VM Email Address and/or Password not recognised

[jackbarnetto]

Hi all,

I’ve had my VM email account for over a decade, mainly for emails. After a recent technical issue that impacted email access, I’ve been transitioning to my iCloud address. However, I still need access to my VM email for important information collected over the years.

Currently, I can’t log in or reset my password. When I try, I receive this message:

“Please ensure you provide the email address you use to sign in to My Virgin Media.”

Support asks for a postcode or account number, but I no longer have access to this information since the account is over ten years old and the related VM contract is inactive. Despite this, emails can still be sent to my VM address.

I’m concerned the account might have been dissolved without warning. Could anyone advise on how I can regain access or reset the password? Thank you for any support.

[Graham_A]

@jackbarnetto  When you closed your VM broadband account you would have been notified that associated VM email accounts would be deleted after 90 days.

We often see reports on this forum where that doesn't happen.

Your VM email address will now be an 'orphaned' account and the VM Forum Team staff are unlikely to be able to get even temporary access for you.  You will need to rely on your offline backups of the email account for historic emails but should count the address as now being dead.

[jackbarnetto]

Hi Graham,

Thank you for your response. I did see a few forum posts about the 90-day deactivation policy.

However, my contract was deactivated over four years ago, and I had been using the VM email account solely for emails long before the contract ended. Is it still likely that the account was deleted? I did not receive any 90 day deactivation email or notification otherwise I would have taken action long ago. The account was established long before I ever had a contract with VM for broadband services, for which I used the email address for the account.

I recently experienced issues accessing the account from my iPhone (that had an authorised password on) and set up auto-forwarding three days ago as I was concerning about logging in. Fortunately, I am still receiving forwarded emails, which gives me hope that the account is still active. Is there any possibility of obtaining a copy of the account archive or reactivating it temporarily?

Any recommendations would be greatly appreciated, as this situation is extremely concerning.

Thank you.

[coenoby]

@jackbarnetto 

"my contract was deactivated over four years ago, and I had been using the VM email account solely for emails long before the contract ended. Is it still likely that the account was deleted?

Sadly the answer is yes. 

VM stopped issuing new email accounts back in May 2022 and since then they seem to have been having a bit of a purge on closing down "orphan" email accounts such as yours. In the past they often seemed to let these accounts remain open for years after the broadband account was closed but now  they seem to be catching up on their housekeeping.

"I am still receiving forwarded emails, which gives me hope that the account is still active."

The first step in VM's account deletion process seems to be to remove access to the account but to leave the mailbox itself still live. That's why you are still receiving the forwarded emails. That may continue for sometime but will eventually stop.

"I did not receive any 90 day deactivation email or notification"

I have never heard anyone say that they received such a notification. It seems these accounts simply become inaccessible.

"Is there any possibility of obtaining a copy of the account archive or reactivating it temporarily?"

If you were a current VM broadband customer that might be possible. Unfortunately,  if you are no longer a broadband customer then VM staff will not be able to help you. Sorry about that.

As @Graham_A has said, you can only fall back on any backups that you already have.

Sorry to be another bearer of bad news,

Coenoby

[jackbarnetto]

Hi Coenoby,

I have an active contract with VM, but I wasn’t allowed to use the same email address for a different property (broadband service). Is it possible to transfer the current contract to the VM email to reactivate it? This would let me access important information before the account is eventually closed when the contract ends.

Thank you for your help!

Best,

Jack

[coenoby]

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@jackbarnetto wrote:

I have an active contract with VM, but I wasn’t allowed to use the same email address for a different property (broadband service).

 Is it possible to transfer the current contract to the VM email to reactivate it?

---

The Forum Team (VM staff who support this forum) will be able to answer that.

One of them will be contacting you (hopefully today). They will reply to you on this thread so keep an eye out for that.

Coenoby

[jackbarnetto]

Hi Coenoby,

One last detail! The VM account was originally set up under my parents' contract, which is still active over a decade later. I thought this information might help my chances of gaining access to my emails again. Fingers crossed a forum team member see my post!

Best,
Jack

[coenoby]

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@jackbarnetto wrote:

The VM account was originally set up under my parents' contract, which is still active over a decade later. I thought this information might help my chances of gaining access to my emails again.

---

If their VM broadband account and is still live and this virgin.net email account is still linked to it, then yes, it may help things.

However, it adds a complication because VM staff will need to talk with your parents (which ever one appears on the VM contract0 before they can make any changes to their account.

Because the email account is on their broadband account the email is controlled by your parents and VM need to confirm the account holder ais happy for any changes to their broadband account. . That's a legal requirement of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). It's not VM being awkward.

The VM team will explain all that to you. In past cases that were similar to yours the Team have suggested that the account holder (your mum or dad) joins the forum. The Team can then take them through the security process which will then allow the Team to make the changes to allow you to regain access to the account.

Coenoby

[John_GS]

Hi @jackbarnetto 

Thanks for posting and welcome to the community. Thanks to everyone that replied here.

I'll send you a PM to discuss further.