Microsoft Unusual sign-in activity

Hi All

Got this in my personal inbox yesterday morning

I am just curious as to why anyone would benefit from hacking into my account? This one is from Mexico and I have another one from El Salvador, and one from Brazil but no alert was raised by Microsoft.

Thanks

I suppose the easiest way is you know there's nothing worthwhile taking from your data, but they don't until they've actually seen inside your account.

You'd be amazed at the amount of personal data a lot of people keep about themselves in “stupid” places.

I've known someone who kept a full list of their bank details (account numbers, card numbers, online login details with all the security questions etc) saved as a draft e-mail. Insanity.

Imagine what they could do with that info if you were so insecure with your data.

Also, that e-mail suggests they successfully logged in. If it's not you, I'd maybe do a security update (passwords, security questions) and if possible do a force log-out for all devices connected. (Not sure if Microsoft offer that last option)

I hope you changed the password and set up two factor of some kind. 

Even if you don't have data in the email account itself, these hackers will use tools once they have access to your email to do “password resets” on thousands of websites hoping to find any that you might have used that email address as a login with, they can also get lists of websites that your email address has been used with from other leaks on the internet.   They are usually looking for email addresses associated with sites like ebay, steam, this one, or any place where they might be able to scam or exploit further. 

ahkai

… but no alert was raised by Microsoft.

First, make sure the mail you received is sent by those who claim sending it.

Second, never click any links in the mail.

Third, change your password to a new, secure password. At least 10 characters with a mix of letters, numbers and signs, something like: aB1*9Ys#Qw

Did you complain to the ISP that someone on their network was trying to hack into your account?

Also worth mentioning: Assuming they were inside. Sometimes Email-Accounts can have settings to automatically forward emails to another address (and even autodelete incoming the mail afterwards). If your account supports such a forwarding, check if there is one set now, just in case, and if so, delete before changing the password (and then check again in case they reset it while you were changing the password).

Because changing the password is futile if incoming mail is forwarded elsewhere by default. 

It could be a phishing scam, hover over the email address that sent it.

These emails induce panic, if there is some link asking you to “validate” or “Confirm” you account, its a phishing scam.

Some are pretty well written now.

For me, as I live in New Zealand, its easy to tell them if they are fake, as they always have American spellings and we use British spellings here.

A funnier side note is I think one of my email addresses is the same as someone elses or really close. I use a ghetto/drag name for one of my emails (Taniquah) and I keep getting emails from Wavymyhair, Popeyes chicken and bed bath and beyond to a “Taniqua” living in Port Richey Florida. I suspect she is a African American woman, who does not have as meticulous net methods as me.