Google/Gmail Account Security Guide for Survivors

Table of Contents

1. Intro
2. If You Suspect There is Unauthorized Access to Your Account

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Symbols and What They Mean in This Guide

Course of action may be visible to your former or current partner.
You may want to consult with a staff of an anti-violence program in your community before removing your former or current partner’s access.

Evidence documentation checkpoint. Take screenshots, pictures with a different device, or screen recordings of your former or current partner’s unauthorized access.

If you have a Google/Gmail account (which are the same thing) and suspect that your account and/or device has been compromised, this guide will help you review important settings and increase the security on your account. The instructions are based on accessing your Google/Gmail account on a web browser. It is easiest to follow these instructions on a laptop or desktop computer. Please note that Google does not endorse nor sponsor this digital toolkit.

Safety Tip: Before taking any steps such as removing access to suspicious accounts or turning off location sharing, it is important to consider collecting evidence and discussing any potential safety concerns as a result of these changes with your support worker.

If something in this guide is no longer up to date and/or difficult to understand, please reach out to techsafe@bcsth.ca with your concerns.

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If You Suspect There is Unauthorized Access to Your Account

Before taking these steps, consider creating a new, secure email address with an email provider such as Google, Microsoft, Yahoo Mail, or Proton Mail on a secure device. You can use this email address for secure communication and to store important documents, as well as an account recovery email.

In addition to following these steps to secure your email account, you will want to secure other accounts (social media, ride share, food delivery, banking), as well as secure your devices (iCloud/iPhone, Android). Guides to do this can be found where you found this guide.

Check Recovery Email and Phone Number

Safety Tip: If your former/current partner has access to the email or phone associated with the account, it is possible for your former/current partner to access your account.  Before updating your information to include a secure phone number or email address, consider discussing any safety concerns with your support worker.

To check your recovery email and phone number

1. Go to: https://myaccount.google.com and log in.
2. Click Security & sign-in on the left-hand side.
3. Scroll down to ‘How you sign in to Google’ heading.
4. Check if you recognize the recovery email and recovery phone.

 

Reviewing Log-Ins and Recent Account Activity

If you suspect someone has logged in to your account without your consent, review your login history.

Safety Tip: Be sure to take screenshots/recordings of the unauthorized log-ins.  Before removing unauthorized access, consider discussing potential safety concerns with your support worker.

To review your login history

1. Go to: https://myaccount.google.com and log in.
2. Click Security & sign-in (on the left).
3. Scroll down to ‘Your devices’ section.
4. Click Manage all devices.
5. You will see devices in which your Google/Gmail account is currently being used or was used in the last 28 days, the last activity time and location and device type (Windows, iPhone, Android, etc.).

To review your account activity

1. In the ‘Security & sign-in’ section of your Google account (i.e., following steps one to two in the previous instructions), go to the ‘Recent security activity’ section.
2. Click Review security activity to review if any suspicious or unrecognized activity has occurred.
   1. You will see security activity and alerts from the last 28 days, such as sign-in attempts, new devices added, and password changes.

 

Review Your Connections to Third-Party Apps and Services

Safety Tip: It is possible that third-party apps and services connected to your Google account could be collecting information about you, such as tracking your location. Before removing unauthorized access, consider discussing potential safety concerns with your support worker.

To review your connections to third-party apps and services

1. Go to: https://myaccount.google.com and log in.
2. Click Security & sign-in (on the left).
3. Scroll down to ‘Your connections to third-party apps & services’ section.
4. Click See all connections.
5. You will see a list of apps and services with access to your Google account.

Source: Google Support

 

Location Sharing

Safety Tip: Before removing disabling location sharing, consider discussing potential safety concerns with your support worker.

To manage your location sharing

1. Go to: https://myaccount.google.com and log in.
2. Click People & sharing on the left-hand side.
3. Click Location sharing.
4. Click Manage Location Sharing.
5. You will see who has access to shared information, such as where you’ve recently been, how you’re travelling and your device info.

Source: Google Support

 

Check Gmail Forwarding, Gmail Filters, and Linked Gmail Accounts

Safety Tip: Before making any changes, consider discussing potential safety concerns with your support worker.

Be sure to take screenshots/recordings of the unauthorized log-ins.  Before removing unauthorized access, consider discussing potential safety concerns with your support worker.

To check forwarding, Gmail filters, and linked accounts

1. Go to google.com and log in.
2. Click the settings icon (gear).
3. Click See all settings.
4. Click Forwarding and POP/IMAP.
5. Check that only recognized, approved accounts appear next to ‘Forwarding:’ heading on left side.
   1. If you are emails are being forwarded or filtered, this could explain missing or deleted emails even once you have changed your password.
   2. Check if there are any filters being applied to your inbox that were set up without your knowledge.
6. Click Filters and Blocked Addresses tab at the top of the Settings screen.
   1. Check if there are any filters being applied to your inbox that were set up without your knowledge.
7. Click Accounts and Import tab at the top of the Settings screen.
   1. Check that only recognized, approved accounts appear on this page, particularly under the “Grant access to your account” section on the left side.
8. To check additional information on sign-in activity, open your inbox, find the bottom right corner of the inbox, and click on Details (under ‘Last account activity’).

Source: Gmail Forwarding, Gmail Filters, Manage Connections Between Accounts

 

Changing Passwords

If your former/current partner has or is logged into your Yahoo Mail account, changing your password can prevent them from logging into your account again. To make a secure password, refer to the How to Create and Maintain Strong Passwords resource.

To change your password

1. Go to: https://myaccount.google.com and log in.
2. Click Security & sign-in on the left-hand side.
3. Scroll down to the ‘How you sign in to Google’ section.
4. Click Password.
5. Sign in to confirm your identity.
6. Follow the prompts and enter a new, secure password.

Source: Google Support

Safety Tip: Changing your password will log all sessions out of your account.

 

Turning On 2-Step Verification

Turning on 2-Step Verification, also called 2-Factor Authentication (2FA), can protect your account from future unauthorized logins. Check this resource to understand why 2-step verification is important.

Safety Tip: Before enabling 2-step verification, make sure the password to your account is secure, and that you are the only one who has access to the email and/or phone number connected to your account. If 2-step verification is enabled on an account your current/former partner has access to, they will be notified of attempted logins through verification codes.

To enable 2-step verification

1. Go to: https://myaccount.google.com and log in.
2. Click Security & sign in on the left-hand side.
3. Scroll down to ‘How you sign into Google’.
4. Click 2-Step verification and follow prompts.

Source: Google Support

 

Other Settings – Google Photos

You may also want to check if you are currently sharing any albums that you no longer want to share (i.e., how to remove a collaborator).

To check album sharing

1. Going to https://photos.google.com/.
2. Click Albums on the left side bar.
3. Click My albums on the top bar.
4. To find the album shared with the collaborator you wish to remove, click on the album with the ‘Shared’ label below the album cover.
5. At the top of the album screen, click the More icon (vertical three dots).
   1. If you’re on the web, click
   2. If you’re on the Google Photos app, click Sharing.
6. On the right side of the contact you’d like to remove, click the More icon (vertical ellipses).
7. Click Remove person.

 

Other Settings – Gmail A.I. Privacy Risks

The Gmail Artificial Intelligence (A.I.) assistant needs full access to your messages to function and is automatically enabled.

To increase your privacy

1. Open your Gmail account on a web browser.
2. In the top right corner, click the Settings icon (gear).
3. Click See all settings.
4. Under the “General” tab, scroll down to find the “Smart Compose” heading then select Writing suggestions off.
5. Find the “Smart Compose personalization” heading, then select Personalization off.
6. Find the “Nudges” heading then uncheck Suggest emails to reply to and Suggest emails to follow up on.
7. Find the “Smart Reply” heading, then select Smart Reply off.
8. You can also scroll down to the “Smart features” heading and uncheck Turn on smart features in Gmail, Chat, and Meet to stop data from Gmail, Chat, and Meet from being used for these smart features.
9. Scroll to the bottom and click Save Changes.

Source: Google Support

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If you are experiencing tech abuse, you are not alone. Find support in your community by connecting with a BC Society of Transition Houses Member Program or check out our other safety resources at techsafebc.bcsth.ca.

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