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Ask HN: Any Googlers want to help a fellow HN fellow out with a password reset?

9 points by pests ↗ HN
Please help me.

I've had this account for over a decade ago.

I got in when it was still invite only and you were only giving out like two invites per new account and it was really hard to get in. Its an old account and I have a ton of things in my email, files in my Drive, things in my calendar, and most importantly all my contacts and messages in Voice (I was a memeber of Grand Central and got switched over - loved that you added texts.)

I fail all the online prompts for resetting my password. I have no alternative email, I can't remember my security questions, and I can't remember the phone number I linked to the account.

I'm sorry if this is inappropriate for this board at this time; I haven't seen many Ask HNs for personal help in awhile. I hope you understand my dilemma; over ten years of accumulation is quite a lot to lose.

Thank you anyone here who might be able to point me in the right direction or give me a hand personally. My contact details will be in my profile.

11 comments

[ 2.9 ms ] story [ 17.6 ms ] thread
MichaelCrawford
I have the very same problem.

I don't know whether it would really help, but I'm planning to send Google a snail mail.

pests
My next step is social media and emails to higher up's I guess. I don't know what else to do other than post here or maybe reddit if I can find the right sub.
MichaelCrawford
I'll offer to pay to have my password reset.

I've considered showing up in person.

Or perhaps we could each buy one share of GOOG, then show up at the annual shareholder's meeting. :-D

mtmail
I sat next to the Yahoo customer service for a while. Users called in every day and offered to send passport copies or copies of printed emails. One guy really came in person to the office. The response was always the same: "The person who signup up years ago didn't send us their passport so we can't use that for verification". Quite a few users also used fake birth dates (Jan/1st 1901), nonsense security question answers like "-" and fake backup email addresses which doesn't help. Anyway. Don't be surprised if showing up in person doesn't impress them.
MichaelCrawford
Perhaps I could start a Change.org petition.

I find it really irritating that a company the size of Google, doesn't have a way to contact a live human for customer service.

Yes it's my own damn fault I forgot the password, that's why I'm OK with paying to have it reset. But I do want to have at least the opportunity to have a live human deal with it.

opless
I'm sure googlers read this forum and may reach out to you.
[deleted]
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proveanegative
Have you tried tweeting at Google asking for assistance with this? I am yet to try it myself but apparently you can bring companies' attention to your tech support problems now on Twitter.
27182818284
This is actually one of my worst fears. I'm a decade account holder too. I have two factor auth on and printed out my codes, but still frightens me.

I would love for Google to setup some sort of snail-mail, even for pay, way of account retrieval as a worst-case thing.

jimktrains2
> I have no alternative email, I can't remember my security questions, and I can't remember the phone number I linked to the account.

I'm just curious how you expect them to authenticate you then.

omilu
Nice try Kevin Mitnick...