What To Do When Your Gmail or Google Account is Hacked
I just got a message in Facebook from a friend whose Google Account was hijacked and the password was changed by the hacker. That person is now looking for some kind of a Google helpline to help him revive the account.
It can be a nightmare if someone else takes control of your Google Account because all your Google services like Gmail, Orkut, Google Calendar, Blogger, AdSense, Google Docs and even Google Checkout are tied to the same account.
Here are some options suggested by Google Support when your forget the Gmail password or if someone else takes ownership of your Google Account and changes the password:
1. Reset Your Google Account Password:
Type the email address associated with your Google Account or Gmail user name at google.com/accounts/ForgotPasswd - you will receive an email at your secondary email address with a link to reset your Google Account Password.
This will not work if the other person has changed your secondary email address or if you no longer have access to that address.
2. For Google Accounts Associated with Gmail
If you have problems while logging into your Gmail account, you can consider contacting Google by filling this form. It however requires you to remember the exact date when you created that Gmail account.
3. For Hijacked Google Accounts Not Linked to Gmail
If your Google Account doesn’t use a Gmail address, contact Google by filling this form. This approach may help bring back your Google Account if you religiously preserve all your old emails. You will be required to know the exact creation date of your Google Account plus a copy of that original “Google Email Verification” message.
It may be slightly tough to get your Google Account back but definitely not impossible if you have the relevant information in your secondary email mailbox.
Subscribe in a reader
Thogh my account is not hijacked(nor I want it to be), preventive measures can be useful
“It however requires you to remember the exact date when you created that Gmail account.”
Is this the date which I can find on the 2 Emails by Gmail Team when the account is newly created?
Same here Man! My account is operatable for 10 days now..I can realize your friend’s agony..My orkut profile is not working too..But I have used all the forms you gave here earlier too..Nothing has happened so far…
If the hacker does not change my password, how will I know whether my account has been hacked?
Well, I have no idea what is creation date of my account. I only keep important mails and even though I did so I would have no way to check it if someone hack my account. Pretty useless this google form.
Would Google team have the date when I registered?
plz tell how to protect before they hack,it would be usefull to many
Abhay
i dont think u can knw some one has hacked into ur account , unless they change ur pasword , mess with ur inbox , drafts , sent mails etc , which u might knw if u have quite important mails and provided you are observant
to Soniii
The only way to protect urself is use a very uncommon password
which doesnt have ur name
ur date of birth
name of a god or some thin
and USE a password which is a combination letter and alphabets , (preferable if a letter is case sensitive) and if u are too geeky thn u can always add some special character too
Last but most imp , keep away from links u get in messenger and other sites
always type gmail.com or yahoomail.com with ur own hands
have some kinda toolbar which can detect phishing sites
huh a big lot of a reply i guess , but thts all we can get i suppose..
@ No 5 Diya :
Yeah they will have the date, but the wont tell you that.. lolz
Its really helpful to use special characters like _, !, or $. It will make the hacker’s job more difficult.
Use 0 for o , $ for s, 1 for i and some Capital letters to create a strong password
@Abhay @Sonii
One simple and non-technical answer to your question is, change your password frequently. The hacker will get less chance to cause trouble.
If I am not wrong then google shows you the last login time. If someone has hacked your account and logs into your account then this will change.
Google Adsense account is safe as it is encrypted and it does not share with Gmail account. Adsense is completely separate from one’s Google account.
Many of us would have deleted the welcome mail and do not remember when the account was created…
If the hacker mis uses your account (by sending obscene content in your identity etc), best option will be to file a police complaint. If google realizes that your Id is being misused and you have a FIR to back your claim of ownership of that account, I guess Google would respond much faster.
is there a way to find out how many times an ip address accessed your gmail? my gmail has been accessed and i want to know how many times by a certain person.
thanks
I think the only ways that can save from hackers are to have a very strong pass and change it regularly
hello, my gmail password has been hijacked,then i hav been change my oldpassword to new one..
how can i protect my password of gmail account by hackers.. pls suggest me
2nd thing is wherever i logg in PC gmail automaticall username and password displayed in PC..
Hi,
My email has been hacked and all my important emails are deleted.Before deleting they have fowarded to some external email id.I would to register a complaint with google.
Any suggestions of the procedure? I do not remember the account creation date.
man.. my gmail has been hacked & the password has been changed & the hacker changed the secondry email… what can i do .. plz i need this email important all my important emails & infos on it…plz help help help