ALSO (March 25, 2016): I’ve been locked out of my Google account! What can I do? How can I prevent this in the future? HELP!
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With the help of the Google Accounts team (thanks!), whom I reached through my informal channels at Google, a desperate user who contacted me — locked out of her G account since before the Labor Day weekend — including all of her associated personal and business data — has now been restored to full access.
This is by no means the first time that I’ve been involved in such a situation. In fact I’ve proceeded this way on multiple occasions when Google users reach out to me in desperation, after failing with all of the “normal” Google account recovery methods — through no fault of their own.
I am glad to help when I can, but as I emphasize to them, I do not currently have any official connection with Google, and I cannot guarantee any particular results.
Even more to the point, I shouldn’t be needed to do this at all!
Google Account recovery procedures and appeal flows should be designed to deal with these situations correctly in the first place.
It’s wrong that users feel it necessary to come to me with these kinds of Google problems, having gotten my name from their friends, web pages, or stories they heard about on radio.
By the time that they reach me, they’re upset beyond measure, and feel that Google has abandoned them.
Google can do a whole lot better!
Again, thanks very much to the Accounts Team and everyone else at G who helped to get this user back online with her Google account.
–Lauren–