> It is virtually impossible to login to an old Google account for which you never set a recovery phone number
Define impossible? If you've forgotten the old password obviously you can't get in. I don't see why it would otherwise be impossible.
Define impossible? If you've forgotten the old password obviously you can't get in. I don't see why it would otherwise be impossible.
Although I can see why this would be impossible if you have a phone number set that you no longer own. I'm not sure what exactly Google would ask for if you never had a phone number set.
I do however get notifications on my phone asking if the login was me.
Unbelievably, this even includes rejecting credentials for a non-GMail Google account, even after the user has clicked a link to confirm ownership of the email account the account is associated with.
Ask me how I know!
Have used each every few months.
Each specifies the other as the recovery or backup account.
Neither has 2FA set up because I did not want to tie my cell phone to the identity.
I am now locked out of both accounts because…each sends a second factor code to the other.
It isn't a huge loss to me…though recruiters trying to recruit the related but obviously fake LinkedIn profile may be saddened to never get a reply.
I totally understand why Google, Yahoo, and others are purging inactive accounts. Between GDPR and widespread account takeovers it's an expensive nuisance (and if the account is "inactive" then it's not generating meager advertising revenue to pay for the nuisance).