When Your Emails Disappear Into RSS or Deleted Items
If you suddenly find every incoming message bypassing your inbox and landing in your RSS Feeds folder or the Deleted Items folder, your account has very likely been compromised. Attackers have hijacked your mailbox to send mass spam or phishing emails and created hidden rules to keep you from noticing the activity.
Signs Your Account Is Compromised
No new messages in your main inbox despite people confirming they’ve emailed you
Unfamiliar rules in Outlook moving or deleting mail automatically
Sent items full of messages you didn’t send
Notifications from contacts about strange emails coming “from you”
Step-by-Step Recovery Guide
Change your email password immediately
Identify any other service where you reused that password and update it there as well
Enable two-factor authentication on your email account if it isn’t already active
Review your Outlook rules and delete any that move incoming mail into the RSS Feeds or Deleted Items folders
Check for automatic forwarding settings and disable any you don’t recognize
Advanced Cleanup Tasks
Verify there are no app-specific passwords you didn’t create
Sign out of all devices and web sessions connected to your account
Revoke access for any third-party apps or services you don’t recognize
Audit your account’s login activity or security logs for unfamiliar IP addresses
Beyond the Basics: Strengthen Your Email Security
Use a reputable password manager to generate and store unique passwords
Schedule regular password rotations and security audits
Train your team or family on phishing awareness and suspicious-email reporting
Consider advanced email filtering or a dedicated security gateway
If you need hands-on assistance restoring your mailbox or reinforcing your security posture, give us a call. We’ll help you reclaim control of your email and lock down your account for good.