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I'm in this boat. I have valid credentials for my (now deceased) dad's Gmail account. But I can't login because Google doesn't trust my valid credentials and in

I'm in this boat. I have valid credentials for my (now deceased) dad's Gmail account. But I can't login because Google doesn't trust my valid credentials and insists on sending a recovery code to a phone number that hasn't been in service for a decade. His hotmail account I can get into no problem. There used to be a time when you would trust Google ten times more than Microsoft not to mess with your account, lock you out, delete you for inactivity. Those days are long gone, fuck Google.

toomuchtodo 3y ago
Have you considered filing a complaint with the FTC? I’ve contacted them recently with regards to how Big Tech unilaterally handles account security with no consumer recourse for these cases, so follow on complaints from those experiencing this would be helpful.
- kamilm 3y ago
  "Federal Trade Commission | Protecting America's Consumers" - what about the rest of the world? Does anyone know whether it makes sense to exercise this option for non-American citizens? I can't log in into my Google account either. And yeah, the account was free (money-wise) - judging by FTC's forms, the paid accounts are the ones that matter.
  - basisword 3y ago
    Most countries have an equivalent body and given Google operates globally they could help.
  - lazide 3y ago
    Might be worth trying since Google is headquartered in the US. More complaints on the pile get more attention.
dataflow 3y ago
Long shot, but have you tried contacting the person with that phone number?
- NoZebra120vClip 3y ago
  Seems legit: <Total stranger> Hi, when you receive some TOTP codes on your phone, those are supposed to be mine. Could you be a lad and just forward those on to <random number>? Thx!
  - dataflow 3y ago
    If you want to sabotage your chances, that's one way to do it. Or you could write something else that's more likely to be successful.
  - lazide 3y ago
    “Hi, my Dad died a number of years ago and this was his old number. I’m trying to reactivate one of his old accounts as there are a lot of old memories that mean a lot to me in there. Any chance you could forward the signin texts you get so I can do that? I’d greatly appreciate it, and I’ll change the info as soon as I can so you stop getting spammed. Thank you for any help you can offer!”
    - dataflow 3y ago
      And you can get a lot more creative than that. Even paying them, verifying your identity for them, etc. See the thread from the last time I mentioned this for a few ideas: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=32862891 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=32862891
      - IvanMilatForPM 3y ago
        [dead]
    - NoZebra120vClip 3y ago
      “Hi, I'm a Nigerian Prince, and my Dad, the King, was brutally assassinated by the opposition a number of years ago and this was his old number. I’m trying to reactivate one of his old accounts as there are a lot of evidence that mean a lot to me in there. Any chance you could forward the signin texts you get so I can do that? I’d greatly appreciate it, and I’ll change the info as soon as I can so you stop getting spammed. Thank you for any help you can offer!” "Oh and I have $500 to sweeten the deal, just send me your bank deets." In seriousness, it is not impossible to envision a near future when it would be illegal to share TOTP codes or other secrets related to security/authentication. If someone is the target of your scam and shares these things, perhaps he can just be sued into the Stone Age by the allegedly dead grandfather with all the nice photos. I don't care how you sugar-coat your cutesy text messages, this sort of scheme sets off every social-engineering red flag possible. How rude, to ask a total stranger to share secrets. Many of these texts are explicit: "don't share this with anyone!"

toomuchtodo 3y ago

Have you considered filing a complaint with the FTC? I’ve contacted them recently with regards to how Big Tech unilaterally handles account security with no consumer recourse for these cases, so follow on complaints from those experiencing this would be helpful.

kamilm 3y ago
"Federal Trade Commission | Protecting America's Consumers" - what about the rest of the world? Does anyone know whether it makes sense to exercise this option for non-American citizens? I can't log in into my Google account either. And yeah, the account was free (money-wise) - judging by FTC's forms, the paid accounts are the ones that matter.
- basisword 3y ago
  Most countries have an equivalent body and given Google operates globally they could help.
- lazide 3y ago
  Might be worth trying since Google is headquartered in the US. More complaints on the pile get more attention.

dataflow 3y ago

Long shot, but have you tried contacting the person with that phone number?

NoZebra120vClip 3y ago
Seems legit: <Total stranger> Hi, when you receive some TOTP codes on your phone, those are supposed to be mine. Could you be a lad and just forward those on to <random number>? Thx!
- dataflow 3y ago
  If you want to sabotage your chances, that's one way to do it. Or you could write something else that's more likely to be successful.
- lazide 3y ago
  “Hi, my Dad died a number of years ago and this was his old number. I’m trying to reactivate one of his old accounts as there are a lot of old memories that mean a lot to me in there. Any chance you could forward the signin texts you get so I can do that? I’d greatly appreciate it, and I’ll change the info as soon as I can so you stop getting spammed. Thank you for any help you can offer!”
  - dataflow 3y ago
    And you can get a lot more creative than that. Even paying them, verifying your identity for them, etc. See the thread from the last time I mentioned this for a few ideas: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=32862891 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=32862891
    - IvanMilatForPM 3y ago
      [dead]
  - NoZebra120vClip 3y ago
    “Hi, I'm a Nigerian Prince, and my Dad, the King, was brutally assassinated by the opposition a number of years ago and this was his old number. I’m trying to reactivate one of his old accounts as there are a lot of evidence that mean a lot to me in there. Any chance you could forward the signin texts you get so I can do that? I’d greatly appreciate it, and I’ll change the info as soon as I can so you stop getting spammed. Thank you for any help you can offer!” "Oh and I have $500 to sweeten the deal, just send me your bank deets." In seriousness, it is not impossible to envision a near future when it would be illegal to share TOTP codes or other secrets related to security/authentication. If someone is the target of your scam and shares these things, perhaps he can just be sued into the Stone Age by the allegedly dead grandfather with all the nice photos. I don't care how you sugar-coat your cutesy text messages, this sort of scheme sets off every social-engineering red flag possible. How rude, to ask a total stranger to share secrets. Many of these texts are explicit: "don't share this with anyone!"