Account hacked: what to do now

First

1. Use a device that is not affected.
2. If your device may have malware on it, remove it before entering passwords there. Otherwise the criminals keep their access.

If you can still get in

1. Change the password right away. If your email account is affected too, start there.
2. Sign out all devices and sessions in the account settings.
3. Turn on two-factor sign-in.
4. Check what was changed: forwarding, recovery phone number and email address, connected apps.

If you cannot get in

1. Report it to the provider and follow its recovery instructions.
2. For important services tied to this email address, enter a different address for the time being.
3. Tell services you sign in to with this account.

Afterwards

1. Change the password wherever you used the same one, and use a separate one for each service from now on.
2. Warn your contacts another way: messages from this account may not be from you.
3. If money or bank details are involved, tell your bank right away. In Germany, cards and online banking can be blocked through the emergency number 116 116.
4. Report it to the police, online too, through the online police station of Schleswig-Holstein.

Sources and further help

• BSI: emergency plan for a hacked email account (German) (opens in a new tab)
• Online police station of Schleswig-Holstein (German) (opens in a new tab)

Last updated: 4 November 2026