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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?

#101

Post by tjoff »

4ggr0 wrote: post #67
mnvrth wrote: post #50

(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.

As much as I appreciate people like you doing new things, the same will happen to your project if it grows. There will be a point that your service will simply have too many users to handle all of their requests in a satisfactory way. If you disagree I'm interested why you think y'all can make it differently.

Why?

If it is economically viable at small scale why wouldn't it be more so at a larger scale?

Google thinks their algorithms for suspicious activity is more important than their users data. Just removing access altogether.

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

#102

Post by anothernewdude »

jatgoodwin wrote: post #89
zorked wrote: post #40

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That's a mistake I will never make again. Your phone number is insecure - but even if wasn't, you are setting yourself up for losing your account forever if you ever forget to transfer all your 2FA numbers, or if the phone company decides they want to cancel your contract, or potentially if you lose your SIM card, or even if whatever SMS gateway doesn't like your number for whatever reason. Literally, you are giving…

I recently discovered the printed codes aren't particularly reliable and google will still ask for another authentication method. I managed to get into my account by driving to a wifi google recognized as "home" and being connected to that after the codes weren't enough. I too assumed they were some sort of master key but they're just an extra method and google's security blackbox can decide its not enough.

Same is true of the phone method too. They ignored the fact that I had my second factor. I have no idea what google were thinking.

Now I use paid email services.

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

#103

Post by zaphodq42 »

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…

Fastmail's spam filter is great if you are willing to put some minor effort. Read this: https://www.fastmail.help/hc/en-us/articles/1500000278142-Im...

Fastmail works great for me. I do not miss any emails as junk nor do i get any junk in my inbox because of using the methods explained in the link above.

Controlling your own email address is the way to go. It takes consistent effort to migrate but worth it when it is done.

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

#104

Post by jasfi »

This is to prevent fraud and who knows how many other problems. Changing email ids is the best way forward. I've never seen anyone post about how they got a Google account back.

Note: I don't work at Google, but this is my logic. If there were cases of people getting hacked by social engineering of the account provider, can you imagine the backlash?

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

#106

Post by SnowHill9902 »

YPPH wrote: post #77

I'm afraid I can't help you. I'm not sure whether Googlers here can either. I'd be surprised if they are allowed to modify user accounts outside the established processes. I would recommend anyone who values their Google account, and who can afford it, to purchase two FIDO security keys and enroll in the Advanced Protection Program. [0] Once you've done that, security warnings upon sign in go away. It would seem you…

Is that program compatible with logging in to Gmail through the iPhone app?

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

#107

Post by tzs »

ttybird2 wrote: post #100
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…

> 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.

Why should the reason you need to recover the account matter?

If the account is important to you, wouldn't losing it be equally bad regardless of whether you lost it because you forgot your password or you lost it because Google did something annoying?

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

#108

Post by ttybird2 »

tzs wrote: post #107
ttybird2 wrote: post #100

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"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…

> 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. Why should the reason you need to recover…

I meant in terms of what google may need to prove that it is you.

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

#109

Post by dazc »

jatgoodwin wrote: post #89
zorked wrote: post #40

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That's a mistake I will never make again. Your phone number is insecure - but even if wasn't, you are setting yourself up for losing your account forever if you ever forget to transfer all your 2FA numbers, or if the phone company decides they want to cancel your contract, or potentially if you lose your SIM card, or even if whatever SMS gateway doesn't like your number for whatever reason. Literally, you are giving…

I recently discovered the printed codes aren't particularly reliable and google will still ask for another authentication method. I managed to get into my account by driving to a wifi google recognized as "home" and being connected to that after the codes weren't enough. I too assumed they were some sort of master key but they're just an extra method and google's security blackbox can decide its not enough.

Not just Google, anytime I have had to rely on a printed back-up code it hasn't worked. Anyone who thinks they are safe because they have back-up codes for any account, think again.

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

#110

Post by kettleballroll »

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…

I always assumed spam filtering is a solved problem, imnevernhad any issues with eg protonmail once I've trained it on a significant body (eg all my current spam). Im curious, how many positive/negative samples have you used/how much time have you given the system to adapt?
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