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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?

#141

Post by orblivion »

davidmitchell2 wrote: post #138
orblivion wrote: post #98

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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?

Yes, I just tested it with one my accounts that has NO recovery email address/phone. ONLY U2F key. Select forgot password; the it asks Insert U2F Key. Then recovered. Yes, it may be that if one loses U2F key in Metro it is dangerous but some risk is always there. (i.e) how many times have you lost your key in your life? If more than one per year then keep one U2F at work and one at home.

Cool I'll look into it, thank you.

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

#142

Post by account-5 »

0des wrote: post #78
account-5 wrote: post #73

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Oh the irony.

they're not wrong. it's a very reddit way of communicating. people criticize then get right to story time. when youre in this situation, you couldnt give a fuck less about someones tangential testimonial.

Please see my previous comment. I'm not on Reddit nor did I criticise anyone. Unfortunately I can't remove the original offending comment to assuage the butthurt, even if I don't agree that talking about my experience with Google in a thread about OPs experience with Google is off topic. This comment is though, but ironically as a reply to a comment demanding things be kept on topic that moves things further from the topic.

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

#143

Post by einpoklum »

franzunix wrote: post #17
einpoklum wrote: post #11

> Is there a way I can recover my account? I assume you tried contacting Google's online support and got nowhere. Try writing Google a _physical_ letter. Maybe even make it registered mail. In your letter, ask them sternly to make either the account or a dump of its contents available to you. Explain that, since it is of extremely importance for your personal and professional life, they must understand you will use a…

What email service are you using ?

I use gmx.com and riseup.net; but - I'm not saying you should follow my example (and riseup.net isn't even intended for general public use). I've heard protonmail is nice.

More importantly, though: I use POP3 and a proper mail client, so I don't rely on GMX for my old email to continue to exist. I also back it up one in a while along with my other personal file backups.

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

#144

Post by YPPH »

SnowHill9902 wrote: post #106
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?

Yes, and you can also use the native Mail app.

https://support.google.com/accounts/answer/7539956#non-goog_...

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

#145

Post by josephcsible »

resonious wrote: post #96
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…

> your ownership of the domain will expire and then you can just buy it again from another registry

Aren't there predatory rent-seeking companies that camp domain expiration lists, buy them all, and then hold them ransom for tens of thousands of dollars or more?

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

#146

Post by josephcsible »

photon-torpedo wrote: post #9
acqbu wrote: post #5

Not a week goes by without seeing a post like yours. You may simply need to come to terms with the fact that you may not be able to gain access to your account. Lesson learnt: Google is evil, stay away from it.

Another lesson: Keep your own copy of all files. Use takeout.google.com.

This is necessary but not sufficient to protect your digital life from complete devastation. In particular, remember that you still won't be able to receive any new emails.

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

#147

Post by 0des »

account-5 wrote: post #142
0des wrote: post #78

Earlier quoted context omitted.

they're not wrong. it's a very reddit way of communicating. people criticize then get right to story time. when youre in this situation, you couldnt give a fuck less about someones tangential testimonial.

Please see my previous comment. I'm not on Reddit nor did I criticise anyone. Unfortunately I can't remove the original offending comment to assuage the butthurt, even if I don't agree that talking about my experience with Google in a thread about OPs experience with Google is off topic. This comment is though, but ironically as a reply to a comment demanding things be kept on topic that moves things further from the…

You're doing too much

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

#148

Post by zinekeller »

duskwuff wrote: post #140
zinekeller wrote: post #124

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Doesn't this just move your single-point-of-failure over to the service you bought your domain name from? Unfortunately this is very long but this has saved my butt countless times. Everyone hates it, but it'll be better to know these definitions. TLD means top-level domain, the .com on ycombinator.com. Registry means the company operating the specific TLD, for example Verisign operates .com and .net. Registrar are…

> ccTLDs are two-letter (exceptions apply) ccTLDs are two letters by definition. Other geographic TLDs like .cat, .wales, or .london are not ccTLDs. .gov, .mil, and .edu are not considered ccTLDs or gTLDs. They're technically in another category entirely: "sponsored TLDs". > First: use only a registrar listed on ICANN […] Second: are your registrar accredited by the specific registry? Both of these are guaranteed to…

> ccTLDs are two letters by definition

You forgot IDN ccTLDs that are indeed not two letters.

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

#149

Post by DoItToMe81 »

josephcsible wrote: post #126
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…

This is victim blaming. If you have the correct credentials to an account, Google should never say "we're not letting you log in anyway, and there's literally nothing you can do about it".

Phone numbers are not a magic cure-all-ills pill, either. My phone plan became outdated and my number wound up being cancelled, which means my old work email now no longer can be accessed.

If Google actually gave options to its users instead of babying them and pressuring them to give up all their personal info (like EVERY OTHER EMAIL PROVIDER), this would not have been a problem. Google clearly cannot be trusted with anything of value.

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

#150

Post by jjav »

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…

> It boggles my mind how people can have their entire life tied to this service and not connect a phone number

This is blaming the victim instead of the ham-fisted limitations imposed by google.

There is no justifiable reason for google (or any of the cloud companies) to be imposing their arbitrary account locks on users.

I should be able to configure my gmail account with a setting that says never ever require anything other than my password to access it, because I know my password is strong and well protected. I don't want any of these misbehaving AI detections locking up my account for reasons that I don't want.

If someone else want to configure their account with these trip hazards, more power to them, but it's not ok for these cloud companies to impose it.

Another reason why I mostly self-host everything, but for less technical people who are not able to do so it's a huge problem. Let's not blame the victim.

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