BLOCKED from logging into MY ACCOUNT

[Billx]

Today in the morning, I was BLOCKED from logging into MY ACCOUNT.

I phoned TalkTalk, and after long delays I was able to talk to an agent. TalkTalk says there is something wrong with their systems and there are security problems. To cure this I was told that I should not use any TalkTalk domain email addresses, but use non-TalkTalk domain email addresses, to login into MY ACCOUNT. That seemed incomprehensible to me. Suggested non-TalkTalk domain email addresses, were Gmail, Yahoo, and Hotmail. I spent some time with her, the agent, but to no avail. What the hell, I thought. All day I have been trying to login to MY ACCOUNT with no success. To see that something was working OK at TalkTalk I used the link Forgotten email address link, and the result was that I am not registered at TalkTalk. Isn't anything working at TalkTalk?

As far as I am concerned, I'm not that interested in Gmail, Yahoo, and Hotmail.

To my way of thinking, my email address belongs with my Internet Service provider.

So can someone at TalkTalk fix this or not?

Oh, my web email is perfect.

[ferguson]

Hey @Billx I hate to say this, but you seem to be missing the point. All and any TalkTalk email addresses, including legacy ones such as Tiscali, will not allow you to register on My Account. Use a reputable third-party service as advised.

[Billx]

Can you actually feel that, @Gliwmaeden2 ?

I can't actually get that message, through the ether. I need a direct message through email or letter, with some explanations.

So a server can like or dislike things?

I suggest that TalkTalk revise the software which are in the server.

And also, I suggest to others, don't be in a hurry to get into the metaverse.

Bill

[Gliwmaeden2]

It doesn't like you using the Tiscali address, @Billx!

[Billx]

To @Arne-TalkTalk and to others that can pick this up.

I just attempted a reregistration to MY ACCOUNT. Everything was going OK until the very last click.

I attach a screenshot just before the click:

And another screenshot after the click:

Pay attention. There is no requirement to use a Gmail or Yahoo email account.

It's obvious there's a technical fault with the server, attempting to collect some information.

The server even apologizes.

So are you going to fix your servers or not?

Bill

[Arne-TalkTalk]

There are Gmail servers in the UK, you can use ANY alternative email domains.  Just to be 100% clear we have no affiliation with Google, I (personally)  recommend it as its so simple to sign up, you can choose any other. 

[Billx]

To @Arne-TalkTalk 

Why would I need an email address in the the USA?

Aren't there any ISPs in the UK?

Besides, there various GDPR limitations regarding organizations playing fast and loose with customer's data.

Bill

[Billx]

To, @Arne-TalkTalk 

I didn't mean I would go to California. The information would, and it would come all the way back, instead of coming directly to my email address.

[Arne-TalkTalk]

That doesn't make any sense, why would you need to go to California? , we will send an email to the Gmail account when you are registered,  then if you put the forwarding option will end up in your TalkTalk email address. 

[Billx]

To @Arne-TalkTalk

So, any communication arising from TalkTalk and directed to me, will first have to be directed to somewhere in California, and I'll have to first go to California, bring that information back to the UK, and then get that information from TalkTalk? Sounds mysterious, doesn't it?

Bill

[Arne-TalkTalk]

TO @Arne-TalkTalk

Another similar idea. Can I register for MY ACCOUNT with a normal Username rather than an email address?

Bill

Sorry that's not possible 

To @Arne-TalkTalk 

No, I meant forwarding from TalkTalk MY ACCOUNT to a TalkTalk email address?

Bill

Same answer im afraid, not possible. 

[Billx]

To @Arne-TalkTalk 

No, I meant forwarding from TalkTalk MY ACCOUNT to a TalkTalk email address?

Bill

[Billx]

TO @Arne-TalkTalk

Another similar idea. Can I register for MY ACCOUNT with a normal Username rather than an email address?

Bill

[Arne-TalkTalk]

Its possible. A forwarding that will need to be activated in the Gmail account instructions are here:

Turn on automatic forwarding

• On your computer, open Gmail using the account you want to forward messages from ...
• In the top right, click Settings .
• Click Settings.
• Click the Forwarding and POP/IMAP tab.
• In the "Forwarding" section, click Add a forwarding address.
• Enter the email address you want to forward messages to.
• Click Next Proceed OK.
• A verification message will be sent to that address. Click the verification link in that message.

[Billx]

To @Arne-TalkTalk

I have an idea. If I register for MY ACCOUNT with a gmail address, will MY ACCOUNT be able to forward all TalkTalk communications to my TalkTalk email address?

Bill

[Billx]

To @Arne-TalkTalk 

,

Yes, thanks for the account number.

But you you are not responding to the big issues.

Bill

[Billx]

@Gliwmaeden2 ,

Oh, yes. I already have more than 1 email address, both at TalkTalk, and my wife has a 3rd email address at TalkTalk. How many addresses does one need? Why do I need a 4th email address at Google , etc? That sounds very scary, for the whole world to be on Google, or Yahoo.

Bill

[Arne-TalkTalk]

I will send you your account number in a PM 

[Billx]

Thanks very much @Gliwmaeden2.

I understand everything you are saying.

You say, 'Given that there are millions of TalkTalk customers, it must take time for them to reach everybody with the need for this change'. Correct.

But, when this problem arose, I think it is 7 years ago, TalkTalk should have spread the correction over a number of months, e.g. 6 months, not over 7 years. So that excuse does not apply. And it should have revised its software on its own servers, not advise their own customers to open email accounts on 3rd party servers, just in order to authenticate on TalkTalk's own servers.

 As far as I am concerned, I found out about this problem, only 4 days ago, when I was BLOCKED, and not formally advised by email or letter.

I had a look at https://community.talktalk.co.uk/t5/Articles/Registering-for-My-Account/ta-p/2204774. 

I think that assumes the normal way of doing things, i.e. registering with a TalkTalk email server.

Also it requires an account no at TalkTalk. I haven't got a clue what my account number is. The only way I had of seeing my account number was by logging into MY ACCOUNT. So obviously TalkTalk need to reregister me, themselves.

I forget what else I wanted to say, but that's enough for now.

Bill

[Gliwmaeden2]

The CURRENT information for registration is here, @Billx:

https://community.talktalk.co.uk/t5/Articles/Registering-for-My-Account/ta-p/2204774

C. 16 years ago I started my Talktalk service and must have created a password with what happened (luckily for me) to be a Yahoo email address for logging in.

You must have set your password up initially, alongside what was considered to be an acceptable email address. 

Given that there are millions of Talktalk customers, it must take time for them to reach everybody with the need for this change. Agreed that it's abominable that access simply stops!

There was never a clear policy statement issued to us. No doubt they could never have kept up with the sheer numbers of people needing to change their associated email address for billing, if everyone had changed to hotmail  / gmail / yahoo etc all at once  - My Account doesn't exactly cover itself with glory as things stand.

However, it looks like the only way forward is for you to register for My Account using one of the above.

It can be very useful to have one of these alternative addresses anyway as they continue to work from any computer / device anywhere in the world. If you are on holiday, you might sometimes find that you are unable to SEND emails using your Talktalk associated address, because the location may be associated with cases of multiple scam emails / SPAM. Usually you'd be OK RECEIVING emails. But it's worth having one of these addresses as a fallback anyway. 

[Billx]

To the TalkTalk team.

What you keep repeating is that what I need to do, is to register for MY ACCOUNT with a non-TalkTalk domain email account.

Initially, when I joined TalkTalk I don't think that I had to do any registering, it was registered by TalkTalk, because they knew which TalkTalk server to put it in. It seems they need to do the reregistering themselves. They must have the registration information somewhere.

Bill