When a hacker takes over one's e-mail account

I did wonder sometimes, what it would feel like if such a thing were to happen.But that was really only a thought at the back of my mind.

The morning of the 17th of Aug is one that I wont be able to forget easily, if ever...
For that morning I was unable to access my hotmail id even after numerous log in attempts. What was puzzling initially was that I had checked mail fairly late only the previous night...

Until the reality along with the gravity of the situation hit me like nothing had before.

Someone has taken over my primary e-mail account, one that I had nurtured and built up over 7 years,taking away with it all my contacts, numerous pieces of writing, including the two books that I'm currently working on, photographs and other innumerable invalueable bits of information.

All of these are pretty much irreplaceable...

But that's not where the story ends. For the hacker has sent out mails to all in my contact list telling them that I'm a stranded and in dire need of money in the Uk so would they pl send me 2500 $ to rescue me..

For those who fell for it and responded, he/she has given them details of a Western Union account in London, where he will show my passport as an id proof.

All of this while i continue to appeal to Microsoft to resolve the issue.Trying my very, very best to convince them that my account has indeed been hacked..

56 hrs later...... I'm still grappling..