The FBI’s warning about the new ransomware threat campaign may be concerning, but it’s not stopping hackers from targeting Gmail users. Online forums and support groups are filled with threads about accounts being hacked and locked out of service. Google’s official advice is to act quickly to regain control of your account.
According to Ross Richendrfer, a Google spokesperson, the key to recovering a compromised Gmail account is to take swift action within 7 days. If you’ve already fallen victim to an attacker and can’t log in, don’t worry – it’s not too late to recover your account.
Google recommends having a recovery phone number and email address attached to your account. These can be used if you forget your password or if an attacker changes the credentials after hijacking your account. It’s essential to keep your recovery phone number up-to-date, ideally for a smartphone that belongs only to you.
If you’ve changed your recovery email address, Google allows you to get sign-in codes sent to your previous recovery email for one week. The FBI’s warning about ransomware highlights the importance of having these security measures in place. For more detailed instructions on recovering a Gmail account, check out Google’s official support pages.
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/daveywinder/2025/03/16/you-have-7-days-to-act-following-gmail-lockout-hack-attack-google-says