How to Recover a Hacked Business Email Account in 7 Steps
If you need to recover a hacked business email account, act in this order: cut off the attacker, take back the login, remove what they left behind, then warn people. I put this guide together from Microsoft's compromised-account guide and the FBI's business email compromise page, both read on 2026-11-07. It is general information, not legal or insurance advice. Quick answer Block the account first (disable it, or reset the password from a clean device). Sign the attacker out of every session and turn on multi-factor authentication (MFA). Delete forwarding rules, inbox rules, and unknown app permissions they added. Check for fake payment requests sent from your account. Call your bank fast if money moved. Tell customers and staff. Report money fraud at ic3.gov. How do you know the account is hacked? Microsoft lists common signs for a hacked Microsoft 365 mailbox. I use them as a checklist because they apply to most business email. Mail is missing or deleted. I...