Windows 10: Unusual sign-in alert - how much to worry?

I recently received an unusual sign-in alert from Microsoft on my phone. I'd never had an alert from Microsoft before, over many years' use. Like too many people, I don't have much technical knowledge, so I waited until I could get home to respond to the alert, since it looked like a scam.Turns out it was a genuine message from Microsoft, so I checked my recent activity page. The alert was triggered by an event apparently from a country thousands of miles away from me, so I indicated it wasn't me and changed my password as advised this was all on the genuine Microsoft web pages, accessed thro

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Microsoft account unusual sign-in activity

Thank you for the reply. I have answered your questions in bold.

But I still fail to see why any of the questions/measures apply to my situation when Microsoft's "Review recent activity" log shows no "unusual sign-in activity" whatsoever. There are approximately 20 sessions showing on my activity log currently, and everyone
single one of them shows them to be: my computer, my IP address, my location, my operating system, my browser; all at times of the day when I was on my computer...

So unless Microsoft's "Review recent activity" page is inaccurate, where on earth is the "unusual sign-in activity" and why am I getting daily emails alerting me to something, that according to Microsoft's "recent activity" log, does not exist?

Thanks for your continued help/efforts,

SR

03/03/17: Update: and, FTR, I got the email again last night, 8 days in a row now. And once again, there is no "unusual sign-in activity" showing in my "recent activity" whatsoever.

 

Microsoft account unusual sign-in activity

Since you have checked your recent activity and confirmed that there were no unusual activities made, please provide us the following information:

• Do you have a new phone from a different provider, or any new apps were installed that might try to sign in using your account?

• Some apps that sign in on your behalf including email apps and social media apps tied to a Microsoft account.
• Apps that sign in on your behalf will need to ask for permissions to do so when they are installed, and will prompt you for your Microsoft account and password.

• Do you remember having to enter your password when you set up any Windows Phone or Windows apps?

If you can't think of any reason why a sign in would occur
from a different location, we strongly suggest that you reset your password and check for unusual activity on any other accounts that you might have.

If you suspect that your account was compromised, you can do the following:

• If apps, services, or subscriptions were purchased with this account:

• Sign-in to account.microsoft.com
• Click Review your purchases and make sure there were no new transactions that you didn't make or expect.
• Click Billing info and make sure your billing info wasn't changed.

• If you're using OneDrive to store and share files, photos, or other data:

• Sign-in to OneDrive.live.com
• Click Shared on the side menu
• Review the folders and files that are being shared to make sure files are not being shared with people you don't know or that any shares you made weren't deleted.

• If you're using an Outlook or Hotmail email account:

• Sign-in to outlook.com
• Click the gear-shaped Settings icon, then click Options.
• Check the following settings and restore any that might have been lost or changed:
• Check the deleted mail folder and Contacts lists to make sure unusual messages or contacts weren't added, sent, or deleted.

Please post back with the result for further assistance.

 

Emergency Alerts

Hi Stephanie,

Just to confirm, is this the same thing that you tried on your phone, in order to turn off Amber Alerts?

• Open Settings.
• Tap on System.
• Tap on Messaging.
• Tap on the Change emergency alert settings link.
• Turn on or off the emergency alerts you want.

Let us know if this was the same thing that you tried.

We would also suggest to reset your phone after doing these steps to ensure that the changes on your phone's settings will be refreshed.

Simply press and hold the Power and Volume down button for 15 seconds and then release your hold afterwards.