I use email for almost everything these days. From creating social media accounts to receiving important documents, shopping receipts, work messages, and password reset links, email has become one of the most important parts of our digital life. Because of that, losing control of an email account can create serious problems.
The difficult part is that an email account can sometimes be compromised without the owner immediately realizing it. A hacker may not change your password right away. They may quietly read your messages, look for sensitive information, or use your account to target other accounts.
The good news is that there are several signs you can check. In this article, I will explain the practical ways I would check an email account for suspicious activity and what I would do if I found something unusual.
Check Your Recent Account Activity
The first thing I recommend checking is your account activity. Most popular email services provide information about recent logins, devices, locations, and login times.
If you use Gmail, for example, you can review recent account activity and look for sessions that you do not recognize. Other email providers also offer similar security pages.
When checking the activity, I would look at the device type, approximate location, browser, and time of access. Sometimes the location may look unfamiliar even when the login was legitimate because internet providers can route connections through different locations.
However, if you see a device you have never used or a login at a time when you were not using your account, it deserves attention.
Look for Emails You Did Not Send
Another simple way to check your account is to open the Sent folder.
Look carefully for messages that you do not remember sending. Hackers sometimes use compromised accounts to send spam, phishing messages, or malicious links to the victim’s contacts.
I would also check the Drafts folder. Finding an unfamiliar draft can be another warning sign because someone may have accessed the account and started preparing a message.
Do not immediately assume every strange email means your account has been hacked. Shared computers, email applications, and accidental clicks can sometimes explain unusual activity. Still, unfamiliar messages should not be ignored.
Check Your Inbox for Password Reset Emails
Password reset emails can provide an important clue.
If you receive a message saying that someone requested a password reset for an account you did not try to access, pay attention to it. It could mean someone knows your email address and is attempting to gain access to another service connected to your email.
For example, imagine receiving a password reset notification from a social media platform while you are not trying to reset your password. Someone may be attempting to take over that account.
I would never click suspicious links inside such emails. Instead, I would open the official website or application directly and check the account from there.
Check Your Email Forwarding Settings
This is one of the checks I think people often forget.
Some email services allow you to automatically forward incoming messages to another email address. If a hacker gets access to your account, they may create a forwarding rule so that copies of your emails are sent somewhere else.
Open your email settings and check forwarding addresses and filters.
If you find an address that you did not add, remove it immediately and secure your account. Also check whether unfamiliar filters are automatically deleting, archiving, or forwarding messages.
A hacker does not always need to stay logged into your account if they have already created a forwarding rule.
Look at Your Recovery Information
Your recovery email address and phone number are extremely important because they can help you regain control of an account.
Open your account security settings and check the recovery information.
If you find a phone number or recovery email address that you do not recognize, treat it as a serious warning sign. Someone who has accessed your account may have changed your recovery details to make it harder for you to take the account back.
Make sure your recovery information belongs to you and is still accessible.
Check Connected Apps and Services
Over time, we often connect email accounts to different applications and websites.
Some services may have permission to read emails, manage contacts, or access other account information. If you find a connected application that you do not recognize, investigate it.
I personally think this is a good security habit even if you have never been hacked. Removing old applications that you no longer use reduces the number of services connected to your account.
You should only give account permissions to services you trust.
Watch for Strange Changes
Small changes can sometimes reveal unauthorized access.
For example, your email signature might suddenly be different. Your profile information may have changed. Messages could be disappearing from the inbox. Contacts might receive strange messages from your account.
You may also notice that emails you were expecting are missing.
These signs do not automatically prove that your email has been hacked, but several unusual changes happening together should make you investigate further.
Check Whether Your Email Appeared in a Data Breach
Sometimes hackers obtain email addresses and passwords from data breaches involving websites or online services.
If you have used the same password on multiple websites, a password exposed in one breach may potentially be used to access another service.
You can use reputable breach notification services to check whether your email address has appeared in known data breaches. If it has, do not panic. A breach notification does not necessarily mean your current email account has been hacked.
Instead, use the information as a reason to change exposed passwords and make sure every important account has a unique password.
Try to Log In Carefully
If you suspect someone has changed your password, try signing in through the official website or application.
Never use a login link from a suspicious email.
If your normal password no longer works, use the provider’s official account recovery process. Follow the instructions carefully and provide the requested information.
If you can still access your account, change the password immediately.
I recommend doing this from a trusted device that is updated and protected.
Change Your Password Immediately
If you find clear evidence of unauthorized access, changing your password should be one of your first actions.
Create a strong password that you have not used anywhere else. Avoid using simple information such as your name, birthday, phone number, or common words.
A password manager can also make this easier because it can generate and store unique passwords for different accounts.
Most importantly, do not reuse your email password on other websites. Your email account can be used to reset passwords for many other services, so protecting it should be a priority.
Turn On Two Factor Authentication
A strong password is important, but I would still recommend enabling two factor authentication.
With two factor authentication, signing in normally requires your password plus another verification method. Depending on the service, this might be an authenticator application, security key, or another approved method.
This creates another layer of protection if your password is stolen.
For important email accounts, I consider two factor authentication one of the most useful security settings available.
Sign Out of Unknown Devices
After securing the account, check the list of devices and active sessions.
If your provider gives you the option to sign out of other devices, use it when you believe someone else may have access.
This is particularly important if you previously signed into your email on a public computer, shared device, old phone, or computer that you no longer control.
After signing out, sign in again using your new password and complete the additional security verification.
Scan Your Computer and Phone
Sometimes the problem is not only the email account.
Malware or malicious software on a computer or phone can potentially capture passwords or other private information.
If you suspect your account has been compromised, update your operating system, browser, and security software. Run a security scan and remove applications or browser extensions that you do not recognize.
I would also avoid entering sensitive passwords on a device that appears to be infected until it has been properly secured.
Be Careful With Phishing Emails
One of the easiest ways attackers steal email passwords is through phishing.
A phishing message may pretend to come from an email provider, bank, social media platform, delivery company, or another familiar service. The message may tell you that your account has a problem and ask you to sign in immediately.
Instead of clicking the provided link, open the official website yourself.
Look carefully at the sender and the website address. Be especially suspicious of messages that create unnecessary pressure or ask for passwords, verification codes, or sensitive information.
What I Would Do If My Email Was Hacked
If I discovered clear evidence that someone had accessed my email, I would act quickly.
First, I would change the password from a trusted device. Then I would enable two factor authentication and sign out of unfamiliar sessions.
After that, I would check recovery information, forwarding settings, filters, connected applications, Sent messages, and recent account activity.
I would also change passwords for other important accounts that use the same password or rely on that email address for password recovery.
Finally, I would scan my devices and carefully monitor the account for additional suspicious activity.
Final Thoughts
Checking whether your email has been hacked does not have to be complicated. The most important thing is to pay attention to unusual activity instead of ignoring it.
Start by checking recent login activity, sent messages, forwarding settings, recovery information, connected applications, and password reset notifications. If something looks wrong, secure the account immediately.
I believe prevention is even better than trying to recover an account after something goes wrong. Using a unique password, enabling two factor authentication, keeping your devices updated, and staying alert to phishing messages can significantly improve your overall email security.
Your email account is often the gateway to many other online accounts. Taking a few minutes to check its security today can save you from a much bigger problem later.
