How To Get Back Your Hacked Gmail/Orkut/Google Account!

14 Mar, 2008 Google, Google Account, Security | by Rahul Bansal (416)

This is my official reply to all mails/comments/scraps asking me how to get back hacked Gmail/Orkut/Google Account. Everyone should read this no matter how safe you think you are!

As Google Account is a single account used across all Googles services like Gmail, Orkut, Blogger, Adsense, Checkout. etc, it can turn out to be our worst nightmare if it gets hacked!

Like many other online services Google tries to protect your account with secret question as well as optional secondary email address. But there is one more official option which only Google Provides!

Now lets go step-by-step…

#1. Trying "Forget Password" Option

I know this will not work in most cases, as options like forget password rely on secondary email address and security question, both of which can be easily changed once a account gets hacked. Still you should try atleast once as most password gets hacked by script kiddies and not by real hackers.

So go to Forget Password form first!

#2. What if "Forget Password" Option Fails

You can submit a form to Google in which you can provide details about your Google Account usage.

Details include information which most likely only real owner can provide. Here are few things for example…

Last successful login date
Account creation date
Google products you used with this account and the date you started using each one
Details about Orkut account (if you use Orkut)
Details about Blogger account (if you use Blogger)

Now most important part is what they quoted on the form,

"Please answer each question as thoroughly and accurately as possible. If you’re not certain about some of the information, provide your closest estimate. Whether or not we can return your account depends on the strength and accuracy of your responses."

So I will suggest following things…

Your goal should be to give Google maximum & accurate data! So take your time and submit form with maximum amount of information possible. You can consult your trusted friends if you are not sure. As an example it could be Sam or Bob who invited you on orkut. If you are not sure call them up and ask it!
Submit only one form! Yes this should be common sense. Do not submit multiple forms. A person who uses around 10-15 Google products asked me if he can submit multiple forms mentioning different Google products.
Submit form from the place which you use most often to access your account like PC at home! Although they haven’t mentioned this explicitly, line above submit button says, "Please note that we need your IP address in order to resolve this issue. Your IP address will be captured automatically when you submit this form."

Finally Contact Form is here!

I advise everyone to have a look at this form and information it asks. You can prepare a document about secret info, may be in cell phone or pen down it on a paper. This will come handy if something goes wrong in future!

I guess I have offered my best possible help on the issue. It may or may not work but Thats all I can do. So do not mail me asking to hack any account!

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16 Comments (including Pingbacks/Trackbacks) so far »

TechPavan said, on March 15, 2008 @9:20 am

Nice tips…. congrats….
Rahul Bansal said, on March 15, 2008 @10:52 am

@TechPavan
Thanks… [:)]
soleh said, on March 15, 2008 @1:10 pm

Thanks for the info
Angel said, on March 15, 2008 @6:30 pm

Hi Rahul,

I wanna let you know only one thing: I really enjoy very very much your site since my first visit a few days ago. It’s great, fantastic, one of my faves for sure!! Thanks for the tips and help on all posts which I’ve read as often as I can. Keep up with the good job, God bless you!

Greetings from Brazil.
Rahul Bansal said, on March 18, 2008 @12:43 am

@soleh
Your welcome buddy!
Rahul Bansal said, on March 18, 2008 @12:48 am

@Angel
Your welcome buddy…. Thanks for nice comment and words of appreciation…
tanmay said, on April 11, 2008 @8:27 pm

the page is nt opening ???
Rahul Bansal said, on April 12, 2008 @1:20 pm

@tanmay
Must have been temporary problem. I just checked the link and its opening.
teja said, on April 18, 2008 @10:50 pm

CAN u pease tell me wat to do if my orkut account is hacked and the security question is changed and i have no access to know wat the scurity question is
Rahul Bansal said, on April 24, 2008 @12:15 pm

@teja
First sorry for late reply buddy… Now Orkut account is no different than Google account so go on and submit the form I mentioned in above post…
jaagriti said, on April 27, 2008 @5:31 pm

can u please help me in retreiving my old passowrd as somebody has changed the password of my gmail account.

my id on gmail is

chaand07@gmail.com
Rahul Bansal said, on May 3, 2008 @10:10 pm

@jaagriti
Read above post first.
If you have any trouble submitting form, let me know
Rakesh said, on May 17, 2008 @9:18 am

Hi,

Can u beleive this !

I used ur tip and

I GOT MY GOOGLE ACCOUNT BACK IN 20 MINS FLAT….YES 20 MINS FLAT……WOW WONDERFUL GOOGLE…..

THX TO U FOR THE TIPS…..LOVELY ONE…

RAKESH
Rahul Bansal said, on May 18, 2008 @12:13 am

@Rakesh
Thats a great update for all of us. Thanks for sharing…
harsh said, on June 24, 2008 @8:50 am

hey rahul vat u hv written above is true bt my email id was hacked n i filled this form….google said dat v cnt give ur password back bt cn delete ur orkut account if u give us d right information…n ven i gave d rt. information they deleted my orkut account….bt the problem is dis dat my email id still exists n dat person who hacked ma profile cn still use it……hw cn i get back my password of email id…..
Rahul Bansal said, on June 24, 2008 @11:26 pm

harsh
Sorry to here that buddy… Now how can be you sure about your email id being in use?
If you have some more info contact Google again and ask them to delete entire Google account this time.