Retrieving Hijacked Contact List

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Answer #1: Posted by DreadPirateRoberts on March 5th, 2011 7:44 AM

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DreadPirateRoberts

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Hotmail accounts can get hijacked in a number of ways and are often used by thieves to spew spam, phishing messages and malware to everybody in the account’s address book. Along with its general Hotmail support portal, Microsoft has an article on recent reports of Hotmail account hijackings and what you can do to try and rescue your account.

If you can get to it, the first thing you should do is change the account’s password — and change it to a strong password made up of letters and numbers so it’s hard to guess. You should also update your machine’s security software and run a system scan to see if any viruses or malware from the hijackers has infected your computer. (If you have a PC and don’t have any security software, consider the free Microsoft Security Essentials program.

Microsoft’s Windows Live Solution Center also has a section devoted to account recovery and security with steps to take if you still have access to the compromised Hotmail account.

If you try all the suggested steps there and still can’t get back into your account, try the Windows Live ID Account Recovery page, which might help you reset your password by way of the secret question and answer you set up when you created the account, or by sending password information to the alternate e-mail account you supplied when signing up for the Hotmail account.

Hotmail Knowledge Base Results

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... send out e-mails Windows Live Rosalie R, Wednesday, August 05, 2009 10:04 PM Someone stole my contact list and used my account for spam Windows Live Bharathi M, Friday, August 20, 2010 6:41 AM amalcho, Tuesday, August 03, 2010 4:24 PM Hijacked email address - Unauthorized Account Access Account Recovery and Security Recent Phishing Scheme -
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... Windows Live Jacqui F, Thursday, October 22, 2009 10:34 PM Hotmail keeps asking me if they are missing from both Windows Live Messenger and from contact list Windows Live K-Ann C., Sunday, August 15, 2010 11:09 PM Can't accept/ignore network invitation sent to myself I tried to add myself to my network...
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... on time with this email is one of the most common types of Account hijacks This solution article provides information about the increase in reports that you've encountered....Verify Your Hotmail Account Now to customer's contact list without customer's knowledge. This solution article will provide information to users about accounts been hijacked and spam mails been sent to Avoid ...