A draft has been appearing in our inbox and when we delete it a new one appears

Dear user,

Welcome to the Microsoft Community.

Seeing the screenshots and description you've provided, I fully understand your worry and distress at this moment. When you find a strange draft in your email that you can't delete, and even the rules you set up disappear on their own, it is indeed a very clear and alarming sign. Please do not worry excessively; let's analyze and completely resolve this issue step by step.

The situation you are experiencing goes beyond ordinary spam; it is a classic sign that your account has been compromised. The recurring draft email, with its typical blackmail scam subject line, keeps reappearing because the hacker has likely authorized a malicious third-party application or set up an automated script on your account, with the purpose of constantly harassing you. The reason your created rules disappear is that this malicious program is actively and continuously undoing your efforts to protect yourself.

Therefore, our first priority is not to delete the email, but to immediately regain control of your account and eliminate all security risks.

Step 1: Immediately Force Sign-out from All Devices and Reset Your Password

This is the most urgent and critical step, aimed at "kicking out" the intruder from your account.

1. Please immediately visit your Microsoft account security page: https://account.microsoft.com/security.
2. Once on the page, find and click on "Manage how I sign in".
3. Here, you will see a "Sign out everywhere" option. Please click it. This action will forcibly sign your account out of all computers, phones, and browsers within 24 hours.
4. After completing the previous step, immediately change your Microsoft account password. Be sure to create a brand new, complex, and strong password. Do not reuse any password you have used before.

Step 2: Enable Two-Step Verification (The Most Important Protective Measure)

After changing your password, enable two-step verification immediately. This is the most effective way to protect your account from future attacks.

1. On the same "Advanced security options" page, find "Two-step verification" and turn it on.
2. Follow the prompts to set up your phone number or an authenticator app (like Microsoft Authenticator).
3. Once enabled, even if a hacker knows your new password, they will absolutely not be able to log in again without your phone for the second verification step.

Step 3: Clean Up the "Backdoors" Left by the Hacker

Now that your account is fundamentally secure, we need to clean up the malicious programs and settings left behind by the hacker.

1. Check and Revoke Permissions for Unknown Apps: This is the root cause of the recurring draft. Please visit the Microsoft account app management page: Apps and services you've given access. Carefully review every app on the list. If you see any app that you do not recognize, that looks suspicious, or that you don't remember authorizing, click on it immediately and select "Remove these permissions".
2. Re-check and Delete Malicious Rules: Log in to Outlook on the web, go to Settings > Mail > Rules. Now that the hacker's permissions should be revoked, check again and delete any suspicious rules you did not create.
3. Check Mail Forwarding Settings: In the settings, check the "Forwarding" option to ensure that your emails are not being forwarded to an unknown email address.

After completing all the steps above, your account should be completely secure and clean. Now, you can go back to your inbox and try one last time to delete that rogue draft email. Since the malicious program that created it has been removed, it should not come back this time.

I know this process can be a bit complex, but these steps are essential for the long-term security of your account. I sincerely apologize for the distress and inconvenience this intrusion has caused you.

Best regards,
Ami | Microsoft Community Support Specialist