Different ways scammers can use your email (and what they do)
Your primary email address acts as an online identifier that allows you to do anything from answering video calls to logging into the most frequently used websites. Unfortunately, there are some bad people who try to get as much information as possible from you – and that includes your email address. Believe it or not, there are many ways scammers can use your email address, whether they have your login credentials or not.
In the best-case scenario, people will send you spam emails that you can ignore, but there are worse things that scammers can do with your email. Keep reading to learn six different ways scammers can use your email (and what to do about it).
They can use it for phishing
Phishing is a strategy that scammers use to retrieve information about you. If the scammer has your email address, all they need to do next is know your password, and phishing is a quick way to do so. They can create a fake website or pretend to be a company you trust, such as your bank. You can "log in" to this website using the same password as your email. They will log this information and immediately get what they need to log into your accounts to take control of them.
They can steal more information from you
Once someone gets your email address, they can use it to find more information about you. If they have access to your email, they can see all the information you have sent or received in your email. It includes your personal information, financial data or sensitive data from work. Basically, everything stored on your email account will be available to anyone who enters. That's not good.
Your email can be used to impersonate you
Once someone has your email address and password, they can use this information to impersonate you. If they have the necessary information, they can pretend to be you and start sending emails to your friends and family to either get the money or more information about other potential victims. Most people tend to avoid emails from people they don't know, but if a friend or family member sends you an email, chances are you'll answer them and try to help them. Scammers and hackers try to exploit this situation to impersonate you to reach your loved ones.
They can reset your passwords
If someone has your email address login credentials, chances are they will try to log into every platform they can. Since they have your email address, it is possible to reset your passwords on other websites. Even worse, they can even change the password, or even the email address on other websites, making it impossible for you to log in, even if you manage to retrieve your email. They can even go one step ahead and control the security of two-factor authentication. This way, you won't be able to log in anymore even if you have the correct password or email.
They can see your movements
If you've used your email to make reservations, buy a plane ticket, or even search for vacation spots, scammers and hackers can find out right away. Moreover, if they can access your calendar or meeting list, they will pretty much know where you are and at what time. It sounds scary, but since we use email to do so many of these things, it's not difficult for someone to get this information from your account. What's worse, they can use it against you.
They can blackmail you
Scammers and hackers may use any information they find in your email account to blackmail you. They can do anything from posting sensitive information to the public to using your email to send inappropriate emails to your coworkers or loved ones. They can use this leverage to try to blackmail you with money or worse.
What do I do if someone hacks my email?
There are many things you can (and should) do if you get hacked, but the first thing you should try to do is take control of your account as quickly as possible. Once you know that your email has been compromised, try resetting your password and make sure your account is locked on every other device.
If you use the same email and password on other platforms and websites, you should also change them in case someone tries to sign in.
You should also try to contact your loved ones or the people you work with and let them know that you have been hacked. Let them know that they may receive emails from you asking for help or money, but they should contact you to confirm their identity.
Another thing you should do is make passwords stronger. It's best to use different passwords for different platforms and try to enable two-factor authentication whenever you can. That won't make your accounts completely unhackable, but it will be difficult to log in without your consent.