How to Tell if Your Email Has Been Compromised

Occasionally email IDs and passwords are compromised through
phishing

Phishing

An email is sent that falsely claims to be a legitimate organization that directs the reader to visit a web site where they are asked to update personal information, such as passwords and credit card, social security and bank account numbers that the legitimate organization has. However, the website is bogus and set up only to steal the user's information.

attempts or key logging malware designed to steal private information like account IDs and passwords. Your email may have been compromised if you have any of the following symptoms:

  • You receive complaints about spam being sent from your email address to people in your address book or strangers
  • You are not receiving any email
  • You appear to be missing email
  • You are receiving a lot of undeliverable or bounce messages for email you didn't send
  • You can't log in to your email account
  • Email you didn't send appears in your Sent Items folder
  • You receive an email from Telnet saying an email address on your account has sent spam

If you experience any of these symptoms your account has likely been hacked, phished, or compromised and used to send spam or fraudulent emails.

What to Do

We recommend you take the following steps to recover full control of your account information:

  • Secure all of your computers against malicious key logging software that can steal passwords and other personal information by:
    • Scanning all computers with an up-to-date anti-virus program
    • Install and use an up-to-date anti-spyware (anti-malware) application, as some malware is not detected by anti-virus scans
    • Ensuring your operating system has been updated with security updates
  • Change or reset your password to one you haven’t used before.
  • Notify Contacts using an alternate email address or another form of contact to warn them not to open anything from your compromised email address. Recommend that they use updated firewall and anti-virus protection and keep all security patches updated. They should also run an anti-virus scan.
  • If you don't mind losing your email address, it's best to start fresh and create a new one. Please contact us directly at 1-855-TELNET1 (835-6381).
  • Keep track of every activity tied to your email account, and if the account is compromised, immediately notify your bank, Credit Card Company and any other related accounts that use that email address.
  • Put online purchases on hold until you make sure your computer is virus-free before you start entering credit card numbers for online purchases. Some malicious software enables criminals to track every key stroke a computer makes.
  • If you use a wireless-capable connection device, ensure that the wireless connectivity is disabled if it is not being used or that security is enabled for the wireless connection.
  • If security is not enabled, anyone within range of the device can use the connection and you as the account holder will be held responsible for any activity originating from your connection.
  • Keep your browser updated to the latest version.