Someone is trying to get into my account

Question

Someone is trying to get into my account

Jeffrey Meckler 5

I keep getting Authenticator notifications that I am not initiating. What should I do?

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js 0 Reputation points

2026-11-02T20:46:48.57+00:00

I am having the same issue, very problematic.

It is only a matter of time before someone or me will click approve by mistake.

It is called Two Factor Authentication for a reason! Skipping the password step and letting someone sign in by just using phone is only One Factor Authentication!

It is true for even this very website we are on. When logging in I was presented with two choices:

Send message to phone

Or

Use password, which then also requires message to phone

Obviously hackers will use the first option. Please URGENTLY remove this from sign in options!
Stefan Blom 357.1K Reputation points MVP Volunteer Moderator

2026-11-02T23:15:24.58+00:00

@js

Notifications that you didn't initiate are attempts at signing in. They fail unless you approve the sign-ins.

You can check the activity on your account and take actions if you believe that someone has actually gained access.

See https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/accounts-billing/manage/how-to-help-keep-your-microsoft-account-secure .

If you want to discuss this further, please start your own thread. Use the Ask a question link.

Good luck.

The current thread is old and it will be closed.

Answer recommended by moderator

Alina Le 5,805 Independent Advisor

Hello @Jeffrey Meckler

Receiving unauthorized sign-in requests through Authenticator notifications is certainly concerning.

First, might I confirm whether you are using a personal email account (@outlook.com, @hotmail.com) or a business account (@companyname.com) that belongs to an organization?

This activity occurs when your email address or username becomes visible to automated scripts on the internet. When an unauthorized sign-in attempt is made using your email, the system automatically routes the notification to your Microsoft Authenticator app as part of its security design. By consistently denying these requests, you will take the right steps to help protect your account and prevent unauthorized access.

In this case, I recommend taking the following steps to further strengthen your account security and prevent repeated notifications based on your account type:

1/ If you are using personal account:

You can set up an additional sign-in alias. These options help reduce unwanted sign-in attempts and provide an extra layer of protection.

-Sign in to your Microsoft account

Go to: https://account.live.com/names/manage

-Choose “Add email”

Start adding a new alias (do not remove anything yet).

-Create a new email alias

Use a strong, hard-to-guess address (e.g., random string). Set it as your primary login email

-Make the new alias your main sign-in address.

-Disable login for your old email

This is critical, it blocks attackers from using the old address.

-Remove the old email alias if you no longer need it (Optional, last step)

For your reference: Change the email address for your Microsoft account | Microsoft Support

I have attached screenshots to help you with the process:

User's image

2/ If you are using business account:

You can reach out to your IT Admin, who has global administrative rights in your organization’s tenant, to help strengthen your account security and prevent repeated notifications by referencing this thread.

Getting too many authentication attempts on my account - Microsoft Q&A

If you still need my assistance, please come back with screenshots or any additional details so I can review it again and see if there’s anything more I can help you with.

Wishing you all the best!

If the answer is helpful, please click "Accept Answer" and kindly upvote it. If you have extra questions about this answer, please click "Comment".

Note: Please follow the steps in "our documentation" to enable e-mail notifications if you want to receive the related email notification for this thread.

Alina Le 5,805 Reputation points Independent Advisor

2026-06-11T16:33:25.03+00:00

Hi @Jeffrey Meckler

Just checking in to see how things are going with your issue.

Please let me know if I can do anything more for you.

Stay safe and happy!
Jeffrey Meckler 5 Reputation points

2026-06-11T21:47:18.8233333+00:00

Thanks for your help! That worked so far. No more requests coming through!
Alina Le 5,805 Reputation points Independent Advisor

2026-06-12T16:36:19.8433333+00:00

Good day @Jeffrey Meckler

Thank you for your update.

If you need any further assistance while using Office 365 apps, please feel free to reach out to this forum again.

Have a great day!

1 additional answer

js 0 Reputation points

2026-11-02T20:46:48.57+00:00

I am having the same issue, very problematic.

It is only a matter of time before someone or me will click approve by mistake.

It is called Two Factor Authentication for a reason! Skipping the password step and letting someone sign in by just using phone is only One Factor Authentication!

It is true for even this very website we are on. When logging in I was presented with two choices:

Send message to phone

Or

Use password, which then also requires message to phone

Obviously hackers will use the first option. Please URGENTLY remove this from sign in options!
Stefan Blom 357.1K Reputation points MVP Volunteer Moderator

2026-11-02T23:15:24.58+00:00

@js

Notifications that you didn't initiate are attempts at signing in. They fail unless you approve the sign-ins.

You can check the activity on your account and take actions if you believe that someone has actually gained access.

See https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/accounts-billing/manage/how-to-help-keep-your-microsoft-account-secure .

If you want to discuss this further, please start your own thread. Use the Ask a question link.

Good luck.

The current thread is old and it will be closed.
Alina Le 5,805 Reputation points Independent Advisor

2026-06-11T16:33:25.03+00:00

Hi @Jeffrey Meckler

Just checking in to see how things are going with your issue.

Please let me know if I can do anything more for you.

Stay safe and happy!
Jeffrey Meckler 5 Reputation points

2026-06-11T21:47:18.8233333+00:00

Thanks for your help! That worked so far. No more requests coming through!
Alina Le 5,805 Reputation points Independent Advisor

2026-06-12T16:36:19.8433333+00:00

Good day @Jeffrey Meckler

Thank you for your update.

If you need any further assistance while using Office 365 apps, please feel free to reach out to this forum again.

Have a great day!

Answer 1

Select Deny on every Microsoft Authenticator or Outlook mobile sign-in prompt that was not initiated. Do not approve any unrequested prompts or enter any verification codes that were not requested.

Then immediately review and secure the account:

Go to the Security basics page for the Microsoft account and sign in.
Select Review activity and check the Recent activity page for unusual sign-ins. For any activity that was not performed by the account owner:
- If it appears under Unusual activity, expand it and select This wasn't me.
- If it appears under Recent activity, expand it and select Secure your account.
Return to the Security basics page and select Change password. Set a strong, unique password that is not reused on other sites.
Ensure two-step verification is enabled and that only trusted phone numbers, email addresses, and devices are listed in the account security settings.

If sign-in attempts continue or there is suspicion that someone else is trying to access the account, continue denying all prompts and monitor Recent activity regularly. If unable to sign in because the password was changed, follow the steps in When you can't sign in to your Microsoft account and choose I think someone else is using my Microsoft account during password reset.

References: