Lost all inbox e-mails on iPhone and webmail server

[David184]

As of Friday 22/09/2023 at 14:30  All e-mails received in the inbox had disappeared from iPhone.

I checked all other folders, checked the webmail portal and the inbox emails were not there either. All other folders check also

Am receiving e-mails normally after 14:30

Checked to see if there were any forwarding rules...none found.

Finally,

1. No inbox emails before 14:30 displayed on phone or webmail
2. Sent mails only show on the webpage but not on the iPhone.

Has there been a recent TALK TALK update that has compromised the Tiscali server?

[Gondola]

You'd confirmed that both email accounts had not yet been migrated to the new mail platform so we can rule out any TalkTalk issue in loss of mail messages whilst migrating. I'm sure TalkTalk would have a backup to cover loss of messages during migration but otherwise TalkTalk do not offer any backup service and it's up to the user to make their own backup of wanted messages.

The mailboxes appear to be functioning normally after the password change. So the diagnosis is that someone set up a new connection to the mailbox, probably a POP3 mail collection service or account, and downloaded the Inbox full of messages. Those messages were then auto-deleted from the Inbox because that is the default POP3 account command.

If the service or device carrying out the POP3 collection was, and still is, under your control then the messages would be in the Inbox of the service or email account on the device.  If the email password had been discovered and used by someone unknown to you to download your mail messages then if you haven't made a backup your only recourse is to ask the originators if they still have a copy of messages previously sent to you.

The password change would have locked out any further nefarious activity.

[David184]

Do you have any further suggestions as to how I can recover my e-mails that were lost from my Tiscali account?

[David184]

Thank you for the advice so far

1. Signed in to Tiscali e-mail with a new password
2. new email composed and shows correctly in sent and in inbox
3. Tiscali Mailbox does not look it has been upgraded from the new mail platform (looks similar to primary)
4. Spam and Trash folders checked ...no problems
5. Checked Rules settings as requested...... No Rules Set for Tiscali.

Still currently receiving emails OK and sending doesn't seem to be an issue.... Just lost inbox e-mails as per the original post

[Gondola]

I've moderated your post to remove the screenshot and that's now in your Hidden image folder for your security. I've also added a note about the screenshot and the mailboxes it relates to.

You were signed in to the primary mailbox and that is clearly on the outgoing mail platform and not yet upgraded.

Good to know you've upgraded the password and I hope that is for the tiscali email account that is the one added as a secondary account.

So what I'd like you to test is as follows:

Sign out of the primary email account and then sign in to the tiscali email account using the new password.

Select here:  Sign in to TalkTalk Mail

Enter your full TalkTalk Mail tiscali.co.uk email address, select Continue and enter the password, select Sign in.

Now compose a new email and self send that mailbox the new message. Check that the message goes into the Sent or Sent objects folder and arrives in and stays in the Inbox. There was previously one unread message in the Inbox so at the very least there should be two messages unless you deleted the first. 

Is the tiscali mailbox upgraded to the new mail platform? The design style would then be different to your existing unmigrated primary mailbox.

Check the  Inbox first and then check  Spam and  Trash folders for mail messages that may have been diverted from the Inbox. Bear in mind the spam and trash folders normally contain mail not older than 30 days.

Mail not reaching the Inbox could mean there's a Filter rule, including an Auto forward which is a special filter rule, that's diverting, discarding or blocking mail.

• Select the Main settings menu cog icon      top right on the blue header
  (Unmigrated mailboxes - use a triple line icon and if using a Mobile browser - use the desktop version)
• Select All settings... or Settings from the top of the menu
• Select Mail and scroll down to Rules
  (Unmigrated mailboxes the Filter Rules are on a sub heading)
  If there's no rule defined, that's perfect
• To delete a Filter rule including any Auto forward
  select the Dustbin icon    to the right of the rule
  The icon background will turn red    
• To confirm you really want to delete this Filter rule
  Select the blue Delete button

[David184]

Have completed your advice as follows

1. Lost emails not in trash
2. Reset details only have a mobile number for loss of password only. Dropdown list does not allow this to be cancelled.
3. Noted your comment on IMAP (iPhone configured to IMAP)
4. Did not identify any mail collection service in the settings.
5. Password updated
6. Screenshot attached

Please note The e-mails were lost from my tiscali.co.uk account

screenshot image obscured for customer security

Moderator note:  The screenshot showed an email mailbox on the outgoing mail platform that has the tiscali mailbox added as a secondary account.

The primary mailbox has 151 unread message in the Inbox.
The secondary tiscali mailbox has 1 unread message in the Inbox 

[Gondola]

Hi David184 

Select here:  Sign in to TalkTalk Mail

Enter your full TalkTalk Mail email address, select Continue and enter the password, select Sign in.

Check the Trash folder to see if any mail messages are there.  Also whilst there check via the User avatar (top right) [or main triple line menu (top right on the former webmail)] that you do have Reset details set up for password recovery.

The fact that Sent messages are in the Sent folder online suggests that your iPhone has been set up as an IMAP email account and is, or was, synchronising mail messages between the 'phone and the online mailbox. A mail collection service may have been set up to download and delete mail messages from the Inbox and that would synchronise to the iPhone Inbox and result in no messages seen either in webmail online or on the iPhone.  If that's not you collecting mail then as a precaution I would upgrade your password. 

Select New email, if on the new mail platform, or Compose if on the former mail platform and send the same mailbox a message to check that the message does get sent, does get copied to the Sent folder and then does arrive in and stay in the Inbox. Check that it's still in the Inbox because a POP3 mail collection service like Gmail will download and delete from the Inbox.

Take a screenshot of the webmail screen so I can see what version you're on. Redact all personally identifiable information and upload here using the picture icon above this reply area. I'll take a look and advise further.