What's my Yahoo account password?

Dear Dave, I wrote to Yahoo previously asking about my mail I believe had been hacked because my password is suddenly rejected. I am so disappointed no help has been given. What can I do to ask for a new password and retrieve my mail when I can't remember the zip code I entered previously?

It is such a disgrace if Yahoo! does not provide alternatives to handle such cases.
In my country, unlike the US, zip code aint popular at all. We don't use such data often. I was about to register full service by credit card, for Yahoo! with no ads, but now I am so disturbed and highly disappointed!

Pleeeeeeeeeeease HELP?

Dave's Answer:

These are always interesting requests for help to receive, actually. On the one hand, it's true that prompting for a zipcode as a key to retrieve a password is very ethnocentric since most other countries in the world have either something only vaguely similar (postal codes, but they can contain letters and numbers) or have nothing that serves a similar purpose.

On the other hand, Yahoo! lets you chose from about 30 different countries, including China, Japan, Brazil, Germany, Greece, Thailand and Vietnam. Further, you can actually set any of about a dozen different reminder questions if you don't have a zip code, as shown here:

If you have an account, it's your responsibility to set it up so that you can recover and restore any settings or similar.

But there's a bigger issue here. The issue is how does Yahoo! know that you have legitimate claim to this account?

If you were someone who was trying to break into an account, a "hacker" as you suggest, then you wouldn't know the zipcode for the password reminder and you wouldn't know the password.

In fact, I don't like to help people recover their passwords when they don't know the answers to their recovery questions, the situation you describe here, because I also have no way of differentiating between someone in a frustrating and unfortunate situation and someone who is trying to game the system, trying to con me (or Yahoo!) into releasing access to a personal account.

So the final answer I'll offer is that if you really want to have a Yahoo Mail account, then make sure that you promptly modify your account settings so that you have a reminder question that you're 100% sure you'll remember.

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Categorized: Computer and Internet Basics (Article 4241, Written by Dave Taylor)
Tagged: password, phishing, scam, yahoo
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Reader Comments To Date: 871

Tom said, on November 17, 2005 9:30 PM:

I, unlike this person, know my zip code and all other information besides the answer to my recovery question. I requested a new password sent to my alternate email, but it does not come. As a test, I also requested the ID to be sent to me (which I obviously remember) at my alternate email. This came. So why wont the new pass come? I have written to yahoo but they are unhelpful. I have a computer that I am still logged on to yahoo on, but it requests for my password to actually do anything and I am helpless. What should I do?

JoAnna said, on January 19, 2006 6:59 PM:

Dave: Used yahoo email for many years, saved many important emails. One day went to my email and said id or password invalid. I did not change id's nor password. I believe it was hacked. Because I don't remember my answers to my personal profile they can't tell me what happened to my email. What can I do just to retrieve the info. stored there and my address list.? Thanks, JoAnna

Scott Paris said, on February 11, 2006 1:24 PM:

Dave...this is the worst advice i've ever seen. Listen, my yahoo account was hijacked, and the personal information was changed so i could NOT access the account password reset. After many many months, yahoo finally reset it for me. This involved me faxing proof of who i was, address, etc. Then 2 mos. later, it's hijacked again (with a new, more difficult password).

Your reflections on this subject are inadequate. Stick to what you know. :)

Dave Taylor said, on February 11, 2006 10:51 PM:

Kinda harsh words there, Scott. If you think there are dramatically better ways to protect yourself from hijacked accounts, perhaps you can share it with us all?

Rene van der Hoofd said, on February 25, 2006 11:48 PM:

I also had my Yahoo hacked. Someone actually added a line into a mail I sent, which means he/she was able to operate within the mail at the same time I was. Now, I've changed my password, logged out, logged in, changed it again, etc. But still fear nags. Some very personal mails there, potentially very hurtful for me and loved ones. Can I be at ease?

Shannon said, on February 27, 2006 12:29 PM:

I tried for a couple days to recover my account through the automated password recovery tool, but it would not accept my personal information. I finally found a number for Yahoo Customer Care - 408-349-1572 and called them. In about 10 minutes after verifying my user name, real name, date of birth, and zip code, they were able to issue me a new password directly on the phone. However, when I did log back in I had recieved a password change verification in my email from previously. I don't know how or why someone would want to hack a freemail account but it is a royal pain when you face losing your contact lists, and stored messages as well as an ID you have been using for 10+ years to send and recieve mail.

Uyen said, on March 1, 2006 2:34 AM:

Hello,
I'm really glad I found this site because I also have the same problem as some of you described here. I've been using my yahoo email for over 10 years. All of a sudden I cannot sign on. When I tried to reset my password, my secret info is not recognized! I'm just freaking out now because I stored important info in my account. This is a night mare!

Sam Martinez said, on March 28, 2006 4:43 PM:

I had a similar problem, when my colleague (who knew my password) changed my secret question / password.. I had my important data in it, and wandered about calling Yahoo just about everyday. They just wont listen....Then i went to this hackers site.. called HireHackers (cannot give you the link for obvious reasons) .. Dont know how they did it, but a few hrs later, they sent me a screenshot of my Inbox..I subsequently paid them their charges..and got my password back.. !! Ironical...I had to spend..$200..to get the password of my OWN FREE EMAIL ACCOUNT .. :-(

Eswar Balasubrahmanyan said, on March 28, 2006 10:47 PM:

Hi,
My name is Eswar.
I had set a very easily hackable password that involved my name.
my account id is eswarjj.
I received an email to my alternate id eswarjj@gmail.com that the password has been changed.
I am not able to log in.
I remember everthing but the zip code. I have matched all other information with yahoo!. But they say they need the ZIP to reset the password.
I have all important emails inside like those relating to my graduate studies and US visa interview stuff.
I actually reside in India. I don't remember the ZIP code because I needed the zip to only register for a .com account instead of a .co.in account.
It's urgent.Also, I don't want the account misused.
Please email me to the id i have provided. Please man I have nobody to help but you.

Thanks in advance.

nix said, on April 21, 2006 2:11 AM:

I find all the information very interesting ..... I also have a problem someone knows all my secret information that is required for the password recovery and evertime I change my password somone change it again and I don;t know what do to is there any way by which I can change my secret information like date of birth, birth place or anything please help

thanks nix

kamal said, on May 16, 2006 10:53 AM:

Hi. Few days ago I also had the same problem. somebody changed the password of my mail which I was using from last 8 years. I dont remember zip code and country which was entered, as the time I made the account there was no Yahoo India. Hence I put some other information which I cant remember. Is something can be done ? that account is very very important to me. Please advice.

Firemaker said, on May 20, 2006 6:40 AM:

Interesting read here, I also lost a free webmail account that I had for several years. after writing yahoo I eventualy got a real person that ask me to answer my secret question and would send me my password!
I rely was happy for a few days, and then after another week or so I was getting the automated reply again advising me that I would hear from someone within 48 hours I finally got a reply from another yahoo support person instead of the automated reply, but they did not know what I wanted assistance with. I quickly replied with the long email that they had replied to me with and pointed out the top line of the email that stated my request for my password to be reset along with pointing out all the pertinant info also contained in the email and enlarged the font on pertinant lines so that the person could read it since it already contained all the info.
then after a few days I was again being generously assisted by the automated reply advising me that I would soon hear from someone (maybe Terry Semel!)within 48 hours or never depending on the outcome of the party at David and Jerry's office.
after a month or so of corespondance I noticed that my account profile no longer comes up, only a page stateing that the account does not exist.
today I am thinking of sending another email to support. in doing so I stumbled upon this site and decided to leave my edifying tale with the rest.
maybe I'll skip the yahoo email thing today and go surfin instead :)

Senthil said, on May 25, 2006 4:23 AM:

Hi,
My name is Senthil.
I had set a very easily hackable password that involved my name.
my account id is mpsenthil_fl@yahoo.com.
I received an email to my alternate id mpsenthil@gmail.com that the password has been changed.
I am not able to log in.
I remember everthing but the zip code. I have matched all other information with yahoo!. But they say they need the ZIP to reset the password.
I have all important emails inside like those relating to my graduate studies and many Job related stuff.
I actually reside in India. I don't remember the ZIP code because I needed the zip to only register for a .com account instead of a .co.in account.
It's urgent.Also, I don't want the account misused.
Please email me to the id i have provided. Please man I have nobody to help but you.

Vyom said, on June 6, 2006 4:46 AM:

Hi Dave,

Thanks for this site and post.
I have been using yahoo since last 10 years and mostly for messanger and groups.

Today morning I made my first cardinal mistake... I gave my password to a site in GeoCities.
An old friend of mine messaged me with a website which sounded very very interesting as it was very unlike him....http://www.geocities.com/my_new_hott_pics/

Anyhow... the site asked me for yahoo password twice and redirected me to the MyPhotos site..
I thought it was odd but did not pay attention as it was busy.

Anyhow... I went for lunch and came back to find that my account password was changed. I tried to get back the password but I do not remeber when i had last updated thee address/zip (India/US, which city etc)

Anyhow... is there any way I can log an official complain to yahoo security. or am I fighting a losing battle ?

Nach said, on June 7, 2006 12:24 PM:

Hi,

Thanks for posting.

I'm using yahoo for last 6 years.

Yesterday night, I too made a mistake... I gave my password to a site in GeoCities.
An old friend of mine messaged me with a website(http://www.geocities.com/all_my_new_pics/) which pretty much looked like yahoo with yahoo logo on it. The URL also had yahoo on it, it could be dummy parameter also, i didn't closely look into it.

I created my yahoo account long time back, and i have never faced issues like forget password, etc., so i'm not sure what info. i gave while opening yahoo account.

Any help or directions would be greatly appreciated!!

Thanks,
-Nach.

jess said, on June 9, 2006 2:48 AM:

the address i have posted is not the one i need password for. I have moved a total (not estimate) of 7 times the last year, and have updated yahoo about twice... I can not remember the zipcode and an ex of my signifigant other had changed our password. the address is goth_stoner_skater666 there were a lot of personal address and such. we know the secret question and birthday on the account just not the zip can you help?

Jain said, on June 10, 2006 3:01 PM:

I did the same mistake of clicking on the fake yahoo URL. I have been emailing yahoo from the alternate email address but they are just not helping me unless I tell them the answer of the secret question. I even told them my previous passwords, previous email addresses, Y cant they email the password on the alternate email address or atleast close the account so that it cannot be misused. Please guide anyone

Sankar said, on June 21, 2006 3:01 AM:

I too face the same problem by clicking the fake link on Yahoo Messenger with my account sankarnk@yahoo.com

Even though I gave the correct information, I am not able to get the password for my mail Id.

Dave...Can you help me out ?

Thanks in advance

Matt said, on June 22, 2006 12:17 PM:

i too have had this problem with having my account phished. yahoo is of no help, and are now aiding identity theft criminals, yahoo’s security flaws have lead to the theft of almost 100% of my personal information including bank account numbers. Now they refuse to fix the problem. Who do you turn to for help when anarchy takes over?

ajay said, on July 3, 2006 9:49 AM:

hi i hav read these posts.. n my problem s similar to it..
i suddely got dis INVALID PASSWORD info whn i tried to loggin to my msgr.. then oly realised tat am too a victim of dis hacking..

i remember my zip code..
but don remember my secret questions's answer as i set it 7 yrs back..

but they told a NEW PASSWORD l be sent to my alternate email.. which is rediffmail.com

but i din receive any such..
i also trie to get yahoo id..( i remember it.. but jus tried if they reply).. n i got a mail givin my id is ajax_param..

but atleast 15 times i sent them request today stil no response..

s there any way i can get back my account.. i hav al my important contacts in it.. thou i use gmail mainly.. i cant change OPTIONS of my yahoo groups if i dono password..
so pls help me out..
wat else do i need to tel u tat am a genuine user of the account 'ajax_param'
but pls do help me out..

ajax.dude@gmail.com

Vikas said, on July 4, 2006 3:02 AM:

i lost my yahoo password and forgot secret answer.

Pratibha said, on July 4, 2006 12:27 PM:

Hi Dave,

I am posting this with very high hopes.

2 days back when i logged into my yahoo account, suddenly i found that i am unable to login in using my original password. I tried to recover it but no use. I remember my personal info but i dont remember the hint answer. Also, the alternate e-mail for my yahoo id was a rediff id which also had the same password and i am unable to login into that rediff id also now. BOTH MY IDS ARE INACCESSIBLE. i tried hard but it's just no use.
i am broken; i have been using these ids for everything - 3.5yrs(yahoo) and 5 yrs(rediff). it seems i have lost just everything - all my contacts and all my precious mails.

I don't know whether you wud help me or not but all i can do is to request u and i myself also wud try out all the possible ways to recover password for my own id.

PLEASE HELP ME.... :(
PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE
will be highly grateful to u.

Thanks and Regards,
-me.

Vijay K said, on July 6, 2006 9:04 PM:

Hi Dave,
I agree with the alst comment that u have placed, sayin "people have to remember what they have given the answer for their secret question". BUt, i would like to metion one thing - if they remember it - they would not come to ur site and aks help.........anyways.........i lost my password,a dn i am tryin to recover it - hopefull it works...........if u can help me plz mail me @ marishetty@gmail.com...........i remember all the details, but the person who hacked my ID changed my secret question and answer too..........so please be kind enough to bail me out of this situation..............

Mike Kaufman said, on July 7, 2006 2:04 PM:

Yahoo Finance frequently develops bugs. How do I bring them to Yahoo's attention? Sometimes they persist for weeks. Please don't suggest a phone number; Yahoo's phone menu is designed to discourage callers.

Thanks.

MK

Vini said, on July 12, 2006 4:46 AM:

Hi Dave ,

Like others i also clicked the geocities link and my yahoo id password is changed . My Yahoo id is vinod_r80 . please help me dave to recover the password and when i type in the alternate email address it doesnt send me the password to that address also .

Please help

dada said, on July 12, 2006 3:40 PM:

Hi everybody!

Somebody hacked my yahoo mail account. They have changed my password and my personal information, so I cannot get my password back. What can I do?
That account is very, very important for me! I've been using yahoo since 2000.

Dave, please help! I don't want to hack somebody's address. I only want the information from my account. The emails have a sentimental value for me.

Angelica Pedroza said, on July 15, 2006 5:08 PM:

i would really appreciate it if i can get my password for the screename that i had. thank u.

pramitha said, on July 17, 2006 5:42 AM:

hi dave i have been using this yahoo id called pammyvogue@yahoo.com and my account has been hacked but i dont understand how has this person got my password and he also knows everything about me...he has all my personal info..please solve my problem

Alison said, on July 18, 2006 8:10 PM:

I tried to reset my own Yahoo password on purpose, but never received the new password, despite trying several times and checking all of my other e-mail addresses for the password message. I finally requested my Yahoo ID from them (which I already knew) so I could verify whether I had listed the alternate address I thought I had, and sure enough, it said the address I listed was on file, and that message came through right away, so I've definitely been checking the right e-mail address, to no avail (and I turned all spam blocking off, too, just in case the new password message was getting blocked).

It does not matter if I remembered my secret answer because they don't give me a secret question to answer. When I tried to contact customer support, the automated message they sent back asking for more information said I had to give them the question AND the answer!! What's up with that?! I have had this account for 8 or 10 years. I certainly don't know what secret question I chose, if I ever did choose one, but if they asked me the question I am certain I would know the answer!

At any rate, I sent all my information to them via their customer service form (which they make pretty hard to find) 3 days ago. They just sent an automated response, telling me that if I still couldn't solve the problem myself I could forward them some more information. Sigh. So I did that, and it's been about 36 hours with no reply so far. From what I'm reading online, this may take days of phone calls to fix, if it can be fixed at all, and it makes no sense. It's horrible to lose access to an account I've had for this many years, with tons of personal mail saved, an old Geocities website I managed through that account (which will be stuck online as it is forever if this is not resolved), and 12 or 14 Yahoo groups I was/am subscribed to. From my own experience and several of the comments here, it seems to me that Yahoo has a glitch in which new passwords are not being sent to people's alternate e-mail addresses they way they should be.

Milind said, on July 22, 2006 8:42 PM:

My yahoo account got hacked. email id being milindthakker@yahoo.com. I forgot my answer to the security question too. Please help me.

Durai said, on July 23, 2006 10:39 AM:

Dave,
I am unable to login to my yahoo mail account for the past 1 day. I checked my e-mail on friday evening and friday night I was not able to access it. I know all my personal info matches and it leads me to secret question answer. I know the right answer to my question but it doesn't accept. Somebody must have changed it. Please Dave help me recover my password. I am using this account for the past 7 years and I really have some important information in that account. Please Dave help me.

Jayaram said, on July 25, 2006 3:10 PM:

I'm using yahoo for the last 6 years. From last week, i'm not able to login as somebody hacked my password. My DOB, zip also seems changed. My id is jayaram_20@yahoo.com. I don't know what to do. I called yahoo people and they are telling that my DOB itself wrong in the database and they can't do anything. Kindly help what should I do now? I've so many important information in my account.

Emmanuel said, on July 27, 2006 2:00 AM:

Pls help i gave a frnd my yahoo ID and Password to help me check my mail only to find out that he has change my password. pls help me and mail my new mail data2ster@gmail.com

preeti kaushik said, on July 31, 2006 10:56 AM:

i cant remember my password and it seems some one has chnged my password and challenge answer question this is a 6-7 yrs old account and i have all my past work related correspondence ...i have wrutten to yahoo to no consequences
pppppleeeeeeeeeeaseeeeeee help!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

just me said, on August 3, 2006 7:46 AM:

if a hacker hacks a yahoo account he only needs change the pw and the zipcode ...... so if the owner tries to get his account back he needs to know that current zipcode before he/she even gets to his/her secret question .... so whats the use of a secret question ???? ( if zipcodes can be changed )... u never find the current zipcode that the hacker puts in that account

Anuj said, on August 4, 2006 4:04 AM:

Sir,
Someone changed my yahoo mail password and the yahoo messenger password too(Both were the same). Not i am not able to recover it because i dont remember the zip code.. can u please help me get my yahoo id anujkaushik2000@yahoo.com

Kindly mail me on my email provided..

Dave said, on August 4, 2006 10:05 AM:

Like others i also clicked the geocities link and my yahoo id password is changed. Can you help me out, I have spoken to Yahoo, however from what i have read it does not seem to be helping.

Thanks

Lingaraju said, on August 8, 2006 6:07 AM:

Some one is hacked my password and changed my Hint Question.
Still now I am online in yahoo messenger. From this I can view only Address, Calender, and notepad. I can not able to see Mails

Can any one please give the Customer support contact number of INDIA?

Sandeep Gupta said, on August 9, 2006 10:41 PM:

I did the same thing. I clicked on a geocities link and entered my yahoo account details, and screw me, he changed my password and my account has now been locked. I have emailed yahoo thrice but to no response. Also, the hacker has changed the answer to the secret question too. I am sure about the answer to the secret question.

Please help at the earliest. Or if you could give the number of the Yahoo Customer Care in India (prefereably Delhi).

sakshi said, on August 12, 2006 3:34 AM:

hi nix,
i m vikas.
this the email id of my girl friend.
she forget her password, if u can help me then plz send password.

KK said, on August 14, 2006 5:30 PM:

Dave,
The fact is Yahoo is buggy. Someone changes the zip code, you are doomed. The alternate email address has no use. Yahoo needs to shut down its mail service and learn from gmail which is way lot better.

malavika said, on August 17, 2006 12:34 AM:

Dave
I have forgotten my password and remember my zip code,country and all that. i have forgotten the answer to my secret question. i have not provided an alternate email id. please tell me what to do
malavika

Vikram said, on August 19, 2006 1:59 AM:

I know all the account informatins of my yahoo account like date of birth , secret answer but someone changed my zip code, when i try to recover password ,when i try to recover passwod zip code is asked. i requested yahoo to send new password to my alternet email adderss but it didn't come.so what should i do to get password now???? please if you have anu suggestion send to: winter98@gmail.com

Rachel said, on August 19, 2006 9:31 PM:

hey dave i have been using my accont for the past like year or more and i have important people on that account and someone hacked my name it wouldnt let me sign in and said i had the wrong password. well on my other email it sent i had changed the password but i didnt, and they changed myinformation, dave PLEASE help me get it back.. talk to me on yahoo if you will please jayhawkbabe2242@yahoo.com and ill tell you the screen name that was hacked.

Atomic Guy said, on August 24, 2006 3:11 AM:

There is no use of date of bitrh and security answer if someone hacked your yahoo password, because hacker immediately changes your Zip code, password and alternet email address with the help of your password.So, yahoo is making you fool.Zip code should not be changable with the help of password only then all the users who know security answer can get access up to the security question.On the other hand, it is not possible to try all the zip codes and make correct guess.There is no use of alternet email address also when your password is hacked because hackers are not such a fool that they first change password and then alternet email address. They first change alternet email address and then password so that you could not be informed by yahoo that your pasword has been changed.Therefore, yahoo can't help you if someone hacked your password.I suggest you to creat a new yahoo account.

Thanks

Usman said, on August 26, 2006 9:12 AM:

Quote:- "In fact, I don't like to help people recover their passwords when they don't know the answers to their recovery questions, the situation you describe here, because I also have no way of differentiating between someone in a frustrating and unfortunate situation and someone who is trying to game the system, trying to con me (or Yahoo!) into releasing access to a personal account."

If we rememebered the answers and alternate emails, we wouldn't be coming to you and asking questions. I agree that in some cases people who want to steal IDs would come to you and ask you to get passwords for them. But there could be other things come in considerations, mails in their inbox, their old passwords, contacts in their messenger. Because rest of the information might have been changed the by the one who hacked.

steve moore said, on August 30, 2006 6:16 PM:

Im a Victim of a phishing scam the hacker change the account information where I could not ever hope to retreive my account So Dave you are right the hacker knows that yahoo is not going to give out a new password or help a innocent victim of a hacking scam out of fear of someone trying to beat there system. To make this short and sweet if your hack in to your out of luck. I went to MSN and bought there upgraded email service. I advise yahoo account owners to do the same and leave yahoo for the hackers!...Steve Moore

Will said, on August 30, 2006 7:01 PM:

Dave,
Your comments seem very much like cut downs to those who have been hacked. The fact is that Yahoo Messenger, which many people use, has so many security holes in it that it is, in my opinion, one of the easiest hacked Messenger programs out there. I use it, but I too have had trouble with hackers and my account.

I dont give out my information, and even when I knew my information and entered it correctly Yahoo delayed in sending me a password as occured with the other person. So, just because a person gets hacked does not mean that they did not enter their information so that they could keep up with it. Lets face it, when you have had an account as long as I have, sometimes things change in your life. And you might perhaps forget some of the information.

However, I do believe that Yahoo itself should find a way to create a more user friendly customer service department. When you are using your yahoo email account for important emails, which I can savely say I do not advise any longer after the all but satisfactory support I recieved, it is important that you recieve support in a timely matter. I feel there should be some sort of a provision to help those that may perhaps forget their information. It would definately subside some of the issues that, as you see, many useres are having. Some of these issues do not even involve someone losing their information, but their account being hacked. If Yahoo improved their customer service to a point where they could help those whose accounts were hacked and their information changed it would be an extreme improvement over being up the creek without a paddle.

Will

Dave Taylor said, on August 30, 2006 8:23 PM:

Hi Will. I agree with you that if there are frequent stories about Yahoo being hacked and people's accounts being hijacked, it's really up to Yahoo to deal with the situation and come up with a different identity verification system. For one thing, I'm still baffled why so few sites let you pick your OWN security question. When the choices are where I was born, my Mom's maiden name or the last four digits of my SSN, those aren't that hard to research or guess.

Having said that, I really feel for the people who have their accounts stolen and wish I could help, but as I said earlier, there's no way for me to differentiate between a legitimate request and someone trying to "social engineer" their way into the account of a friend / enemy / colleague / family member / spouse/ significant other, whatever.

just me said, on August 31, 2006 8:44 AM:

do u realise that most who comment here on this page are HACKERS

caen said, on September 1, 2006 5:37 PM:

i had an email account of 13/14 years ago and at the time the internet was fairly new i am from the UK, and i did not put in my correct details as we were adviced not to, so i put a false date of birth and a false zip code and i do not remmember it and some idiot has changed my password i got a confirmation email from yahoo that said the password has been changed but i never changed it i cannot stop crying and i need help.

my yahoo ID is caen1@yahoo.com

gurudatt said, on September 7, 2006 12:57 PM:

this is gurudatt
f i give username and password in yahoo it says , invalid username/password , i tryed to recover but i am not able to plz help me one more thing i have secondary id of yahoo guru.datt@yahoo.com , if i use that id also i am not ale to login .....my id is devil_guru@yahoo.com

KK said, on September 8, 2006 4:02 PM:

Dave,

Hackers have got better things to do - to phish yahoo passwords than come to this webpage to give them a hand. You see so many angry users because this is a **** problem with Yahoo.

pedram said, on September 14, 2006 11:51 AM:

hello
dear Dave
last week i decided to delete my yahoo e mail.but in this time i need it,plz help me to get it again...
plz

Megan said, on September 25, 2006 2:36 AM:

I just had my Yahoo account hacked I think. I couldn't login to my Yahoo Messenger or my Yahoo mail. :( And the alternate mail I provided was to a hotmail account, which I somehow have a problem with cos everytime I login to it, the account has been de-activated. So I dont' know whether anyone has changed my password. I provided fake info for my yahoo account cos I wanted a .com instead of a .com.sg suffix. And now I'm regretting it. I've used yahoo for a very very long time and almost my entire web existence is tied to this. :( I'm afraid of what could happen if this person has a hold of my email. Please, how do I get my Yahoo account back? I really need it back.

Prasath Sankarapandian said, on September 25, 2006 6:07 AM:

Hello Mr.Dave,
I am another victim of password phishing. I am using yahoo(vipra2000@yahoo.com) account for the past 9 yrs and thatz my primary mail id, i have all my personal important information about my visa details, bank details, job applications, etc., I tried to retrieve my password thru yahoo tool but the virus which hacked my id keep changing all my personal details. Customer care is also helpless. please do help me if u can, i can provide all my personal details and i'll prove that it is my id...please hope u'll understand the pain if someone hacks our id...u can mail me to prasank@gmail.com or prasank2004@hotmail.com

Mr Wong said, on October 2, 2006 2:24 AM:

Hello Mr Dave, I have been using the yahoo for a few years and i couldnt access it one day, i believed it was hacked. My email is 'igtws@yahoo.com'. Can you please help me to get back my account? Thanks.... Please email to winc87@gmail.com. :)

Dave Taylor said, on October 2, 2006 6:53 PM:

NOTE:

If you have lost your password to your Yahoo account, please start your recovery process by going here:

http://add.yahoo.com/fast/help/us/security/cgi_feedback

Any suggestion that there's an email address you can use to get started is probably NOT true and is probably a subtle phishing attempt unto itself. Please, if you need help with Yahoo! go to the Yahoo site and navigate from there...

huang welly said, on October 10, 2006 8:51 PM:

hello dave ,

i'll lost my password in huangwelly@yahoo.co.id cause someone hacked it and all of my profill have been changed so i can't recovery with my second question. please help me to recover my pass because i'll relly need some information in my mail.

thanks before

AdiKrishna said, on October 14, 2006 12:19 AM:

Used yahoo email for many years, saved many important emails. One day went to my email and said id or password invalid. I did not change id's nor password. I believe it was hacked. Because I don't remember my answers to my personal profile they can't tell me what happened to my email. What can I do just to retrieve the info. stored there and my address list.? Thanks, Aditya

basayes said, on October 15, 2006 1:25 AM:

i m very much worried about 3 months before mine id was hacked i thought maybe a yahoo problem but :(it was hacked and now im very much worried..coz that id wasnt openeing and i did a lot msgs from another id ..yesterday someone came online from that id and msgd me im very much worried i have personal data stored on that and just want to remove that data and then if he /she wants to use that id keep using i dont worry but how to do that can u help me
i have proove that thats mine id coz exactly like those ids i had on hotmail and gmail too.now tell me what to do he has changed evrything i cant get that back from pw retrieving

Rish said, on October 19, 2006 4:05 PM:

Hi Dave,

I have been a victime of the same problem that numerous people above have mentioned. My password's been hacked and my security infromation changed so there is NO WAY I can get it back. But the account has such important information that I cant afford to let it go as well.

Now, I agree with your comment here

"Quote:- "In fact, I don't like to help people recover their passwords when they don't know the answers to their recovery questions, the situation you describe here, because I also have no way of differentiating between someone in a frustrating and unfortunate situation and someone who is trying to game the system, trying to con me (or Yahoo!) into releasing access to a personal account."
"
and so ( assuming you can help me), I can prove to you without doubt that I am the original owner of my yahoo account by providing you with DETAILED information abt my mailbox - including personal folders, contacts list people, mailing lists/friends/forums from whom I regularly receive mails, as if you think of it, how will I know all this information if I am asking your help to hack someone else's account. And I do think this can prove my authenticity more than any secret information as that can easily be changed by the hacker.

Please reply back if this information will convince you enough to help me recover my account.

Many thanks for any help you can provide here

Rish

Ingrid said, on October 20, 2006 8:00 PM:

I had an email on yahoo. I changed my password like two times... but when I changed it the last time I started to get problems when I wanted to sign in, it kept telling me that I had the password wrong. And the problem is that my alternative email was one from netscape xxxx@netscape.net, and now they changed it to xxxx@aim.com, so I will never get my password again!!! :(

Riju said, on October 24, 2006 3:57 AM:

My password is been hacked .. & also my Secret question ... what is the possibilty to recover it...

Please help me since I had many informations....

himanshu jain said, on October 26, 2006 7:47 AM:

please give me password of my yahoo account hjain786@yahoo.co.uk the earlier password was indica but now it rejects and it wont takes the answer to the secret question.

Kamlesh said, on October 31, 2006 6:24 AM:

I'm not able to login to my yahoo id from last 10 days with my password .

I hope, its not matching... can you please, advice me how can i get it from yahoo.... i have tried all the option with birthday and zip code its not matching ....

tied and finally got this web-ste

help required ... very much important....

Ravi said, on November 2, 2006 5:05 AM:

Hi
Somebody hijacked my yahoo password. Please help me out. I have been using for past 6 years. I forgot my zip code,so unable to generate password.
U can see my yahoo id (knravikiran) is same as my gmail id. Dave, please help me out

thanks
ravi

JR said, on November 2, 2006 7:07 PM:

I also had my accounts suddenly not mine. And the the unique names are not avialable again to me but match all my other accounts!
No being able to choose one's own hint is a big weak point. I could hack every X I ever had (like if I cared that is. Becuase I am attentive I remember their first pet, when they used created name, why they chose that id name, where.

Those hints are the way in usually .. but once even a single piece of info is changed.. how can the owner reclaim it?
Even if you know it was an X? The time apart has made new memories that can key their hint. Unles it is fav food, first pet or family info.
I know it was my former spouse by the breaking of the hint and knowing my location when the account was opened for zip code.
And I hate my new alternative..reel christmasfish..
because I was THE original Christmasfish!
My other missing names Truechidna & purrfctnknosit
are also reflective upon paid service names.
Thank goodness only one account has about a year of IMPORTANT mail. I have had aol since 1993 so I have continuity there. Tehy are an evil empire that holds my mail in proprietary software..

Yahoo needs better identifiers and maybe asking tour alt email if ther was on? Yahoo was supposed to be my pinch hit alternate if I had collapse of finnace and needed a free service name my family could find. (I move a lot for businces and military)
Who can you even complain to? the 6 6 2 step phone menu to a person that may or may not speak the same language as you?
This seems to be worse a prob than I first thought now thgat I see all the postal clients of email hack..

P.Santosh kumar said, on November 3, 2006 1:49 PM:

Hi Dave,

Thanks for this site and post.
I have been using yahoo since last 5 years and mostly for messanger and groups.

Today morning I made my first cardinal mistake... I gave my password to a site in GeoCities.
An old friend of mine messaged me with a website which sounded very very interesting as it was very unlike himhttp://www.geocities.com/h0t_sweet_girls_pics1Anyhow... the site asked me for yahoo password twice and redirected me to the MyPhotos site..
I thought it was odd but did not pay attention as it was busy.

Anyhow... I went for lunch and came back to find that my account password was changed. I tried to get back the password but I do not remeber when i had last updated thee address/zip (India/US, which city etc)

Anyhow... is there any way I can log an official complain to yahoo security. or am I fighting a losing battle ?

Pls mail..me Dave..very urgent..

Wil Loesel said, on November 8, 2006 9:07 PM:

Somebody i work with created an yahoo id using my first and last name. how can i stop him from doing this? i have a feeling he's trying to cause trouble with my name. thanks!!!!

Blake said, on November 16, 2006 8:46 PM:

I forgot my password to my yahoo account. How can I get it back?

Pramod said, on November 17, 2006 1:03 PM:

I have an account of which i remember the user name (nsprams_ns) and all other details, but have some problem with the password. i thought i knew the right one. Now after repeated efforts to get back my id and change the password yahoo says that they have suspended the account for security reasons. I just wish i got back the address book of the account.
Please help.
Thank you,

Pat said, on November 27, 2006 9:25 AM:

GOSH! Yahoo lied to me. I just had my email hi-jacked. I can't access my mail. I purposely put the wrong b-day in to keep from being broken into, and it backfired on me. I can't give yahoo a b-day to match, so they won't let me in. I told them my secret question AND answer. They said I need to give them the last 8 digits of the credit card I had YYYYEEEAARS ago used and no longer have. I had the last 4 digits, just not the last 8. They would not help me. I have important info from the law school I'm trying to enter and irreplaceable pictures of my parents and children. I told Yahoo I would give them any info they wanted, but without the b-day, which I set wrong 10 years ago, or a credit card #, which I got rid of 5 years ago, they would NOT help me. I'm am furious. I was hi-jacked and they don't care.

Pat said, on November 27, 2006 9:34 AM:

Comment #2...Oops, forgot to tell you HOW Yahoo lied to me. I asked if they had any other complaints of being locked out from mysteriously changed passwords. They told me NO problems. I talked to 3 reps. and have the reference #s for 2 of the calls. They assured me this was not a problem with Yahoo. The problem IS with Yahoo. The bottom line is that I did not change my password. I can't even change it myself because of my forgotten info. So it was OBVIOUSLY hacked. Yahoo has security problems. The irony is that the honest users can't get in, but the hackers can. Shame on yahoo.

Walesking said, on November 27, 2006 4:26 PM:

I have been Yahoo for more than 7 years, I checked my email today morning (27th Nov 2006 - 10 AM) and after lunch when i tried to sign in again, it said invalid password.
I think its hacked.
The password recovery tool asks for my DOB,Zipcode and Country, I dont remember what I put in before 7 years.
Is there any way, I can validate my credentials and get the password reset.
Please help.

Amit said, on November 28, 2006 1:52 AM:

I have been Yahoo for more than 7 years, I checked my email today morning (27th Nov 2006 - 10 AM) and after lunch when i tried to sign in again, it said invalid password.
I think its hacked.
The password recovery tool asks for my DOB,Zipcode and Country, I dont remember what I put in before 7 years.
Is there any way, I can validate my credentials and get the password reset.
Please help.

raju said, on November 29, 2006 7:27 PM:

Hi Dave,

Somebody has hacked my yahoo password on sep-11-06, which i used for nearly 9 years. I have all my personal details in it. I contacted yahoo multiple time regarding this problem, they can't do anything, as i don't remember the secret question... i was even ready to go to the yahoo office in california with my all personal details to prove the yahoo id as mine, but they said no.
I had so many sleepless night thinking of this problem. Every now and then, i can see the hacker online with my yahoo ID, which hurts me the most.

I tried to file a police complaint in Hollywood ca, they said... "we can't take a complaint, unless there is any real damage/threat"

I tried all the things, whatever i can do... i failed.

I am praying god day and night, to put me out of this problem.

Please let me know, if you can help me

Thanks
Raju

Arunalkod said, on December 15, 2006 5:08 AM:

HI dave I to face the same problem as many of them, I had a yahoo account by arunalkod@yahoo.co.in which was hacked. I know all the information but dont remember the secret question. I would be thankful if you can suggest me something

Chitraksh Batra said, on December 16, 2006 11:20 AM:

Hi

I have lost my yahoo email id password.

id is chitraksh@yahoo.com

I forgot answere to secret question, also second email id registered with yahoo which is chitraksh.batra@utstar.com is also not valid anymore because I have been layedoff from this company. Trying to retreive my password for last 4-5 months but not able to succede. Requesting you if you can help me in getting my password i will be thankful to you for my life, because my yahoo account is having list of all my friends, having my communicaiton with my wife before our marrige which is very precisous to me.

So pls help
Regards
Chitraksh

Dina said, on December 19, 2006 12:03 PM:

hay dave i lost my password on yahoo , there was a confuse monte in my mind when i reset it two times i remmeber the first and the 2nd and i don't remmeber the 3rd one , and i know that i am stupid to do something like that but now what can i do i was looking a round ad i found your Site so please if you Can Help me try to contact me to tell you more about my problem and give you any information you want about the email, also i lost my hotmail account in the same day so i greated a new email in gmail to be there if anything happened and i told yahoo Customer Care about that too ... so please heeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeelp dinah

Ajay Dubey said, on December 20, 2006 1:06 AM:

Hi Dave,

Somebody has hacked my yahoo password on sep-11-06, which i used for nearly 9 years. I have all my personal details in it. I contacted yahoo multiple time regarding this problem, they can't do anything, as i don't remember the secret question... i was even ready to go to the yahoo office in california with my all personal details to prove the yahoo id as mine, but they said no.
I had so many sleepless night thinking of this problem. Every now and then, i can see the hacker online with my yahoo ID, which hurts me the most.

I tried to file a police complaint in Hollywood ca, they said... "we can't take a complaint, unless there is any real damage/threat"

I tried all the things, whatever i can do... i failed.

I am praying god day and night, to put me out of this problem.

Please let me know, if you can help me

Thanks

Ajay Dubey
Yahoo ID: ajay501@yahoo.com

sridhar said, on December 20, 2006 2:25 AM:

Hai all ,

I also facing the same problem, as u people mentioned in all comments. I didnt remember the ZIP code and all fields. please tell me any chance is there to get a new password for my yahoo id. I am ready to bare anything.

pllleeeeeeeeeease help me.........

Thanks,
sridhar.m

Sameer said, on December 21, 2006 6:06 AM:

Hi,

Today I received mail that my yahoo password has been changed. I went to the recovery option to and filled up the information in recovery page but it didnt accept it.
I am not sure if the person who changed the password has changed the a/c information.

Can you please help?

Thanks
Sameer

kalhan trisal said, on December 23, 2006 4:21 AM:

Hi
I have problem in accessing my yahoo account as my passwors had been cahnged and I donot remember information needed to get the new password.I have lot of important inofrmation in this account.
I have contacted yahoo customer support but I could not get any help.my account is kalhantrisal@yahoo.com.
please help me.

Chaithanya said, on December 23, 2006 5:53 AM:

My Yahoo is got hacked. Even persnal information also got changed. Is there anyway that I can get back my account? Please help me in this. Please.

krsihnachaturvedi Maheshvarapu said, on December 29, 2006 9:02 AM:

i have forgotten my yahoo password and related information .It has beeen registered 3 years back.
pls do needful

A friend said, on January 5, 2007 1:30 PM:

My story is I got scammed when I was 16 to using my account as collateral for an online trade. He screwed me on the trade and kept my e-mail. That was around 6 years ago. I've been trying to get my Yahoo account back ever since.

My post is a summary for anyone not wanting to read the long flow of comments above and Dave's (not entirely helpful) article.

Your options when you forget your password/get hacked/get scammed/etc are:

1) Yahoo forgotten password form

This isn't helpful if you've been hacked by someone with an IQ above 60 because they probably changed your zip code and security information along with your password)

https://edit.yahoo.com/config/eval_forgot_pw

2) Yahoo!'s Feedback Forms

I actually have gotten a response a few times from these guys and they did their best to help me but without your registration info they can't do much.

http://add.yahoo.com/fast/help/us/edit/cgi_feedback
http://add.yahoo.com/fast/help/us/security/cgi_feedback

3) Call Yahoo!

To put it nicely, Yahoo CS is not well-known for its generosity, efficiency, or being humane. The Yahoo Customer Service agent is sort of like a dragon, it has its good moods and bad moods and it sits on a pile of gold sleeping all day. If you piss it off enough it will either give you what you want or, alternatively, burn you with its fire breath.

In my research I've encountered people who claim (including here) that they were able to get Yahoo phone representatives to give them their accounts back. I've been unable to move them to do so. I even offered to drive out there to California from where I live with my birth certificate, driver's license, and college transcripts to prove who I am.

Numbers to try:

Yahoo! "Customer Service": 1-866-562-7219
Yahoo! Small Business/Store: 1-866-800-8092

Other numbers
866-850-4303
866-562-7228
408-349-1572
408-349-3300
408-329-5151
800-318-0631

4) Pay hackers to get your account back

A guy above mentions a site where you can hire a hacker to get into your account. I in no way endorse them and I think their asking price is more than a little absurd. It might also be a scam, so use them at your own risk. They are called hire hackers.

shahram said, on February 8, 2007 12:59 AM:

My yahoo account got hacked. email id being shahram_lopez666@yahoo.com. I forgot my answer to the security question too. Please help me.

Binay said, on February 8, 2007 3:12 PM:

How can i recover my cureent yahoo password through altenet email id.can u help me pls mail.
i want to recover my current yahoo email password with the help of alternet email id.

Jeff said, on February 8, 2007 7:04 PM:

you are superb and coz of u iam able to retrieve my password and if any one effected with (http://www.geocities.com/all_my_new_pics/)
Please do call yahoo customer Service on the numbers below

1-866-562-7219
Yahoo! Small Business/Store: 1-866-800-8092

Other numbers
866-850-4303
866-562-7228
408-349-1572
408-349-3300
408-329-5151
800-318-0631
They can solve your problem and you can able to regain your password

Many thanks

sara said, on February 14, 2007 3:31 PM:

hi Dave ...! Dave am in fix actually i have lost ma id its awesome_emely ... i dont remember the secret answer bcoz i was out from net i didnt used net i was busy in examz and functions and now i dont remember and i want its password on any cost its my family id and i am in pakistan i need 2 talk wid ma parents they are not in pakistan they are in uk please help me please dave i dont have anyway please i dont wanna make new id because of my fiance i can't tell everthing i swear By God its my own id please help me get the password.. please

Sara

G.V.Subba Rao said, on February 15, 2007 3:17 AM:

Dear Sir,
I forgot the Yahoo Password and also i forgot the account information.So,I request you to please send us the phone number of yahoo Customer Care in Delhi.
Kindly help me in this regard.
Looking forward for your valuable reply,
Thanks and Best Regards,
N.Krishnaveni.

kirthana said, on February 19, 2007 9:20 PM:

hi dave i have been using this yahoo id called kirthana_rose@yahoo.com and my account has been hacked but i dont understand how has this person got my password and he also knows everything about me...he has all my personal info..please help me i want my id back soon

pls help me

Kashif said, on February 20, 2007 10:22 AM:

i forgot password so i dont no info on me

sandeep said, on February 24, 2007 10:08 AM:

sir am sandeep am a student from india today after noon while am chating suddenly an erroe came and my messenger was shut down when i opened it freshly it is unable ot recognize my id and password same case followed by my yahoomail.com
my lost passowrd is id:sandeep_s7p@yahoo.com please help ,but when i tried for password recovery its displaying:that UR ID IS TEMPORARILT DISABLE DUE TO SECURITY PROBLEMS:is there any chance to recover sir please help me

amit said, on February 24, 2007 11:11 AM:

hi, dave
2 days back when i logged into my yahoo account, suddenly i found that i am unable to login in using my original password. I tried to recover it but no use. I remember my personal info but i dont remember the postal coade i tried hard but it's just no use.
i am broken; i have been using these ids for everything - 4yrs yahoo it seems i have lost just everything - all my contacts and all my precious mails.

I don't know whether you wud help me or not but all i can do is to request u and i myself also wud try out all the possible ways to recover password

aravind said, on February 27, 2007 8:09 AM:

i,
My name is aravind.
I had set a very easily hackable password that involved my name.
my account id is aravindeee2002@yahoo.com.
I received an email to my alternate id aravindvemula@gmail.com that the password has been changed.
I am not able to log in.
I actually reside in India. I don't remember the ZIP code because I needed the zip to only register for a .com account instead of a .co.in account.
It's urgent.Also, I don't want the account misused.
Please email me to the id i have provided. Please man I have nobody to help but you.

Mohammed Al.Abadi said, on February 28, 2007 7:02 AM:

Dear Sir,
How can I retreive my email sera1969@yahoo.com
i lost it by hacker or i do not know how?
Thnaks

Ali Ameen said, on March 1, 2007 12:31 AM:

Hellow Sir,
My yahoo id is hacked bcoz my friend is also using n about know hacking so he was hacked my id plz give me a new password then i m using my id plz sir my hacked id is romeo_rajpoot@yahoo.com this id password mail to me buzzyshael_ali@yahoo.com thnx sir buzzyshael_ali@yahoo.com i m using u tell me password romeo_rajpoot@yahoo.com okz plz sir and send me mail on buzzyshael_ali@yahoo.com i m wait for ur mail bye

Divya Goel said, on March 1, 2007 5:44 AM:

Hi,

I have an account divsagarwal@yahoo.co.in I changed the password of this account and logged in after an hour or so but had login problems.

I tried retrieving the password but it so appears that I have forgotten the answer of the secret question. My secret question is “Name of my Pet��?. If required I can tell you the answer. I entered the information but it appears it is miss spelt. I remember my yahoo information – Date of Birth, Country, Zip Code, alternate email address.

You can either contact me at me divyagoel211@yahoo.com or divyagoel211@rediffmail.com

Please help me. You can set a new password for me if required.

Regards,
Divya Goel

I do have a lot to say, and questions of my own for that matter, but first I'd like to say thank you, Dave, for all your helpful information by buying you a cup of coffee!

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