Why protecting your email account is particularly important
The email address used on suchen.expert may be used for activation messages, sign-in notifications, password recovery and security-related communications. Anyone who gains access to the associated inbox may be able to read recovery messages or attempt to take over other accounts.
You should therefore protect both your suchen.expert account and, above all, the email account itself. A secure email address does not have to exclude your real name. An address containing your name is not insecure for that reason alone. What matters is protecting the inbox, using the address carefully and considering the information that you make public together with it.
Use a long and unique email password
Use a long password for your email account that you do not use for any other service. In particular, it must not be the same as the password for suchen.expert, Google, a password manager, social networks or payment services.
A password manager can generate a long, random password and store it in encrypted form. Protect the password manager with a strong master passphrase and additional authentication, if offered.
Guidance on choosing a password can be found in How do I create a secure password for my suchen.expert account? The same principles also apply to your email account.
Enable multi-factor authentication or a passkey
Enable multi-factor authentication, a passkey or another form of additional sign-in protection with your email provider, if offered. This often means that a password which has become known is no longer sufficient on its own to gain access.
Use the methods recommended by the provider that you can use reliably. Passkeys, security keys or authentication apps can provide better protection against certain phishing attacks than a code sent by SMS. An SMS code can still provide additional protection if no more suitable method is available.
Store recovery or backup codes securely and separately from the device that you use every day. Do not send them by email or chat, and do not store them unprotected in a cloud folder.
Keep recovery details up to date
Check your email provider's official account settings to see which recovery address, telephone number or other recovery methods are recorded. Remove outdated or unknown details and keep the details that you still use up to date.
A telephone number can be useful as a recovery method, but it is not automatically the best or only security method. Consider the possible risks of lost devices, changes of telephone number or the unauthorised takeover of a mobile number. Where possible, use more than one secure recovery method.
Store recovery information so that unauthorised persons cannot access it, while ensuring that you are not completely locked out if you lose a device.
Do not regard security questions as your primary protection
Traditional security questions, such as your place of birth, the name of a pet or a parent's maiden name, are often easy to guess or find through public searches. They should not be regarded as an equivalent substitute for a strong password and multi-factor authentication.
If a provider requires security questions, do not use publicly known facts. Where the process permits, you can store random, unique answers in a password manager. Treat these answers like passwords and do not share them with anyone else.
Monitor devices and active sessions
Many email providers display signed-in devices, active sessions or recently used locations in their security settings. Check this overview regularly, particularly if you notice an unfamiliar sign-in or an unexpected security message.
End sessions on devices that you do not recognise or no longer use. Sign out completely on shared devices and do not save your password on them. Simply closing a browser window does not always end a session.
If a device is lost, lock it using the device provider's official features, if available, and secure your email account from another trusted device.
Check forwarding, filters and account rules
Attackers do not always change the password immediately. Instead, they may set up automatic forwarding or filters to receive copies of incoming messages or hide security warnings.
You should therefore check the following in your inbox settings:
- automatic forwarding,
- rules and filters,
- blocked or allowed senders,
- automatic replies,
- configured delegations,
- unknown folders or deletion rules.
Only remove rules that you are sure you did not set up yourself or whose purpose you no longer need. Record suspicious settings before removing them if you may wish to report the incident later.
Check connected applications and app passwords
Check which programs, mobile apps and external services are permitted to access your email account. Remove unknown connections and those that you no longer need. Also check whether app passwords have been set up for older email programs, and revoke entries that are no longer needed.
Install email apps only from trusted sources, and keep your operating system, browser and email program up to date. Do not grant an application more access rights than it needs to function.
If you cannot identify a connection, first check its name and purpose in your email provider's official account management area. Do not approve a new authorisation in response to an unexpected message.
Recognise phishing messages
Phishing messages often try to create time pressure or fear. Typical claims include that your account will be locked immediately, that a payment has failed or that you must confirm your identity without delay.
Be cautious about:
- unexpected sign-in or security warnings,
- requests to enter a password or confirmation code,
- links with similar-looking but false domains,
- unusual sender addresses,
- threats, artificial time pressure or unexpected promises of prizes,
- requests for activation, recovery or payment details.
If in doubt, open suchen.expert or your email provider manually in your browser. Do not follow the link in the suspicious message. Further guidance can be found in How do I recognise phishing attempts and fake messages?
The article How can I check whether an email or SMS really comes from suchen.expert and is not a phishing attempt? explains how to determine whether a message actually comes from suchen.expert.
Handle attachments and downloads with care
Do not open unexpected attachments, even if the displayed sender appears familiar. The sender field may have been forged, or the account of someone you know may have been compromised.
Exercise particular caution with executable files, Office files containing macros, archives, and purported invoices or security documents. Verify unexpected attachments with the sender through a separate, previously known contact channel. Do not enable macros or additional content because a file prompts you to do so.
Use up-to-date software and your device's security features. Do not bypass browser, system or certificate warnings.
Limit public use of your email address
An email address containing your real name is not inherently insecure. However, publishing it can lead to more spam, phishing and targeted attempts at deception.
Do not unnecessarily publish the address used for activation and recovery in listings, profile text, images or public comments. Check photos and documents to see whether the address is visible.
If your email provider supports aliases, you can use separate addresses for different purposes. An alias can protect the main address that you use publicly and make the source of unwanted messages easier to identify. However, it is not a substitute for a strong password or additional authentication, because several aliases often lead to the same inbox.
Do not use a short-term disposable address for an important account if you may no longer be able to access it later.
Respond appropriately to data-breach warnings
Browsers, password managers and reputable security services may report that an email address or stored sign-in details have been found in a known data breach. Such a warning does not automatically prove that your suchen.expert account has been accessed, but it should be investigated.
Never enter your actual password on a third-party website that claims to perform a data-breach or security check. With a reputable service, an email address may be enough to receive a notification about known incidents; your password is not required for this.
If your email password may have been compromised or reused, change it through the email provider's official website and replace the reused password at every other service.
Special considerations when signing in with Google
For a personal account, signing in with Google can complete both registration and activation on suchen.expert. The Google account is then not only the email account, but also an essential part of the sign-in method.
Check the following in the official Google Account management area:
- recent security events,
- signed-in devices and sessions,
- recovery details,
- connected apps and access rights,
- additional authentication methods.
Always use the same Google account to sign in as you used for registration. Change a Google password only through Google's official pages or the official app. Never share Google passwords or confirmation codes with suchen.expert or anyone else.
Special considerations for a business account
For a business account, use a business email address that remains under the company's control. Where possible, avoid an address that belongs exclusively to one person and will no longer be accessible after that person leaves.
Keep an internal record of which authorised people are responsible for the inbox and the suchen.expert account. When personnel change, review recovery details, permissions, active sessions, forwarding, connected applications and, where applicable, passwords.
Do not openly share sign-in details by email or chat. Use the email provider's available role, delegation or administration features if they are suitable for the company. Company and account data may be changed only by appropriately authorised people.
Change the registered email address on suchen.expert
Do not assume that the registered email address can be changed directly in the profile at any time. Check whether your account settings provide such a function.
If no option to change it is displayed or you can no longer access the previous address, use the contact form. Do not hastily create an additional account to replace the address.
Support may require further details or a check to associate the account. A change will not be made solely on the basis of an unconfirmed request. Do not send the password for the old inbox or any activation, recovery or confirmation codes.
If you suspect a compromise
Where possible, take action from a trusted device:
1. Open your email provider's official website manually.
2. Change your email password to a long and unique password.
3. Check and correct your recovery details.
4. End unknown sessions and remove unknown devices.
5. Check forwarding, filters, delegations, connected apps and app passwords.
6. Enable or renew additional authentication, if available.
7. Then secure your suchen.expert account and change its password if you use a separate password.
8. Check your profile, listings and messages for unauthorised changes.
9. Inform suchen.expert using the contact form.
Detailed instructions can be found in What should I do if I suspect unauthorised access to my account?
Keep relevant warnings and timestamps. Never send passwords, complete recovery links or security codes to support. Information about the processing of account, contact and security data can be found in the Privacy Policy.
