How do I report and recover a hacked Gmail account?

If you've found that your Gmail account has been hacked, you are in the right place. We can show you how to report it and recover it and keep it protected going forward.

Jul 15, 2019

Gmail is one of the most widely used email services in the world. Unfortunately, this also means that a lot of hackers target it. Unfortunately, your Gmail account may be hacked without you even knowing it. Some ways a hacker may use to get into your account include; using Gmail for mobile and the IMAP feature. You can always check your Gmail activity to see if your account has been hacked.

The following are some of the easiest ways to determine if your account has been hacked. The tips may be applicable to all Gmail users even if they haven't experienced any problems with their accounts.

i. Check Your Last Account Activity Feature

The last account activity feature was invented by Gmail in an effort to help you monitor the activities in your account. It shows the method, location, and IP where your Gmail was last accessed. If your account has been hacked, you can tell by checking the activity.

ii. Email Forwarding

This option helps you determine if you are being hacked by allowing you to forward any email coming to your Gmail account to a different account. Go to the forwarding page of your page and see if your email is being sent to a different account.

iii. Reporting Hacked Accounts to Google

Lots of people have their accounts hacked every year. Fortunately, Google makes it possible to report your account if it has been hacked. It is important to report your hacked account as the hacker could have access to your private information. They may try to steal your identity or access your financial details and steal from you. Contact Google as soon as possible and fill out a form that you can find on your website. Follow these steps to report a hacked account;

  1. Go to Google's 'Contact Us' Page
  2. Go to the 'Safety and abuse' option and choose the option that describes your problem
  3. Click on the option 'Report a security problem.'
  4. Go to the option 'A Gmail user who is sending messages that violates Terms of Use.'
  5. You will be required to enter your email address and provide a description to your solution

Recovering Your Gmail Account

Google provides you with plenty of ways to recover your account after you report that it has been hacked. If you gave sufficient recovery information during registration, it is easy to get your password back. Google's Account Recovery page is the simplest option to get your account back. Choose the option 'I don't know my password, ' and then continue.

If you provided a phone number link to your Gmail account, Google can provide you with a verification code through text message. You will be required to answer a few security questions to verify your identity.

If you can no longer access your email address, Google may still help you recover your account. You may recover your account even if you did not set up any recovery information. The process will, however, be a little more complicated. You will need to recover your account manually. Google will require you to verify your identity manually. Go to the Google Account Recovery Page and enter your email address. Click on the option 'Continue' and then 'I don't know.' Go to the option 'Verify your identity.' You will be required to answer a few questions. Answer them as accurately as you can. If you provide information that is accurate, you may be able to get your account back.

Whether your account has been hacked or you simply do not remember your password, Google gives you the option to recover it.

Further questions?

Ask a followup or related question and we will try to provide an answer in seconds.
Christian has been writing about long hold times and customer service call center experiences since 2010. He's been featured in Bloomberg, the Wall Street Journal and the Boston Globe.
How do I report and recover a hacked Gmail account?

Help from Real People

We partner with a US-based company with live tech support experts available 24/7. Take advantage of a $5 one-week trial membership and chat with an expert now.
Chat with an expert

Why does GetHuman Write How-to Guides for Gmail Problems?

GetHuman has been working for over 10 years on sourcing information about big organizations like Gmail in order to help customers resolve customer service issues faster. We started with contact information and fastest ways to reach a human at big companies. Particularly ones with slow or complicated IVR or phone menu systems. Or companies that have self-serve help forums instead of a customer service department. From there, we realized that consumers still needed more detailed help solving the most common problems, so we expanded to this set of guides, which grows every day. And if you spot any issues with our How do I report and recover a hacked Gmail account? guide, please let us know by sending us feedback. We want to be as helpful as possible. If you appreciated this guide, please share it with your favorite people. Our free information and tools is powered by you, the customer. The more people that use it, the better it gets.

Gmail

Asked 5 years ago
Viewed 3,820,890 times
Gmail
recover gmail account
gmail technical support
Hacked Account
gmail hacked
account access
Hacked Account

Speak to An Expert Now

We partner with a US-based expert help site to provide you with tech support 24/7. Enjoy a $5 one-week trial membership and chat with a live expert now.
Get Live Expert Help
Was this page helpful?
Thank you and please share!
Thank you and please share!
Needs work
Sharing is what powers GetHuman's free customer service contact information and tools. You can help!