Outlook incoming emails

Hi Marion Green,

Welcome to the Microsoft Q&A forum.

I understand how concerning this is - especially when your account was accessed without your permission, scam messages were sent, and now you can send emails but are no longer receiving anything even after changing your password.

Based on cases like this, the most common reason incoming mail stops after a compromise is hidden mailbox settings left behind by the attacker, or a temporary inbound restriction applied after suspicious activity.

Since this is a community forum, contributors here can’t access your mailbox or lift restrictions directly, but please check the following carefully:

1) Check for malicious inbox rules and forwarding

Attackers often create rules that automatically delete or move incoming mail.

• Sign in at https://outlook.com
• Select Settings (gear icon) > Mail > Rules
• Delete any rule you do not recognize
• Also check Forwarding and confirm nothing is enabled

This step alone resolves the issue for many users who can send but not receive.

2) Check Junk, Deleted Items, and “Recover deleted items”

After a compromise, messages may be diverted silently.

• Review Junk Email
• Review Deleted Items
• Open Recover items deleted from this folder and restore anything relevant

3) Review account security activity

Since Microsoft already flagged the account, make sure the security cleanup is complete.

• Go to https://account.microsoft.com/security
• Review Recent activity
• Select Sign out everywhere
• Confirm recovery email and phone number are correct
• Turn on two‑step verification if it isn’t already enabled

4) Allow time for inbound mail protection to clear

When suspicious sending is detected, Outlook.com can temporarily limit inbound delivery as a protective measure. This is not always lifted immediately after a password change, even though outbound mail resumes.

5) If mail is still not arriving, contact Outlook.com support

If the issue persists, then the next step is to contact Microsoft support so they can check whether an inbound restriction is still applied:

1. Visit the Microsoft Support contact page: Contact - Microsoft Support  
2. In the search bar provided on the page, type "Outlook issue" and press Enter.  
3. Click on the "Get Help" button that appears.  
4. Scroll down the page until you see and click on the "Contact Support" option.  
5. When prompted to select your product or service, choose "Other Products".  
6. For the category, choose "Outlook".  
7. Look for and click on "Chat with a support agent in your web browser".  
8. Confirm your personal email when prompted - this is the email Microsoft will use to communicate with you during and after the support session.  
9. Explain your situation clearly: Be concise but provide all the relevant details.   

I know this is stressful, especially after a security incident. I hope this helps you get your incoming emails back.

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