ASK HN: I Can’t Log in to My Yahoo Email Address with the Correct Email and Password<p>I’ve found myself in a catch-22 situation. I lost my phone, along with the SIM card.<p>Now, when I try to log in to Yahoo using the correct email address and password, it asks me to verify my identity through the phone device I’ve lost or an old email address that I’m also locked out of.<p>I went to the Yahoo website, but for premium paid support, I need to log in to my account—which, of course, I can’t do.<p>I tried calling Yahoo’s preiumum support number for paid support, but it says it doesn’t recognize the phone number I’m calling from and then disconnects.<p>I contacted my phone company to get a replacement SIM shipped to me, but they want to send a verification code to my Yahoo email—the one I’m locked out of.<p>I tried updating my email address on my phone account, but it also wants to send a verification code to the Yahoo account I can’t access.<p>To make matters worse, I have so so so many developer and online accounts tied to this email address, and Yahoo isn’t giving me any options to contact them directly.<p>Does anyone have any ideas or suggestions?<p>---
For future reference, tying access solely to one mobile number is an inherently bad idea --- because as you discovered, these devices are easily lost or broken. It is a single point of failure.<p>I recommend using at least two numbers when possible --- your own number and the number for your wife, mother, friend or even an old phone that never leaves home.<p>I keep an old phone at home with an ultra cheap ($3/month) Ultra Mobile PayGo SIM just for situations like yours. If I lose/kill my main phone, I'm not locked out of my accounts.<p>For life in general, I have found that a backup plan is a good idea.<p><a href="https://www.ultramobile.com/paygo/" rel="nofollow">https://www.ultramobile.com/paygo/</a>
Are you in the U.S.? What phone company are you using?<p>For all we, Yahoo, and the phone company knows, you could be someone trying to takeover someone else's account.<p>I hope you're able to recover <i>your</i> account; it seems like your best bet will be through the Phone company, which ever it is.<p>For everyone else, make sure you don't have a circular setup like OP has.
To Yahoo you're an anonymous person. But your phone company should have other data to verify you. Bank account, sending you a letter. Didn't they ask to you for a passport (depends on country)?