Google Warns Users: Act Within 7 Days After Gmail Lockout Hack

As the FBI issues an unusual warning urging webmail users—including those on Gmail—to enable two-factor authentication due to a rising ransomware threat, many Google email users are grappling with a more immediate concern: account hacks and lockouts.

A quick scan of online support forums, whether Google’s official channels or the active Gmail subreddit, reveals a dominant discussion: My account has been hacked, and I’m locked out.

Given Gmail’s status as the world’s most popular free email platform, it’s no surprise that it attracts not only millions of users but also cybercriminals, scammers, and hackers. If an attacker has taken full control—changing your recovery email, phone number, password, and two-factor authentication method—it might feel like all is lost.

But there’s good news: Google offers a way to recover your account, provided you act within seven days. Here’s what you need to do.