403 Forbidden on webmail (Again)

[heliart]

Hello,

I'm posting this on behalf of a close family friend I'm trying to help. Last Friday (9th June 2023) they could no longer access their virgin email via the webmail interface.

They get a redirect to a forbidden message, and Chrome seems to think it needs translating from Luxembourgish!!!

This exact issue has been reported by others on this forum, namely:-
https://community.virginmedia.com/t5/Email/403-Forbidden-on-webmail/td-p/5206671

This issue has nothing to do with their local setup, or browser as I see the exact same issue loggin into webmail using their account on my PC's. Clearing caches etc makes no difference, nor does Incognito mode. See the same with Chrome, Firefox and Edge.

Looks like some backend server issue? Related to email inbox overlimt perhaps? But there's no way to log in to check.

Any ideas?

Steve

[EyesSquared · Accepted solution]

Hi Steve

I've just finished a call with customer support(?). I had this same issue for about a week and a half.

I've now managed to access my account with thanks of a moderator on this Forum liaising with tech team on my behalf.

I was advised to do the following:

1. Log in to VM account

2. Account Settings> Virgin Media Mail Account settings> Generate New App Password, copy and paste (make a note - you will also need to enter the final password generated to access your account on Android and Apple device) (do not select DONE)>go back a screen (arrow top left of screen).

3.Go to Account Settings>Password - copy and paste new password, save. Log out. 

4 Repeats steps to 1 to 3 again two more times. (Remember make note of password generated by App)

5. Log in, access Virgin Media Mail from VM Account Dashboard. And fingers crossed all should work.

Please note, I went back and changed my password in VM Account to one I could remember but still needed to enter the generated one to access my e-mails on iPad and Android phone. 

Hope this helps.

[heliart]

Do you know what, this works. It had to be some password sync issue. Virgin first line support were not helpful at all - they should read this forum. Worse still as the account is owned by a non techy person.

I really do appriciate you sharing, and I hope it helps others also.

Thanks again,

Steve

[jazzdrummer]

Also tried this and it worked as a fix.

I find that every now and then, the virgin service just royally messes up for me.  Took me a while digging around again this time to finally get here on this page, and fortunately it solved my issue.

I mean, I don't know why on earth you need to change your password this many times, but it works.

[brackensroad]

I've just had the dreaded FORBIDDEN message come up again, after being locked out of my email last month.

So now I'm locked out again on my laptop – altho not on my iPhone.

Why, VM, does this happen, and keep happening?

And is the convoluted fix helpfully posted above by EyesSquared really the only way to solve this?

[Gareth_L]

Hello brackensroad.

Sorry to hear you have been locked out for your email account again.

Have you tired the advice given above from Eyessquared?

That would be the information we would give as well.

If you can try and let me know if that helps.

To add, wait at least 15 minutes before accessing your email again after the password reset.

Gareth_L

[sacko123]

I've just had this problem for a second time. The solution shown here worked for me - thank you.

I notice that both times I've had this problem, it is shortly after I forwarded several scam emails to VM fraud team and action fraud. I wonder if VM software is detecting that I am 'sending' scam emails and blocking my account?

[Beth_G]

Hi sacko123,

Pleased to hear this issue has now been resolved for you. That is certainly a possibility, however we should have rules in place to ensure that emails forwarded to fraud investigation are not flagged.

Can you please confirm which Virgin Media email address you forwarded the scam emails to?

Thank you

[sacko123]

phishing@virginmedia.com  and  report@phishing.gov.uk

[Travis_M]

Thank you sacko123 - if this does happen again, please do update us although I believe that this shouldn't be linked to sending those to our email.

Regards