Sometimes Google can add a phone number after the fact... I think that they check your identity with the phone companies' records.
Ask HN: How do I get my Google account back?
51–60 of 154 posts
Re: Ask HN: How do I get my Google account back?
#52If the main concern was not identity theft, I would just say consider it as a blessing and forget about google. What I would do now is concentrate on right now is buy a new comouter and phone, swap the sim card to it, shutdown all other connected devices, change my main password manager password, the login on each service / account I have in my password manager and change the password, email address and credit card n…
I reached out to financial institutions where I have an account. In addition to changing the email id, I am exploring all possible means to ensure that the id of the person requesting an outbound transaction for the account is doubly verified. Unfortunately, risk management office is closed over the weekend.
Other tips on backups and phone/pc resets noted.
Re: Ask HN: How do I get my Google account back?
#53>Unfortunately I did not have a phone number associated with this account. My understanding is I would have been able to recover my account, If I had one. It boggles my mind how people can have their entire life tied to this service and not connect a phone number, especially since google regularly warns you during login that this can happen if you don't add your number. They even ask to confirm every now and then in…
I totally agree with you. That was a mistake on my part . I had my number on the account a few months back.But my thinking was similar to what @orblivion posted below "Because I've been warned by security conscious people never to use phone number as a 2FA because it's so insecure, and using it as a recovery option seems to create an even weaker link.". I happened to read so many articles in the recent past of SIM Sw…
> Because I've been warned by security conscious people never to use phone number
Sadly you read only one part of the warning from security conscious people. The main part is to get U2F/FIDO key or use QR-code/authenticator. The same security conscious people use Fdroid/AndOTP where you can export all your 2FA codes.
There NO reason to say if I shatter my phone. Yes, you can also print recovery codes and keep it at home.
Re: Ask HN: How do I get my Google account back?
#54"That's the Neat Part, You Don't"
https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/thats-the-neat-part-you-dont
(couldn't resist. Sorry)
Re: Ask HN: How do I get my Google account back?
#55(Disclaimer: I'm part of the crew building https://ente.io ) I hope someone at Google takes a look at this and uses their internal tool to help OP. That said, this oft repeated story is one of the most compelling reasons why I think Google alternatives (like the one we're building) will catch on in the mainstream population. Not privacy. But the fact that we offer human support, whilst Google doesn't.
Why did your reply started with an advert?
Re: Ask HN: How do I get my Google account back?
#56(Disclaimer: I'm part of the crew building https://ente.io ) I hope someone at Google takes a look at this and uses their internal tool to help OP. That said, this oft repeated story is one of the most compelling reasons why I think Google alternatives (like the one we're building) will catch on in the mainstream population. Not privacy. But the fact that we offer human support, whilst Google doesn't.
How does your human support handle a user forgetting their password?
Re: Ask HN: How do I get my Google account back?
#57I have Gmail accounts but none of them are for anything critical or important. I create a new one with every android device I get.
Google lost my trust for anything more than a random account I need (Google makes you need) for using an android device when years ago they made me provide a DOB, and I misstyped it putting the current year instead of my birth year in.
Next thing I know my account was locked because I was too young to have one. At the time I was able to contact them but had to provide ID and confirm a credit card for age verification. I reluctantly did this because at the time I had important stuff in that account. After that I moved anything critical to a trustworthy service that isn't selling my data to advertiser and shut the account down.
I'm glad I did because things have got worse since. Now I don't use any Google service, with a few exceptions.
Re: Ask HN: How do I get my Google account back?
#58"That's the Neat Part, You Don't" https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/thats-the-neat-part-you-dont (couldn't resist. Sorry)
Came here to post this :D
Re: Ask HN: How do I get my Google account back?
#59(Disclaimer: I'm part of the crew building https://ente.io ) I hope someone at Google takes a look at this and uses their internal tool to help OP. That said, this oft repeated story is one of the most compelling reasons why I think Google alternatives (like the one we're building) will catch on in the mainstream population. Not privacy. But the fact that we offer human support, whilst Google doesn't.
Why did your reply started with an advert?
Because disclosure is part of the culture here. If you're working for the competition or have some other relevant source of bias, it's polite and ethical to disclose that.
Re: Ask HN: How do I get my Google account back?
#60> presumed that the security message was because of new IP addresses that must have been assigned. While I was initially able to log in to my accounts after replacing both the routers, o 1. Verify if your router or router software that you installed in your PC is doing something fishy. 2. As long as you have a browser window with cookies - even new IP address should NOT matter. It should allow you. I am almost always…
Installing any software for using a router on your PC already sounds fishy for me. Routers should not require any software being put on a PC.
Many providers do it... sadly