[Edited to add: Microsoft Live support resolved this issue very swiftly and professionally. I now have control of my Hotmail account back.]
Somebody, let us call him Anthony Ikpe, has hijacked my Hotmail account and sent a begging letter to everybody in my address book. A transparent ruse but apologies to everybody who got this message. Needless to say I am not stuck in West Africa nor do I need an urgent transfer of funds to help get me home. If you would like to send me money then please do so, but don’t send it to an address in Nigeria.
I don’t know how Anthony Ikpe was able to get access to my account, but he has managed to change the password, change the alternate email address and change the challenge-response questions so I cannot get back control of the account by the usual means. My old password was not a strong one, but nor was it an easily-guessable one. I suspect he has somehow spoofed the password reset system, which would be a security issue for Microsoft if it is true.
My Hotmail address is the one I publish publicly - the Hotmail account is designed to be the one that gets attacked. My friends, family and colleagues know that it’s not the address I normally use. I also use it for buying things online so that the resulting marketing messages don’t bother me. However, if I’m in the middle of a buying something it assumes a temporary importance. And I am indeed using my Hotmail account quite heavily at the moment. Or not, as it turns out.
Inconvenient then, and I’d like to get it back if possible. And I’d certainly like to stop Mr Ikpe from reading the messages I’m currently getting on that account. So I am trying to contact Microsoft to let them know what has happened and see if anything can be done.
Attempt 1
I click on the Help link on the Hotmail home page. Yay! there’s a link for “What do I do if I think someone is using my Windows Live ID? ”. I click it. It gives me another link to “Report to Microsoft” any suspicious activity.
I click it. It leads to a Technet page with another link telling me to fill in a form on this page: Helpful Information for Microsoft Passport Network
I click the link. It takes me back to the Hotmail help page.
Presumably Microsoft think their customers are so stupid they will continue round this loop for ever without noticing they aren’t getting anywhere.
Attempt 2
I call Microsoft UK. After patiently navigating their call centre menus, I arrive at the Hotmail options. For billing enquiries please press 1. For all other enquiries please go to https://uk.msn.com
My first reaction is Gaaah! But surprisingly there is a form on the MSN site that allows you to report Hotmail security issues. I filled in the form and submitted it. The waiting begins.