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Ask HN: How do I get my Google account back?

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Re: Ask HN: How do I get my Google account back?

#91

Post by Hallucinaut »

pindakaas wrote: post #68

This question pops up a lot on HN. From what I've read in similar posts, you'd have a hard time getting your account back even if you'd work at Google. Sadly, having your phone number not associated with the account will make recovery extra hard. To their credit, Google does provide multiple ways to set up account recovery (e.g., recovery codes).

Unfortunately this is not accurate advice as someone who has gone through the Kafkaesque recovery system under duress can attest, recovery codes, 2FA via authenticator, confirming via the recovery email address, "trying again after 48hours - 2 weeks", logging in from the same IP as linked accounts, etc. all fail to work if you lose your phone number (as I did with a prepay number once).

Re: Ask HN: How do I get my Google account back?

#92

Post by hackmiester »

Daedren wrote: post #39
orblivion wrote: post #32

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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. If that's somehow not true, I haven't gotten around to figuring out why that is because I only have so much time for this shit.

Google allows for various kinds of 2FA, not just SMS. You can use a hardware key or even Google apps installed on other trusted devices.

But if you don’t remove your phone number then the insecure option is still present.

Re: Ask HN: How do I get my Google account back?

#93

Post by dmd »

ajb wrote: post #85
dmd wrote: post #47

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I really really want to do this but am stuck on Gmail because of their spam filtering. Is there ANY other provider that does spam filtering that actually works? I tried Fastmail, but I receive so much spam (>600 per day vs. ~20 non-spam per day) that only Gmail's spam filtering is good enough. I've tried others (like Fastmail) and typically ~50/day get through their spam filters, vs. at Gmail where on a typical day 1…

You can use Gmail with your own domain, and download all the email via IMAP/POP, or forward it all to another account. That way you get the functionality but not the dependency. This is the safest way to set up any cloud email account, even if you decide to move from Gmail to a different one.

I already do that - my domain is actually hosted at Dreamhost, and then mail is forwarded to Gmail.

Re: Ask HN: How do I get my Google account back?

#94

Post by orblivion »

Daedren wrote: post #39
orblivion wrote: post #32

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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. If that's somehow not true, I haven't gotten around to figuring out why that is because I only have so much time for this shit.

Google allows for various kinds of 2FA, not just SMS. You can use a hardware key or even Google apps installed on other trusted devices.

Great, can I use a hardware key (or authenticator app, in my case) if I get locked out of my account like the person who posted this question? That's my point.

To be clear, 2FA != account recovery.

Re: Ask HN: How do I get my Google account back?

#96

Post by resonious »

MrPatan wrote: post #37

I can't help the OP, but I can help you, gmail user reading this: This WILL happen to you. Get your own domain and set up email through it ASAP. Use some free one, use a paid one (I like fastmail), but get it done now. Then migrate all your accounts to it.

Doesn't this just move your single-point-of-failure over to the service you bought your domain name from?

I suppose NameCheap and friends may be less likely to irrevocably lock you out than Google. And perhaps even if you are "locked out", your ownership of the domain will expire and then you can just buy it again from another registry... So perhaps you're right, but I wonder if there are any other reasons or caveats.

Re: Ask HN: How do I get my Google account back?

#97

Post by mbirth »

dmd wrote: post #47
MrPatan wrote: post #37

I can't help the OP, but I can help you, gmail user reading this: This WILL happen to you. Get your own domain and set up email through it ASAP. Use some free one, use a paid one (I like fastmail), but get it done now. Then migrate all your accounts to it.

I really really want to do this but am stuck on Gmail because of their spam filtering. Is there ANY other provider that does spam filtering that actually works? I tried Fastmail, but I receive so much spam (>600 per day vs. ~20 non-spam per day) that only Gmail's spam filtering is good enough. I've tried others (like Fastmail) and typically ~50/day get through their spam filters, vs. at Gmail where on a typical day 1…

Get a domain. Then get an email provider that allows unlimited aliases (I'm using German UberSpace).

Then start setting up unique email addresses for each service, e.g. ycombinator.com-abcd@yourdomain.com . The "abcd" part should be random for each service so it's impossible to guess your other email addresses.

I also use yearly throwaway addresses, e.g. 2022abcd@yourdomain.com, for when I need an email address without having the means to create a new alias first. (I then change that later.)

Should spam starting to appear, you'll know exactly which service "got hacked" (i.e. sold your email address) and can just disable that alias and create one with different random letters. Also when deleting an account somewhere, just also delete the alias and you won't get any mails about signing up again.

It takes a bit of discipline but it gives you lots of control over your inbox.

Re: Ask HN: How do I get my Google account back?

#98

Post by orblivion »

davidmitchell2 wrote: post #53
j4tech wrote: post #38

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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 h…

We're not talking about 2FA, we're talking about account recovery. I do have my authenticator app set up. Can I use it to prove myself if Google thinks somebody stole my account?

Re: Ask HN: How do I get my Google account back?

#99

Post by anothernewdude »

sigmoid10 wrote: post #24

>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've tried to reset my password previously. Having a number associated didn't really help me.

Re: Ask HN: How do I get my Google account back?

#100

Post by ttybird2 »

sigmoid10 wrote: post #24

>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…

"especially since google regularly warns you during login that this can happen if you don't add your number"

All of this is so that they can mine phone numbers for older accounts. Now they require a phone number by default.

It makes sense to add a way to recover access to your account if you fear that you may forget your password. It makes no sense to give google your phone number just in case they may out of nowhere decide that you look suspicious (for using firefox? moving to another country? something else?) and reject authenticating you despite being able to enter your password correctly.

"you should not have used their service for your whole life's activities anyway"

You should not do that in general as Google is extremely unreliable. I had given them my phone number for my account but this did not help. I posted about it at https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=30544030 a few months ago.

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