msn hotmail problems

mumibear

when trying to log into my email account i am getting a message saying someone could be using my account - please give my phone number so that they can text me a code to unblock it???
help anyone?? please :eek:

Ant555

I am pretty sure that hotmail/outlook require a few security features for password resets etc. to try and avoid hackers gaining control of accounts.

A mobile number is one of the ways, including security questions, an alternative email address and even a 'confirmed' PC that you can designate as being genuine.

If it were me i'd navigate to the password reset link just to be on the safe side - (type it in manually if you are not sure if my link is genuine)
https://account.live.com/password/reset

This asks you to input your hotmail account name, type in the security captcha code and then on the next screen it will ask if you want to answer your security question (have you ever set one up?) or have a link sent to your alternative email address (if you have set one up).

hope this helps.

Post back here how you get on.

mumibear

Thanks Ant555 for your reply - I am now back on my account after resetting my password - looks like some low life has been sending messages to everyone on my contacts list - am thinking of setting up a new account :mad:

Toxteth_OGrady

mumibear wrote: »

looks like some low life has been sending messages to everyone on my contacts list

The low life is probably a malware infection.

Ant555

mumibear wrote: »

Thanks Ant555 for your reply - I am now back on my account after resetting my password - looks like some low life has been sending messages to everyone on my contacts list - am thinking of setting up a new account :mad:

Woah! if you can see them in your 'sent' items then someone definitely found out your password!

If you are simply getting 'bounced' messages saying things like 'undeliverable' in your inbox then thats less of a worry.

Its remarkably easy for someone to send junk messages and spoof/pretend to be someone else.

Let us know why you think someone has been sending as you and we can advise if its anything to worry about.

It really depends on what you use your hotmail for - main account or just a throwaway account.

mumibear

I cannot see messages in my sent box but a couple of friends have txt me as they have received an email from me with some link about weight loss ???
It is my one and only email account...........should I worry?
Also one of the messages has been sent back to my inbox as a postmaster delivery failure as the email address it tried to send it to is an old email adddress for a friend of mine.

Ant555

In that case its nothing to worry about. Those messages almost certainly haven't come from you.

Someone else on this forum is having similar(ish) problems and I have put a link below
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/4449461

Its likely someone you know has a problem, that person probably has a similar list of contacts to you, the infection on their PC is secretly sending out random messages/junk to everyone in that address book and 'pretending' to be one of the people in that address book. In this instance it has selected your address so people that are receiving the junk messages think its from you - this helps hide the original infection and keep the cycle running for longer.
Oh, and any messages that get 'bounced' by other peoples email systems wil be returned to whoever they think is sending the message, in this instance thats your email address which is why you are seeing them in your own inbox. - A bit like someone writing your home address as a 'return address' on the back of every letter they put in a postbox, if its undeliverable the Post Office will send it back to who it appears sent it in the first place, It will eventually pop through your door even though its not really from you.

From what you have said, I would not worry too much - make sure your password is quite secure and completely unguessable by anyone apart from you.
Make sure you have the password reset options set in Hotmail - not a mobile number but certainly an alternative email address and an answer to one of their predetermined questions.

I would only start to worry if the messages to your friends continue more than a couple of days. And even then only if there are lots of them.

Post back here if this happens.

All the best

mumibear

Thankyou so much Ant - you have set my mind at rest you are a star :beer: