How to Know If Someone Is Using Your Email
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By Farrukh Mushtaq
Farrukh Mushtaq
See author profileFarrukh Mushtaq, a digital marketer at PureSquare, possesses a keen interest in cybersecurity and enjoys writing about it. With several years of experience in the digital marketing industry, he brings expertise and passion to his work.
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22 April 2025
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17 mins read
From social media to bank accounts, your email address is your key to access. If your email address is being used by someone else, then it is a concern, as unauthorized access can cause you identity theft, financial losses, and more.
You can see if someone is using your email address by knowing some common signs and keeping your essential data safe.
8 Signs to Know if Someone is Using Your Email Address
You can guess if your email address is used by someone without your knowledge by looking for these signs:
- Your account was logged in from various places and devices you do not recognise.
- You have received password reset requests that you did not generate.
- Some emails were deleted or marked as read in your inbox.
- Your friends or contacts have received spam emails from your account.
- You have received emails from the provider about suspicious login attempts.
- If your password suddenly stops working, a hacker may have changed it.
- Changes to linked accounts suggest a red flag.
- A sudden rise in phishing attempts or spam emails may indicate exposure in a data breach.
Is My Email Address on the Dark Web?
If you notice the signs mentioned above, then there is a chance that your email address is on the dark web and is at risk of multiple exploitations. You can discover if your email address is on the dark web with PurePrivacy Dark Web Monitor.
Here is what you need to do:
- Go to the website.
- Enter your email address in the bar and click Scan Now.
- You will get free, customized details about the privacy status of your email.
Discover if Your Most Critical Identifiers Have Been Exposed on the Dark Web
Receive timely alerts and actionable insights with PurePrivacy's Dark Web Monitoring.
10 Things To Do If Someone Is Using Your Email Address
It is important to take immediate action if you suspect that someone is using your email address. You must immediately:
1. Change Your Email Password Immediately
If your email has been compromised or was exposed in a data breach, immediately changing your password is important. Opt for a strong, unique, and difficult-to-guess password.
2. Enable Two-Factor Authentication (2FA)
For enhanced security, enable Two-Factor Authentication on your email and other accounts. 2FA adds a second verification step, like a code sent to your email or phone, which you will need to enter to access your account.
3. Check for Unauthorized Account Access
Regularly check your email account's login history for any unusual activity, such as logins from unrecognized locations or devices. If you spot any unauthorized access, immediately log out of all sessions and take steps to secure your account.
4. Monitor Your Other Online Accounts
As many online services are linked to your email, scammers may try to reset passwords and gain access to your banking, social media, or shopping accounts. Check for any unauthorized changes and update your passwords where necessary.
5. Be Wary of Phishing Attempts
Be vigilant for unexpected emails, as scammers frequently exploit compromised accounts to send phishing messages. Exercise extreme caution with emails urging you to click links, download attachments, or share sensitive personal information.
6. Scan Your Device for Malware
If you've clicked a suspicious link or downloaded an unknown attachment, your device may be infected with malware or spyware. Immediately run a comprehensive security scan using reputable antivirus software to identify and eliminate any threats.
7. Report the Scam to Your Email Provider
Take advantage of the reporting features offered by most email services to report phishing attempts and suspicious activity. By doing so, you contribute to preventing wider abuse and protecting other users from falling for similar scams.
8. Warn Your Contacts
If a scammer has access to your email, they may send fraudulent emails to your contacts, pretending to be you. Notify your friends, family, and colleagues.
9. Use a Password Manager
A password manager helps you create and store passwords. It also helps users by guiding them on the complexity required for the passwords.
10. Consider Using a Dedicated Email Address for Sensitive Information
If you have not already, consider separating your work and personal email addresses. Using a dedicated email address for online transactions or signing up for new services can help limit the exposure of your primary email address.
What Can Happen If Your Email Is Used By Someone?
If someone gets access to your email address, you could be in trouble. Even if they just have your email, they can still try to trick you in many ways. Here's what they might do:
- Fake Emails (Phishing)
They send emails that look like they're from your bank or a website you use. These emails try to get you to give them your password or put a virus on your computer.
- Trying Old Passwords (Credential Stuffing)
If you use the same password for everything, they might try to guess it. If your email was from a data breach, they can use that to try to get into your other accounts.
- Stealing Your Identity
Your email is used for many things online, like banking, Facebook, and shopping. Scammers can use it to try to change your passwords and pretend to be you.
- Fake Offers
They send emails with fake prizes, lottery wins, or deals to get you to give them your personal information.
- Lots of Spam
Your email might be sold to others, and you will get tons of junk mail. This could include fake jobs, scams to make you invest money, and other tricks.
Protect and Prevent Your Data from Exploitation
If your essential data, including your email address, social accounts, passwords, and more, is used without your knowledge, there is a chance that it might be shared, sold, and used multiple times for malicious intent.
Besides being cautious about your account activity, you must get a 360-degree solution for your privacy protection. With PurePrivacy, you can manage your data easily.
- Get a real-time privacy score about how vulnerable your data is.
- Manage your social media privacy with customised recommendations.
- Enable tracker blocker to avoid unnecessary tracking.
- Delete your essential data from data brokers to limit unwanted advertisements.
Enable Dark Web Monitoring on PurePrivacy
You must protect your data from ending up on the dark web. Here’s what to do:
- Sign up for PureMax.
- Download and install the PurePrivacy app.
- Log in to your account and select Dark Web Monitoring.
- Select Add Assets to Monitor and add your email address, SSN/NIN, credit card number, passport number, and phone number.
- Enter the code sent to your registered number, and you’re done.
- Follow the recommended measures if your data is part of a breach to prevent further misuse.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
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Can an email hack lead to identity theft?
Yes, if someone hacks your email, they can see a lot of your personal information, including your name, address, phone number, and sometimes even bank details. They might also find passwords for other websites and steal your identity.
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Can I be hacked if somebody has my email address?
Just knowing your email is not enough to hack into your account. But it means you might get a lot of fake emails trying to trick you into giving them your password. They might also try to use your email to reset your passwords on other websites.
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How do I remove my email from a data breach list?
It's almost impossible to completely remove your email from all breach lists. But, you can be careful by:
Not replying to emails that look suspicious.
Use the spam filter in your email.
Click the "unsubscribe" link at the bottom of emails you don't want anymore. -
What to do if someone has my email, full name, and home address?
This is serious. You need to do these things right away:
Change your email password to something strong.
Turn on Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) for your email.
Watch your bank accounts and credit cards for anything that looks wrong.
Think about putting a fraud alert on your credit report.
Inform the relevant authorities about what happened.
Be very careful about any emails you get – they might be trying to trick you. -
How much does Dark Web Monitoring cost?
PureVPN dark web monitoring is included with your PureVPN subscription, giving you real-time alerts on how to prevent your data from dark web leaks. Get 65% off on our Max Plan.
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What to do if someone is trying to access my email account?
If you think someone is trying to get into your email:
Change your password immediately.
Turn on 2FA.
Check your email settings to see if anything has been changed without your permission.
Tell your email provider (like Gmail, Yahoo, etc.) about what's happening.
In Conclusion
Everyone online needs to keep their personal information safe. People often share their email addresses easily, so you must be careful and do everything possible to protect your data. Remember, your data is your asset; never hand it over to someone.
