Email first
Email often resets other accounts. Secure it before social, shopping, payment, or cloud accounts.
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If an account was taken over
Secure the email account first when possible. Work from a device you trust, use the provider’s real recovery path, and warn contacts through another channel.
Right now
Secure access before investigating
- Use a trusted device and change the email password from the real provider site.
- Sign out other sessions and review recovery email, phone, forwarding, filters, and connected apps.
- Turn on multi-factor authentication using a method you control.
Work in order
Recover the account safely
Provider recovery
Use the official recovery page. Tell the provider what changed and ask them to review sessions and recovery methods.
Contacts and money
Warn contacts through another channel. Check linked payment methods and account alerts for unfamiliar activity.
What to say
Account-provider script
I believe my account may have been taken over. I am contacting you through this official recovery channel. Please help me secure access, review active sessions and recovery settings, and identify any changes I should reverse. I will not share a password or one-time code.
Common versions
What an account takeover can look like
Unexpected password reset
Do not approve an unfamiliar reset. Open the account directly and inspect security settings.
Messages sent as you
Warn contacts through another method that messages from the account may not be yours.
Recovery details changed
Tell the provider that recovery email, phone, or forwarding settings may have been changed.
Payment account linked
Contact the payment provider and financial institution through trusted channels and review activity.
Over the next few days
Close the remaining doors
- Change reused passwords on other important accounts.
- Remove unfamiliar connected apps, forwarding rules, recovery methods, and devices.
- Review statements, login alerts, messages, and profile changes.
- Use official reporting links on Training.
Recovery is not guaranteed
GuardianLight cannot recover an account, determine who accessed it, or guarantee that messages, money, or data can be restored. The provider controls the recovery process.