

1. Check your ‘Inbox’: Some emails may have a ‘read’ status on your email account. If you’re confident you haven’t opened or read them, this might point to an outside presence in your account.
2. Check the ‘Sent’ and ‘Drafts’ folder: If you discover emails that you didn’t write or send—or if someone complains about receiving strange emails from you—this might be evidence that your account was compromised.
3. Check the ‘Trash’ folder: It’s always a good idea to check the ‘Trash’ folder before permanently deleting all items. If you notice any unread emails there—or emails that you would have otherwise kept—it’s a good idea to check for other signs of a Gmail account hack.
4. Check Login activity: Gmail allows you to check when the last time your account was active. Additionally, it shows you the type of device the account was accessed on and the IP address location where it was accessed. If you notice unfamiliar information, you should ask yourself: Is my Gmail hacked?
5. Check unauthorized password changes: Your account might lock you out and request that you input your password. If your password is shown as incorrect, this is almost always a sure sign of having your Gmail hacked.

What to Do if Your Gmail Has Been Hacked

Gmail accounts contain a lot of information and personal data, usually linked to your other accounts, which are desirable targets for hackers. Unfortunately, a Gmail hack is not an uncommon occurrence. If this happens to you, the first thing you need to do is reach out to your provider and report the hacked Gmail account. After you’ve reported the hack, there are many ways you can choose to recover your account or alternatively you should inform yourself on how to close a Gmail account that has been hacked.

How to recover a hacked Gmail account is always a concern. But rest assured, the options to do so are available in Gmail Wizard, which makes the process of recovering your account significantly easier, as seen in the five ways below. To recover your Gmail account:

Use Your Phone Number

Having your Google mail hacked requires immediate attention and recovery. Fortunately, the first steps to recovering your account are the same for each option:

• Open your Gmail account in a browser, enter your username, and click ‘next.’
• Click ‘Forgot Password’ (below the password field).
• Click “Try Another Way’ or enter the last password you remember for the account.
• If you’re using your phone number as the recovery method, click on the ‘Send SMS’ link.

• You’ll then receive a verification code via SMS that you then need to copy to the verification box and click ‘Submit.’
• Finally, to resolve your Google password hacking problem, enter a new, strong password and confirm it.

Use Your Recovery Email Address

Repeat the first three steps of the recovery process.

• Enter your recovery email: You may see two options here since Gmail lets you enter more than one email address.
• You’ll receive your verification code on the email you’ve entered into the Gmail recovery form.

The last steps are the same as for the previous method. (You always need to reset your password.)

Answer Security Questions

If you’re wondering how to recover a Gmail password without a phone number and recovery email, there are other options. After you’ve completed the first three steps, the Gmail Wizard will allow you to choose a security question option.

• The question that appears is the familiar one you chose when you created your account.
• Enter the answer to the security question.
• If the answer you provided is correct, this will redirect you to the password reset page.

Verify Your Identity

In cases where Google accounts are breached, Google asks you to verify your identity. After you’ve completed the initial steps, Gmail will ask you a few questions.

• If you’ve had your Gmail account hacked, you must correctly answer the questions posed by Google, including your full name, date of birth, or when you had created your account. (Your answers will be reviewed.)

• If all of your answers are correct, the identity verification will be successful, and you can proceed to change your password.

Review Your Request Option

If you don’t remember your password or username, there are still steps you can go through to secure Gmail and get back into your account. Google will ask you for information related to the account you’re trying to recover and take your request under review. If they’re satisfied with the information you’ve provided, you’ll be able to access your account.

Key Takeaways

Tips for Gmail Account Recovery

If you’ve had your Google account hacked, this means that your Gmail is also compromised, and you need to go through the account recovery process. To ensure a successful recovery following an account breach, here are six tips you can follow to achieve complete recovery of your account.

Phone Access

If there is Gmail suspicious activity, you must have your mobile device with you to receive a phone call or SMS from Google.

‘Login’ Your Recovery Email Address

It’s vital to have access to the email that you’re using as a recovery email on your Gmail account. When you receive your verification code, you need to open the email and copy the code into Gmail.

Answer All Questions

Be prepared to answer all questions asked. Google’s recovery requirements have intensified ever since a Google security breach. They are extremely cautious when someone is trying to recover a hijacked account.

Be as Precise as Possible

Answering security questions or entering old passwords into Gmail can do more harm than good if you provide incorrect information. Gmail can revoke your permission to access the account because of conflicting information. It would be best if you were sure you’re giving correct answers and past passwords. Additionally, make sure that you spell everything correctly, and don’t forget that passwords are case-sensitive, with upper and lowercase letters.

Use a Familiar Device and Location

When recovering your account, be sure to do so from a device that you previously used to gain access to Gmail. If Gmail notices a new device or an IP address trying to access your email, it might cause you to get locked out of your Gmail account for suspicious activity.

Check Your Spam Folder for Messages

Sometimes, verification emails end up in the spam folder. Before trying another recovery option, make sure that your verification email wasn’t flagged as spam.

How to Secure Your Gmail Account

Most people have sensitive information in their email accounts and want to secure Gmail from any attacks. Consider these four tips to protect your information.

Regularly Review Account Activity

When you enter your Gmail account, go to ‘Security’ and then ‘Manage devices’ and (often) check if your account has been accessed from a device you don’t recognize.

Turn On 2-Step Verification

This feature provides more security for your account. In the ‘Security’ settings on your account, choose the ‘2-step verification option from the Google panel. Enabling this feature means that you’ll have to sign in to your account with your password and something else (your phone, a printed code, or a security key).

Remove Harmful Software

if you think that you’ve had your Google hacked, it’s a good idea to check your device for any harmful software that might have been installed. It’s also advisable that you install an antivirus program, which you can check out at the Avast review.

Use Password Alert

If you’ve ever had your Google password hacked, activating Password Alert on your Chrome browser is a good idea. When you enter your password on a non-Google site, you’ll receive a security notification from Chrome, which will protect you from sites pretending to be Google.

Conclusion

A Gmail breach can have serious consequences. But in most cases, your account is easily retrievable. There are several ways to recover your account and get all your information back. For example, suppose you’ve been the victim of a Gmail hacker. In that case, you need to immediately change your password after recovering your account and implement another form of protection to ensure that another incident doesn’t happen again.