Forum Discussion

MarkALawlor's avatar
MarkALawlor
Tuning in
2 years ago
Solved

Your Virgin Media Mail account is currently unavailable

For more than four years when I try and log onto emails I see the following

This is either because your Virgin Media Mail account is locked, or because you don’t have an active account with us anymore.

If you have an existing Virgin Media Mail account with us, please follow the steps below, as your account may have been locked as a security precaution.

 

Follow these steps unlock your Virgin Media Mail account

 

Step 1.
Go to My Virgin Media : to create a new password for your My Virgin Media account. We need you to create a new password for this account as there may have been a security breach.

  • Select Sign In
  • Select Forgotten your email or password? under the password box
  • Follow the instructions to change your password

 

Step 2.
Next, we need you to generate a new password to be used specifically for signing in to third-party mailbox apps (like Outlook or Gmail) to access your Virgin Media Mail emails. Even if you don’t use these apps to access your emails now, we still need you to reset the password anyway to fully secure your account.

  1. Sign In to My Virgin Media
    a. Go to Account settings, then Account details
    b. Tap Manage next to Manage your Virgin Media Mail app password under Virgin Media Mail
    c. Then, under Virgin Media Mail app password tap Get password
  2. Continue the flow and a new secure password will be generated for you
  3. Update any third-party apps that you use to access your Virgin Media Mail emails with this new app password

 

Please note that as this password is separate from your sign in details for My Virgin Media (or any Virgin Media apps) this won’t affect your My Virgin Media password. So, if you check your Virgin Media Mail emails through My Virgin Media or at mail.virginmedia.com, you'll still only need your My Virgin Media password.

 

Step 3.
Once your password's reset, make sure your emails are not being forwarded without your knowledge.

  • Go to mail.virginmedia.com
  • Sign in with your username and password
  • Click on Menu (top right) and then, Settings
  • Expand the Email option
  • Select Auto Forward

 

This will show any email addresses set to receive forwarded emails from your Virgin Media mailbox. If it shows one you don’t recognise, select and delete the forwarding rule.

 

Virgin Media takes your security very seriously. That’s why we always want our customers to know what’s happening as soon as an issue is detected. It’s our policy to proactively advise customers of external security threats which may affect them in the ever-changing digital world.

The option in step 2 does not exist.

I am sick to death in resetting the password and this is not helping

I have tried online chat and that is a waist of time and is always busy

I only want to access emails online so I can settup outlook

  • John_GS's avatar
    John_GS
    2 years ago

    Hi MarkALawlor 

    Thanks for posting and welcome to the community.

    Sorry to hear of the email issue.

    I'm going to send you a PM now to assist further with this.

    Best wishes.

  • jpeg1's avatar
    jpeg1
    Alessandro Volta
    2 years ago

    Do you mean that you've not used it at all for four years? If so it's probably been closed by VM. 

  • SAFCDoog's avatar
    SAFCDoog
    On our wavelength
    2 years ago

    This post has been a lot more use to me than dealing with VM via WhatsApp for the last six days!
    Out of the blue I got the same message and unable to access my emails via either my phone or laptop. Their original 'work around' was to set up a new email address as ntlworld was being made redundant!  I declined as that would have given me major headaches getting my old address replaced on all my accounts!  Eventually they unlocked my laptop, but this involved going through a third party email address.  However, not my phone access. Then when I got access via my phone I couldn't get access via my laptop.  Then when I logged out I couldn't log back in due to a password failure!
    Today, after four and a quarter hours on WhatsApp I have access on both devices.  But on my phone I now have to go onto internet, open My Virgin Account then click on the email option!  Before I just hit the Mail button, then click on the Virgin address!
    At no time have they divulged what the alleged security breach was.   As the original message (above) had disappeared I lost the Step 3 action to take.   On two separate occasions I have requested a link to the steps I need to take - no response!  So much for ensuring the alleged security breach isn't still active!
    To cap it all, Virgin decided to prove how incompetent they are by 36 hours after locking my account sending an email to me telling me my account was frozen and what action to take - only yes, you've guessed it. They sent it to the email address they had locked me out of!

    Every time I have attempted to contact VM through WhatsApp, I have had to go through a right beaurocratic nightmare.   They ask numerous questions where you have to repeat what your problem is. Also, their protocols are not consistent.  Some multiple choice questions require you to give the number and wording in full. But others require only the words!  Frustrating!  Also, probably due to the fact that they are receiving so many complaints from users, you can expect to wait a long time.
    After going through their hoops I received a message to say they'd be with me asap. This was at 6:44 pm. The next day at 07:56 I received a message to say give me 5-8 minutes, I'll be right back ... At 12:06 I sent a message wanting to know what was going on!  I then got the 'do you still require help' message!  After that, every time I received the 5-8 minutes message I responded, which seemed to prompt the agent to engage with me!   Not a happy bunny!

  • cathie's avatar
    cathie
    On our wavelength
    2 years ago

    I have the same problem as above this morning. I have tried to follow instructions but there seems to be a step missing. I am now in such a mess I could cry. Could anyone help me please?

    • Kath_P's avatar
      Kath_P
      Forum Team
      2 years ago

      Hi cathie, 

      Thanks for taking the time to contact us via the Community. It's lovely having you on board with us in the Forums. ⭐

      We're sorry to hear you're having issue with accessing your email account. So we can help, can you please expand further on the issues you are having? We'd need to know the following: 

      • ➡ Are you able to sign in to the account via webmail, through your My VM account?
      • ➡ Are you accessing the mail through a mail client or app?
      • ➡ What error message are you seeing?
      • ➡ Have you followed the steps to resetting your password, updating to a third party email address and generating an app password?

      Pop back and let us know so we can help you further. 

      Thanks, 

      • cathie's avatar
        cathie
        On our wavelength
        2 years ago

        Any chance you could get back to me please? I've tried other routes for help, I feel this is my best hope!

  • cathie's avatar
    cathie
    On our wavelength
    2 years ago

    1. No that error message is the one I get when trying to sign in to webmail

    2. Normally I access mail on iphone, ipad and iMac through Mail. I have not tried on a PC.

    3. The error message is the one I posted.

    4. I have tried to follow the steps - I have changed my email address to my apple webmail one but I was not able to generate an app password and now all I can do is arrive at the page with the message that my email account is locked

    • Kath_P's avatar
      Kath_P
      Forum Team
      2 years ago

      Hi Cathie, 

      Thanks for coming back to me on this one. Apologies for the delay, it's worth noting that we're not an instant messaging team so it can take us a few hours, sometimes days to reach your replies so please try and avoid double posting as this can make the wait time longer. 

      We'll need to check this in a bit more detail for you but in order to do that I will need to confirm some information with you to pass security. 

      I have sent you a direct message to allow us to do this with you in a private space. If you are using a PC/Laptop then you can just click on the little ✉ at the top right-hand side of the page to access your inbox. If you are on a mobile/tablet device then instead click on the little circle icon in the top right then select 'Messages'. 😊

      Thanks, 

      • cathie's avatar
        cathie
        On our wavelength
        2 years ago

        Thank you so much. Just looking now.

  • JanHaines's avatar
    JanHaines
    Joining in
    2 years ago

    I am having the exact same problem:

    Your Virgin Media Mail account is currently unavailable

    This is either because your Virgin Media Mail account is locked, or because you don’t have an active account with us anymore.

    I have changed my password, set up a Gmail account, spent ages on the phone with no solution and am now in a queue for a WhatsApp exchange. If you were able to help Cathie above, then please can you PM me to help? Like Cathie, I feel like crying!!!!!!!

    Yours hopefully, Jan

     

    • Kath_P's avatar
      Kath_P
      Forum Team
      2 years ago

      Hi JanHaines, 

      Thanks for taking the time to contact us via the Community. It's lovely having you on board with us in the Forums. ⭐

      We're sorry to hear you are also having some issues with this error. This is something we can certainly check for you but in order to do that I will need to confirm some information with you to pass security. 

      I have sent you a direct message to allow us to do this with you in a private space. If you are using a PC/Laptop then you can just click on the little ✉ at the top right-hand side of the page to access your inbox. If you are on a mobile/tablet device then instead click on the little circle icon in the top right then select 'Messages'. 😊

      Thanks, 

    • Jodi_S's avatar
      Jodi_S
      Forum Team
      2 years ago

      Hi jonh79_4,

      A warm welcome and thanks for posting on our community forums. We're sorry to hear that you're unable to access your emails currently. 

      So we can assist you further with this issue

      We'd need to know the following: 

      • ➡ Are you able to sign in to the account via webmail, through your My VM account?
      • ➡ Are you accessing the mail through a mail client or app?
      • ➡ What error message are you seeing?
      • ➡ Have you followed the steps to resetting your password, updating to a third party email address and generating an app password?

      Please try the above first and pop back here if further assistance is required. 

      Kind regards, Jodi. 

  • ielhariry's avatar
    ielhariry
    Tuning in
    2 years ago

    I have spent the past 5 hours trying to access my virgin email on webmail, outlook, phone, but no success at all. I got the same messages as above, and I am very reluctant to change password. 

    I have this email address for over 20 years, and so it is grave that I can access this email

     

    • jpeg1's avatar
      jpeg1
      Alessandro Volta
      2 years ago

      If you have tried all the advice in the thread above without success, the first question must be is this email linked to a current Virginmedia broadband account? 

      • ielhariry's avatar
        ielhariry
        Tuning in
        2 years ago

        it is and I have provided all the details to the agent over the phone. they are unable to help.

    • ielhariry's avatar
      ielhariry
      Tuning in
      2 years ago

      I spent the past hour almost with online customer services. totally clueless. I am basically stuck and it seems the email system is gone completely.

      Truely Virgin media has the worst/incompetent customer service ever. 

      people should think seriously twice before they sign to virgin media. My broadband is another fiasco.

      • ielhariry's avatar
        ielhariry
        Tuning in
        2 years ago

        another 30 min with customer support. ZERO help. all what I got; I would wait for up to 5 days to get this technical issue sorted

        with over 30 accounts linked to this particular email address, I am basically lost. 

        VIrgin Media. this is it. Broad band account will be closed  and never ever again to this suboptimal provider. it sucks

  • jpeg1's avatar
    jpeg1
    Alessandro Volta
    2 years ago

    If this email is linked to your broadband, it should not have been lost. Have you used the procedure carefully detailed above? It's a nuisance, yes, but it has worked for others. 

  • ielhariry's avatar
    ielhariry
    Tuning in
    2 years ago

    Day 3 and Virgin.net email is not working. The process to transfer all my linked account is long and time consuming, but lesson is learnt.

    To this moment I haven't heard from the support team on possible solutions.

    the advice to do all the password reset as suggested above is not convincing at all!

    • Matthew_ML's avatar
      Matthew_ML
      Forum Team
      2 years ago

      Hey ielhariry, thank you for reaching out and a warm welcome to the community I am sorry to hear you are having some trouble with your emails.

      I understand this is frustrating and I am sorry for any trouble caused if an IT ticket has been raised this means we've done everything we can for you and it needs to get looked into by the support team.

      This can take up to 5 working days a sometimes a little longer.