Email accounts

[new]

Originally Posted by HarryT

The only time Gmail contact you (in my experience) is if you try to log in from an IP address which is wildly different from where their records show you normally access the system from, and that's an exceptionally good security measure, IMHO. Eg, when I visited the US recently, and tried to collect email from my gmail account from my iPhone, Gmail blocked access and sent me a text message warning me of a possible hacking attempt. I simply had to go to the URL in the text message and manually log on to confirm that this was a legitimate access attempt, and subsequently I accessed from many different places in the US without problems.

I'm thankful for these security measures, personally.

Yes I think that is what triggered my Yahoo email to be frozen, no way to correct it though from Ipod Touch, just wouldn't connect. When I tried from the computer I had to give info I no longer have (closed email, forgotten question/answer) so bye bye Yahoo email account.

[Ripplinger]

Originally Posted by kennyc

Write them down. Make a file on your computer with the domain/email address/questions-answers

Even though I use LastPass and it's been foolproof for me, like kennyc I also add any new sign-up information to a text file that I keep on my hard drives and is encrypted. In addition to the passwords, I also include which email I used to sign up and any security questions tied to the account. That file is also backed up nightly to other drives. I use AxCrypt for encryption, a small free utility that works well.

Edit just to clarify a point that I think some are missing: You need to be proactive and take responsibility for keeping your accounts and your information safe. If you use passwords like 123456 or common single words, expect to lose your free and even your paid email accounts sooner or later. No matter how secure a website is, it cannot protect you against easy-to-hack passwords. If your email address changes, it's up to you to log in and update your information with the new email at all your accounts affected. Your accounts will be as safe and as permanent as you make them, free emails included. I've still got free hotmail and yahoo accounts from over 15 years ago that are still active and safe.

[tompe]

Originally Posted by desertblues

Well, this security measure bothers me tremendously while travelling. I was in New Delhi this week and then the excact thing happened to me. Being with sketchy wifi, as one often is while travelling in foreign parts, it is difficult to even access the url Google send me and clarify things. I had the same experience in Uzbekistan, Central Asia earlier this year.
Does Google wants me to send them my travelplans in advance or what?

But if you cannot access the URL how can you access your gmail?

[desertblues]

Originally Posted by tompe

But if you cannot access the URL how can you access your gmail?

............When having sketchy wifi, the gmail connection is a bit faster than the url they send you per gmail. Of course I tried this and it doesn't work well so I am not happy with that concept of " we have prevented a false login....etc etc". It just doesn't do the job and I am very unhappy with it, being gmail the (till now)reliable and inexpensive connection with home, while being in distant places.

[jgaiser]

Originally Posted by new

Yahoo does the alternate contact (which no longer exists in my case) and your silly question.

Google does mobile phone, and I don't want that either.

So how would you like to have either Yahoo or Google to make sure you are who say you are before they give you access to the email? There aren't many options available. Either there is another way to contact you (secondary email or mobile text) or a secret message. Do you really want every tom, dick and harry to have access to your account?

[DiapDealer]

Originally Posted by new

Don't remember the stupid answer to a question either. Who does?

Uh... most everybody, I think (if you're talking about the pre-arranged security questions). You usually get to choose the questions AND the answers when you set it up. How many correct answers can there be (for you) to: "What city were you born in?"; "What was the name of your favorite pet?"; "What street did you grow up on?"; "What was the name of your elementary school?"

It's not like they hit you with random math word-problems or anything. Unless you randomly smacked your fists on the keyboard when you initially set up your security questions/answers, the questions shouldn't really stump you... even years later.

[artig]

FastMail (www.fastmail.fm) has been providing email services for at least 10 years. I can't guarantee that they will exist forever, but I'm happy with their service and features, and gladly pay for that instead of using one of the free providers. With the enhanced account there's 15GB of email storage and 5GB of file storage. It was for a time owned by Opera (the browser people) but has now been bought back by the FastMail staff. It's based in Australia.

[crich70]

Originally Posted by new

This is the 2nd time in less than 2 weeks an email account has locked me out. Yahoo. It will send me a link in an old email Eudora account I no longer have or remember a silly question that I don't remember the answer too. So I am SOL?

I tried to set up a new account and they require a mobile number. I don't want to use one. Google is starting that too.

Who do you all use and are you happy with it and is it secure in your view?

I know this isn't ebook related but we have to have email accounts to do anything, buy books, etc...

Thanks.

What I did is to buy a small hardcover notebook (in my case with Mickey Mouse on the cover) from my local Wal-Mart and I write down the information I need to remember such as user name, password and security questions (and their answers). That way I don't have to worry if I forget the password etc. to a particular site.

[crich70]

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

Uh... most everybody, I think (if you're talking about the pre-arranged security questions). You usually get to choose the questions AND the answers when you set it up. How many correct answers can there be (for you) to: "What city were you born in?"; "What was the name of your favorite pet?"; "What street did you grow up on?"; "What was the name of your elementary school?"

It's not like they hit you with random math word-problems or anything. Unless you randomly smacked your fists on the keyboard when you initially set up your security questions/answers, the questions shouldn't really stump you... even years later.

Yes DiapDealer, but it isn't always wise to put the actual information in as an answer. I mean if someone wanted to break into your MR account for example and there was a security question about where you were born and they had that information already (and it is out there somewhere) they are practically already through the door (so to speak). So it's better to use answers that don't match the real answers to such questions as a bit of added security.

[tompe]

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

Uh... most everybody, I think (if you're talking about the pre-arranged security questions). You usually get to choose the questions AND the answers when you set it up. How many correct answers can there be (for you) to: "What city were you born in?"; "What was the name of your favorite pet?"; "What street did you grow up on?"; "What was the name of your elementary school?"

I have problem with all these questions. Was born in a hospital in another city so unsure about the answer. Have never had a pet. Grow up in two locations. Do not remember the exact spelling of the elementary schools name...

Also the proposed security questions are often very US centric.

[DiapDealer]

Originally Posted by tompe

I have problem with all these questions. Was born in a hospital in another city so unsure about the answer. Have never had a pet. Grow up in two locations. Do not remember the exact spelling of the elementary schools name...

Also the proposed security questions are often very US centric.

You're being purposely difficult. "Born in a hospital in another city" has absolutely no bearing on the question. The city the hospital was in is the answer. As to the rest of your complaints, those are things you have to deal with when creating the security questions. As you only need to set up one or two questions, I still contend it can't be that taxing to come up with a few whose answers won't stump you utterly later on.

As to the suggestion (@crich70) to use false information, I find that a bit pointless for these types of security questions. If a hacker already knows that sort of personal information about me before they try to gain access to my online accounts, I'm just plain screwed no matter what. And I've certainly got more to worry about than my email account being compromised.

Pick questions/answers you can't forget, or write them down somewhere. It's not rocket science.

[derangedhermit]

Originally Posted by tompe

Also the proposed security questions are often very US centric.

What fun we can have with this thought!

Probably something for the Lounge, though.

[kennyc]

"Please submit a DNA sample to access your email"

[Blossom]

Originally Posted by kennyc

"Please submit a DNA sample to access your email"

or your fingerprint and a eye scan! I take eye tracking surveys with my web cam so I bet it could be done.

[Bilbo1967]

Originally Posted by tompe

Also the proposed security questions are often very US centric.

I can't say I've noticed that. Do you have an example?