Can;t log into Secondary Email Account and Forgot Password Link changes my Main Virgin Account Password

[cwatty]

I'm trying to log into one of my Email Accounts, because I've recently been targeted by hackers and need to gain access to emails to recover some of my online accounts created using this email. However when I try logging in the password is reported as incorrect. When I then use the "Forgot Password" option it asks me to enter my Main Virgin Media Account address and then proceeds to walk me through changing the password for that, which is not what I need.

How can I change/reset the password on my secondary email address to be able to regain access to it?

[Graham_A]

@cwatty The wording on the forgotten password page is a bit confusing.  For the secondary account when asked to enter the email address use the secondary account email address not your primary address.

You may need to set a new third party email address as the sign in username before you can change the password.

https://www.virginmedia.com/dpb/help/change-my-virgin-media-email-address

[cwatty]

Unfortunately that doesn't work because when I enter my Secondary Email Account Address it always comes back with the message "Please ensure you provide the email address you use to sign in to My Virgin Media" and does not let me use the Secondary Email Address for this. I also have never logged in and setup a new third party email address for this account as can't log in to do so because it says the password is incorrect.

What's weird is I can still send and receive emails on my phone with the account, so the password I have must be correct, and I have never changed it from when I created it.

[Graham_A]

@cwatty When logged in to your primary billing account go to Account Settings> Account details> Manage other My Virgin media accounts.

Is the secondary account listed their?

[cwatty]

I see two accounts listed, I'm guessing one is the account I added a third party email to this evening. I'm guessing the other is the email account I need to access, but with a third party email I never setup that's no way connected to me. So I'm guessing the hackers that took over my online accounts linked to that email address also got access to that email and have changed the password and added the third party address which is why I can't recover access to it.

[Graham_A]

@cwatty That is worrying indeed.  The recent security changes made by VM including the introduction of third party usernames and multi factor authentication were supposed to stop this type of hack.

I will escalate this thread to the VM Forum Team who should reply here in the morning.

[cwatty]

I think I'm going to be screwed now, as noticed this morning that email account has now disappeared from my Main Account in the Manage Other Account section. I'm guessing it's now been deleted by whomever compromised it to prevent me being able to recover it and other accounts attached to it.

I also received several emails this morning on my Main Virgin Media Account address saying I had been hacked and had my information stolen and that I should send the person $500 in bitcoin to regain my information.

[Beth_G]

Hi cwatty

Thank you for your post, I'm sorry to hear that you're having some issues with one of your secondary email accounts. I can take a look into this for you via PM.

Thanks for all your assistance here @Graham_A 😊