What to Do if Scammer Has Your Email Address

Why do scammers want your email?

Scammers want your email address because it’s a strong starting point for scams. Email addresses are easy to find and can lead to much more valuable information.

For example, they might send you phishing messages that look like they’re from your bank or a well-known retailer. Their goal is to trick you into clicking a malicious link or handing over your login credentials.

If you reuse passwords, your email also becomes a key to your other accounts. Scammers will use it to reset access to services—like shopping sites—and lock you out.

Your email is also a central hub for most of your online life. If scammers get into it, they can access everything from cloud storage and social media to saved payment methods. With enough information, they can even steal your identity.

How scammers get your email addresses?

One common method is through data breaches. If someone hacks a company you’ve signed up with, they might put your email on the dark web alongside other personal details.

Run a Clario Anti Spy’s Data breach monitor to check if your emails and passwords have been exposed.

Here’s how to use Clario Anti Spy’s Data breach monitor:

1. Open Clario Anti Spy and sign into your account.
2. Underneath Data breach monitor, select Scan.
3. Enter your email address and wait for Clario Anti Spy to check the web for signs of your credentials. Follow the instructions to secure your accounts.

Scammers also harvest emails from public sources like forums, social media profiles, or websites. If your email is listed anywhere online, they can scrape it automatically.

Some scammers buy or trade hacked email lists from shady data brokers. These lists may come from newsletters, sign-up forms, or sketchy apps that collect more data than they need.

Even guessing is an option. Using tools that generate common name and domain combinations, scammers can mass-test for valid addresses. Worried about your email address? Here’s how to know if your email has been hacked.  

What to do if your email address is known to a scammer

If you suspect a scammer has your email address, you need to learn what to do about a hacked email. Start by securing the account itself, then check your device for any signs of malware. After that, focus on monitoring the services and accounts connected to your email to catch any suspicious activity early. Here’s what to do:

1. Change your email password

Update your email password right away. Choose something strong, unique, and unrelated to any other account. Scammers often test leaked email-password combos on other services, so reusing credentials puts everything at risk. A password manager can help you track multiple passphrases, so you don’t need to remember them all.

2. Enable two-factor authentication (2FA)

2FA is one of the best ways to secure your email account from hackers. Turn on 2FA to block hackers from logging into your account, even if they have your password. It’ll add a second layer of protection, making you input a code from your phone before it gives you access.

Do this for each of your important accounts, then use Clario Anti Spy’s Anti-spy setup to find more ways to secure your device.

3. Check your other accounts for breaches

Look through your other accounts for signs of unauthorized access. Scammers will use a compromised email to reset passwords on connected services like banking, social media, or shopping platforms. Use Clario Anti Spy’s Data breach monitor to find out if your email or login data has already leaked.

4. Run antivirus and anti-spy scans

Scan your device for malware if you clicked a suspicious link or opened a shady attachment. Use a reputable anti-virus software to check your device for spyware or keyloggers. If you use an Android device, run a Spyware scan with Clario Anti Spy to detect hidden threats and clean your system fast. For iOS, use Hidden apps scan.  

How scammers can use your email address

Scammers use your email to launch both direct and indirect attacks. They may send phishing messages or malware, spoof your address to trick your contacts, or add it to spam lists. Behind the scenes, they can try credential stuffing to break into your accounts or combine leaked data to commit identity theft and full account takeover. That’s why it’s so important to know what to do if you’ve been scammed online.

Here’s how someone can scam you with your email address:

1. Phishing and spoofing

Scammers craft emails that mimic trusted organizations like PayPal, banks, or delivery services. These messages use official logos, formatting, and urgent language to trick you into clicking malicious links or downloading harmful attachments.

For instance, a prevalent PayPal scam involves emails that appear to confirm a payment, urging you to call a provided number. This number connects to fraudsters posing as customer support, who then attempt to gain remote access to your device under the guise of resolving the issue.

2. Identity theft and account takeover

With access to your email, scammers can exploit password reset functions to gain control over various accounts, including banking, social media, and cloud storage.

By combining your email with other personal information obtained from security breaches or social engineering, they can impersonate you and access sensitive data or financial resources.

For instance, some U.S. banks experienced a series of account takeover attacks where cybercriminals used social engineering tactics to trick customers into sharing their online banking credentials. Once inside the account, the attackers enrolled the customers into Zelle, set up new payees, and initiated real-time fraudulent payments.  

3. Spam and malware distribution

Scammers use compromised email accounts to send out spam and malware to your contacts. This can damage your reputation and result in more malicious software being spread through the internet.

A notable example is the Bredolab botnet, which infected over three million systems and distributed 3.6 billion spam emails daily, often containing malware disguised as legitimate documents.

Conclusion

If a scammer has your email address, they can use it to reset your passwords, access your accounts, or install spyware through phishing links. Don’t give them a chance.

Use Clario Anti Spy to check the web for information tied to your email, scan your device for hidden threats, and lock down app permissions that could expose more of your data. It only takes minutes and could stop a serious privacy breach before it starts.