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What to do if your AOL account may be hacked
Messages you did not send or unexpected changes to recovery details deserve attention. They do not always prove that an account was hacked, but they are a reason to secure it promptly from a device you trust.
Recover access through AOL
Open AOL’s sign-in page yourself. If your password no longer works, follow the AOL password recovery steps. Use only the verification methods offered for your account. Enter codes in that process, never in a chat with someone promising recovery.
Review the account after signing in
Choose a new password that you do not reuse elsewhere. Check recovery phone and email details and remove unfamiliar entries through the official security settings. Review available account activity and mail settings, including forwarding or filters that could hide incoming messages.
Limit further damage
If suspicious messages were sent from your address, tell affected contacts through a trusted channel. Change reused passwords on other services and check your device for unwanted software. Avoid sending more sensitive information from an account whose security is still uncertain.
Read our AOL two-step verification guide for the next security check. For current official recovery resources, use AOL Help. Only AOL can decide whether ownership verification is sufficient; an independent provider cannot guarantee restoration.