Hackers don’t typically tell their victims they’ve been hacked. Most of the time, when hackers gain entry to mails to do their dirty works, they don’t want anyone to know. That way, they can come back another time to see what else they can do or find.
So you might not know if your computer has already been hacked. But there are a handful of signs that indicate a hacker may have invaded a network or a computer you use.
Some are computer-related and some are not. If any of these sound familiar, perhaps you’ve been a victim…without knowing it.
1· Your password has been changed
One of the most obvious signs of your email being hacked is when you find it difficult sign into it. If your email password is rejected as incorrect and you didn’t change it, it’s a strong indication that someone else has altered it. One of the first things many hackers do is to change your password to prevent you from logging in.
2· Receiving unusual messages
Hackers tend to search for personal information such as who you bank with or credit card companies you use. It’s possible that some personal information is revealed such as user name and other identifying data like account numbers.
Fraudsters will use this information to create messages from your bank or credit card provider. They may even try to call you citing this information. This can make it difficult to determine whether the mail/call is genuine.
If in doubt, and the messages arrive out of the blue, don’t respond and call the bank to verify that they are trying to contact you.
3· When your friends receive spam messages from you
If your friends complain about receiving spam messages from your email address, it’s safe that your mail has been compromised. This also sends a warning that your personal data is a risk.
4· Mails in your sent box that you don’t recognise
It is usually not a custom to check sent mails unless someone complains of not receiving messages from us. Truth is some crimes might have been going on right under your nose without you paying much attention to it.
It is important to check your sent mail folder to see if there are messages there that you didn’t send. If you do find some, then you know a hacker probably has access to your account.
5. Have you been receiving password reset emails?
Another sign to look out for is password reset emails that come from other websites and which you didn’t request. A hacker may use access to your email to try and change your password on other sites.
Hackers understand that many people use the same password across different web sites and by searching through your inbox they can see which websites you regularly use.
