Password for email acc

[harryh2]

It seems someone else is using my Virgin Media email address. I am asked to verify my identity when I log into my account. When I enter it (or what I think it is) I get an error message saying it is incorrect. I used to have a Virgin Media account but closed it 4 years ago when I moved as they didn't serve my new location. I kept my mobile account with them and have had no problems until now. I cannot sign into my Media account as I don't know my old account number or password. How can I get back into my email account?

[Ashleigh_C]

So sorry to repeat @abenauk but when was this? Was this over 90 days ago? I just need to get all the information so I can best advise.

Thanks again.

[harryh2]

Thanks Ash_C for your reply. I would like to close it completely as I am unsure what has happened to any emails sent to it from Monday. I am going through a long list updating my email! Please PM me so we can get this sorted out. Once again thanks for your help.

Harry

[abenauk]

yes its over 90 days

[harryh2]

Ash_C I had to close my Virgin Media account on 1/4/17 when I moved to Dorset as I couldn't get Virgin broadband here. So rather more than 90 days ago!!

Harry

[ravenstar68]

@abenauk 

If there is no longer an account then any email addresses linked to the old account will be deleted.  So there will be no email address to forward the mail from.

VM do have a move and transfer process which would have been able to transfer mails from the old to the new account, but this does not apply here as the account holder is different.

Tim

[abenauk]

The email address still exists because when mail is sent to it it is not returned or rejected; plus when we try to open a @virginmedia.com address it will tell us the name is not available

[ravenstar68]

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@abenauk wrote:
The email address still exists because when mail is sent to it it is not returned or rejected; plus when we try to open a @virginmedia.com address it will tell us the name is not available

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The address won't be available for security reasons, and shouldn't be available for some time after the old address has been closed.

All VM can do with the old address is to try and expedite it's proper closure.  If it's not linked to a current broadband account then they won't re-open it once the 90 day deadline has expired.

Tim

P.S.  I'd take this experience as a lesson in WHY it's long been recommended NOT to rely on an ISP email address as your main address.

[Ashleigh_C]

Thank you for confirming for me. As ravenstar68 has stated unfortunately we do close email accounts after 90 days of a broadband account being cancelled, although sometimes this can take longer than 90 days. 

I am so sorry but I cannot reinstate the mailbox for you, but I can get the account fully deleted so that any emails sent to the address will bounce back alerting the sender. Please let me know if you would like me to do this for you and I'll happily send you a PM so we can arrange. 

Thank you. 

[Graham_A]

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@abenauk wrote:
The email address still exists because when mail is sent to it it is not returned or rejected; plus when we try to open a @virginmedia.com address it will tell us the name is not available

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That message doesn't necessarily mean the old email address is still active.  Even after an email address has been closed it is never possible to creat a new virginmedia one using a first part of the email address that has been previously used on ntlword or blueyonder or virgin.net