Can I retrieve email account?

[alliejb]

Hi

Yesterday I tried to access my Blueyonder email account but was told that my email or password was incorrect. After further investigation I think I've lost access to my account as we had to leave Virgin Media when we moved house in November. I wasn't aware that this would happen and there are some emails I still need. I have checked with verifalia site and it states that my blueyonder email address is still valid. Is there any way I can retrieve this account, to access my emails before the account is deleted?  I will be very grateful for any assistance. 

[coenoby · Accepted solution]

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@alliejb wrote:

"After further investigation I think I've lost access to my account as we had to leave Virgin Media when we moved house in November. I wasn't aware that this would happen"

The Terms and Conditions of Virgin Media's Broadband contracts do say that VM will delete all email accounts linked to a VM broadband account 90 days after the broadband account is closed.

In the past they often left these old email accounts open but over a year ago VM stopped issuing new email accounts and since then they do seem to be catching up on these old accounts.

I have checked with verifalia site and it states that my blueyonder email address is still valid.

VM's first step when they delete an email account is to remove access to the webmail account but for a while the mailbox itself still exists. Sites such as Verifalia contact the relevant SMTP (email) server to check whether the account exists, they do not check the webmail account. If your email is still accessible via the server it will report that the email account itself still exists.

That, what you might call a "loophole" in VM's deletion process offers you a solution to your next question:

"Is there any way I can retrieve this account, to access my emails before the account is deleted?"

Although you cannot access the account via the VM webmail service, email apps and clients may well to still be able to access it because they access the email SMTP server directly.

If you have a Windows 10 or 11 device you should have Microsoft's free "Mail" app or you could down load a free email app such as   https://www.thunderbird.net . If you use a mobile device there are lots free email apps you can install.

All of those are easy to set up. You just have to enter the email address and password and they do the rest. When setting up the Blueyonder account in the app, go for the IMAP option rather than POP3 because IMAP will download all emails you have sent and received. POP3 just downloads the emails you have received.

Two health warnings:

1. I cannot guarantee it will work - it does require you to know the correct password and it does assume that the email account is still accessible via the SMTP route
2. But I can definitely guarantee that if it does work it will not be a long term solution to continued use of this account. VM will delete the account completely, probably sooner rather than later.

I hope that's helpful to you

Coenoby

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[alliejb]

Thank you, worked great. I was able to sort the emails I needed and no problem now when they delete the account

[coenoby]

@alliejb 

Good to hear that helped you. Well done for getting the email app set up and working.

Coenoby

[David_Bn]

Good Afternoon @alliejb, thanks for your post on our Community Forums, and welcome back!

Sorry to hear of the issues experienced with the E-Mail accounts, but I'm pleased to hear that you have been able to gain access.

However we would advise that you work to switch away from any E-Mail accounts that were set up with the Virgin Media services, as this may result in you losing access at a time which may not be convenient for you.

We would also advise that all customers are usually offered up to 90 days after disconnection to access the E-Mail accounts that they have created.

Kindest regards,

David_Bn