What to do if you receive an email from your own address

Receiving spam emails with threats, offers, or claims is one of the many forms of cybercrime these days. But this may be not as surprising as when you receive an email from your own address of e-mail. How is this possible? Have I been hacked? What steps should I take? Don't worry, we'll tell you everything here.

You receive an email from your own address: How is this possible?

When it comes to email, nothing is more disconcerting than receiving a message that appears to be from your own email address. Has this happened to you? Then you know the feeling is a mix of confusion and concern: Have I been hacked? Is it a virus? How is this possible? Before you panic, It is important to understand how this type of attack worksAt least there is three possible explanations If you receive an email from your own address:

• spoofing or identity theft
• Viruses or keylogger
• Mail server error

spoofing email (phishing)

This is the most common cause, and we can tell you right away that you have nothing to worry about. spoofing Email phishing is nothing more than an attack in which The cybercriminal falsifies the sender of an email to make it appear trustworthy.In this case, they use the recipient's own address (or another trusted one) to trick them into believing they've been hacked, which is also false.

How is this possible? Basically, because email protocols don't always verify the sender's authenticity. This small gap allows cybercriminals to mask the originating address with any other address, including the recipient's. What they are really looking for is to deceive you to make you open a malicious file, click on a dangerous link, or reveal personal information.

To the confusion generated by seeing your own address in the sender, we must add the content of the message, which is usually threats or blackmailThe criminal wants to play with you and appeals to the shame or fear you might feel if they reveal some supposedly private information. To prevent them from doing so, demand money within a specific timeframe, usually in cryptocurrency. It's a broken record, but some still fall for it!

Malware on your device

This is more worrying. When you receive an email from your own address, there is a chance that your device is infected with a malware. If your computer or mobile has a virus or keylogger, An attacker could have gained access to your email account and sent messages without your consent.How do you know if this is the cause?

Pay attention to signs of infectionHave you noticed your computer running slower than usual? Have you encountered emails sent from your inbox that you don't remember writing? Has there been unusual activity on other linked accounts? If so, you need to take urgent steps to eliminate the threat (we explain what these steps are below).

Mail server error

In the best case scenario, you receive an email from your own address due to a mail server error. In rare cases, it may be a technical failure of the email provider, such as Gmail, Outlook, Yahoo, etc. In these cases, the message usually has no subject or content, but is simply a system error. Nothing to worry about!

What to do if you receive an email from your own address?

What should you do if you receive an email from your own address? Now that you know the possible reasons, the best thing you can do is calm down and take some effective measures. This is especially important if you suspect your device is infected or your credentials have been compromised. Sea spoofing o malware, follow these steps one by one:

Do not open files or click on links

While you can open the email to view its contents, Do not under any circumstances click on any links or download any attachments.Although it may seem harmless, a fake email can contain hidden malware, especially inside files with extensions such as .exe, .zip, .docm, etc. It's true that you're receiving an email from your own address, but you don't really know who's behind the message.

Check the email headers (headers)

To clear up any doubts about who sent you the suspicious email, you can check the headers or headers. To do this, open the email, click on the three-dot menu on the right and select Show original (in Gmail). Now, look for lines like Received from for view the sender's IP address. If this does not match your email provider's, it is probably spoofing.

Change your password and activate two-factor authentication (2FA)

A third step to take if you receive an email from your own address is to change your password and enable two-step authentication. Even if you're not hacked, it's better to be safe than sorry., so use strong passwords (minimum 12 characters, with numbers, symbols, and capital letters) and no repetition. Also, activate 2FA on your account using applications like Google Authenticator, Microsoft Authenticator or a security app.

Scan your device for malware if you receive an email from your own address

We continue, and this time it's time to scan your device, whether mobile or computer, for malware. To do this, you can use native security applications that are pre-installed on your computer, or download an antivirus. Additionally, remove any suspicious files or applications that you have downloaded from untrustworthy sources or repositories.

Report the email as phishing or spam

In order to stop receiving these types of messages, it is important that Report the email as phishing or spamThis way, email filters will know to block any future fraud attempts. In Gmail, click Report Phishing or Report as Spam; in Outlook, mark the message as Spam.

Check your account for suspicious activity

Finally, don't forget to check your inbox for any messages you don't recognize. Also, check recent logins and close any unusual ones. All of these measures will help you prevent further damage, especially if your email has been hacked.

On the other hand, if you only received a fake message and there are no signs of intrusion (such as emails sent without your permission), it's most likely spoofing and not a real hack. In any case, it's always better to to take precautions when you receive an email from your own email address.