WTF with Hotmail DEMANDING other contact?

webecedarian · 26 Jul 2013, 08:01 AM

I have tons and tons on Hotmail accounts, not because I love them, but because they seem to be the most convenient for free dedicated accounts. They went through a period of demanding phone numbers, but stopped.

Then, just now, I got an intervening screen on one of the Hotmail accounts warning that in seven days, the extra information will be required! Are you all seeing this too? It will be such an incredible pain to have to scramble to create new accounts!

EdinwolfPA · 26 Jul 2013, 09:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by webecedarian

Then, just now, I got an intervening screen on one of the Hotmail accounts warning that in seven days, the extra information will be required! Are you all seeing this too? It will be such an incredible pain to have to scramble to create new accounts!

Hello,

I just logged into my hotmail/outlook account on Thursday, July 25th at 8:21 pm EST and do NOT see anything like you have described as of yet...........

David

William9 · 26 Jul 2013, 01:58 PM

I have a couple of Outlook.com accounts and have not seen what you describe.

chrisretusn · 26 Jul 2013, 09:48 PM

What extra information. What do you mean by other contact?

I have four accounts, I normally use POP3 on them, I just logged in to each of them and went straight to my Inbox as usual.

All of my accounts do have an "Alternate email address" assigned. Is that what you mean by other contact?

drew · 26 Jul 2013, 10:32 PM

IIRC I only have one active account now at live.com
but that is hotmail too. And I got curious reading about
your exerience so I sign in through the live.com
and they was slow but did not ask anything.

Maybe it happens if one send a lot of emails so they see
that as more important to know who that is then if one like me
whom never send anything I only use yahoo for that just now.

so tell us more specific under which circumstance they ask
How often do you send emails from it? is it some commercial
part of a biz you sell things maybe such is part of them
more interested in you personally?

webecedarian · 27 Jul 2013, 07:39 AM

Hm. Curiously, although I have bunches of Hotmail accounts, that's the only one where I got the warning - and it didn't pop up again when I logged in to it today. I wonder if it was a glitch?

I wish I would have thought to copy and paste the warning into an email draft to read more carefully when I had more time. I'll await another warning.

William9 · 27 Jul 2013, 02:55 PM

Could it have been a phishing attempt?

webecedarian · 28 Jul 2013, 05:00 AM

Thanks for the thought, William, but no. It wasn't an e-mail - it was an intervening preliminary screen before getting to the in-box. I've had them before, trying to collect more information, but this was the first time I'd had them try to bully me with a deadline.

Bamb0 · 28 Jul 2013, 05:18 AM

Just do the easiest thing and enter bogus info!

chrisretusn · 28 Jul 2013, 03:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bamb0

Just do the easiest thing and enter bogus info!

Good until it's needed. For example, you go to "Account settings" then try to access your "Security info". You will be prompted with a screen that has the following:

Quote:

Microsoft account
Help us protect your account
Since you're trying to access sensitive info, you need to use a security code to verify your account. How would you like to receive your code?

Here is presented a drop down with options. Mine are my alternate email address and "I don't have these any more"

I already have a code <-- this is a link to open the enter code screen

The other option above leads to a page that says this:

Quote:

I don't have my security info any more
If you ever lose access to your account, your security info helps you get back in. Update this info to help keep your account secure. It will take 30 days for the update to take effect. The waiting period makes it harder for a hacker to lock you out of your account with just a stolen password. Learn more.

The learn more is a link that takes you here. How do I replace all my security info? - Microsoft Windows Help

kaptitsky · 30 Jul 2013, 03:48 AM

I just signed into Outlook.com and got the prompt "Call us over protective, but we want to make sure you can recover your account" and then was asked where to send a code. I had to enter that code to proceed.

I was allowed to defer the code retrieval for up to seven days, skip it for now and know it was coming the next time I logged in, but eventually I would have to verify.

They asked for an alternative mail address and they wanted to verify it as part of a spot check on login.

This seems to be the stopper that webecedarian was speaking about, and I got it even though I have a registered backup address.

I'm sure that Hotmail would have taken my cell phone for the code issuance too, but even on accounts created last week they still allow alternative e-mail/question, and that's what worked for me,

webecedarian · 5 Aug 2013, 04:47 AM

Thanks, Kapitsky - yes, that's exactly what I was getting. I had copied it and posted the copy somewhere for storage, but then it disappeared. You couldn't give bogus information, because they were going to use that for confirmation.

And, here's the update - it's "finis" for that email.

I then got:

Help us protect your account Passwords can be forgotten or stolen. Just in case, add security info now to help you get back into your account if something goes wrong. We won't use this info to spam you - just to keep your account more secure. Learn more.
What security info would you like to add? (XXX) XXX-XXXX
Verify phone via: Text Call [choices]
Skip (This is the last time you can skip)
I sent them a blisteringly angry feedback note about their hypocrisy, and then they sent a link to this:
https:/ /support.microsoft.com/oas/default.aspx?&iid=6&iguid=1ef69f31-b391-444e-8a0e-d2a20e230b26_1_2&x=13&y=16&c=SMC&ln=en-us&st=1&wfxredirect=1&sd=gn

Here's the curious part. I have over a dozen Hotmail accounts, that are sort of a bunch of default dedicated accounts. That threat only showed up on that particular one (so far). Luckily it was a very unimportant one, so I didn't mind letting it go as a test. But the curious part is: Why that one? It's not the oldest. Nor the newest. Nor the most used. Nor the least used. No idea why that one was targeted.

Really annoyed though, and somewhat perturbed.

FredOnline · 5 Aug 2013, 06:21 AM

Can't see if you've said anywhere that you had a back-up e-mail address already registered for the Hotmail account in question?

kaptitsky · 5 Aug 2013, 11:09 AM

When I create a new Hotmail account, they ask me for a mobile number and an alternate e-mail address. They also give me the option to create a security question, but I do have to trigger that option with a click.

If I do create the security question, I am not required to enter a mobile number. If I do not create the security question then I must enter a mobile number to create the account.

I find the combination of recovery e-mail address and security question to be a reasonable ask in these days, so I am fine with it.

Don't really want to give out a mobile number. But I guess I could give a Google Voice number if I had to; it supports incoming SMS (but not really MMS)

chrisretusn · 5 Aug 2013, 05:35 PM

Same experience here. I also don't like giving out a mobile number. I am fine with the alternate email and the occasional asking for the security code. So far with four accounts it's been once except for when I access "Security info" on the "Account settings" page.

The account the asked me, actually had an old alternate email address. So I was not getting the security code. I had to select "I don't have these anymore". I was able to change my alternate email, I was also offered mobile number. I know have to wait 30 days before I can access my "Security info"

How do I replace all my security info? - Microsoft Windows Help

26 Jul 2013, 08:01 AM	#1
webecedarian Essential Contributor Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: NYC Posts: 485	WTF with Hotmail DEMANDING other contact? I have tons and tons on Hotmail accounts, not because I love them, but because they seem to be the most convenient for free dedicated accounts. They went through a period of demanding phone numbers, but stopped. Then, just now, I got an intervening screen on one of the Hotmail accounts warning that in seven days, the extra information will be required! Are you all seeing this too? It will be such an incredible pain to have to scramble to create new accounts!

26 Jul 2013, 01:58 PM	#3
William9 The "e" in e-mail Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: San Francisco Posts: 2,281	I have a couple of Outlook.com accounts and have not seen what you describe.

26 Jul 2013, 09:48 PM	#4
chrisretusn Cornerstone of the Community Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Philippines Posts: 846	What extra information. What do you mean by other contact? I have four accounts, I normally use POP3 on them, I just logged in to each of them and went straight to my Inbox as usual. All of my accounts do have an "Alternate email address" assigned. Is that what you mean by other contact?

26 Jul 2013, 10:32 PM	#5
drew The "e" in e-mail Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 2,626	IIRC I only have one active account now at live.com but that is hotmail too. And I got curious reading about your exerience so I sign in through the live.com and they was slow but did not ask anything. Maybe it happens if one send a lot of emails so they see that as more important to know who that is then if one like me whom never send anything I only use yahoo for that just now. so tell us more specific under which circumstance they ask How often do you send emails from it? is it some commercial part of a biz you sell things maybe such is part of them more interested in you personally?

27 Jul 2013, 07:39 AM	#6
webecedarian Essential Contributor Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: NYC Posts: 485	Hm. Curiously, although I have bunches of Hotmail accounts, that's the only one where I got the warning - and it didn't pop up again when I logged in to it today. I wonder if it was a glitch? I wish I would have thought to copy and paste the warning into an email draft to read more carefully when I had more time. I'll await another warning.

27 Jul 2013, 02:55 PM	#7
William9 The "e" in e-mail Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: San Francisco Posts: 2,281	Could it have been a phishing attempt?

28 Jul 2013, 05:00 AM	#8
webecedarian Essential Contributor Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: NYC Posts: 485	Thanks for the thought, William, but no. It wasn't an e-mail - it was an intervening preliminary screen before getting to the in-box. I've had them before, trying to collect more information, but this was the first time I'd had them try to bully me with a deadline.

28 Jul 2013, 05:18 AM	#9
Bamb0 Master of the @ Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: USA Posts: 1,878	Just do the easiest thing and enter bogus info!

30 Jul 2013, 03:48 AM	#11
kaptitsky The "e" in e-mail Join Date: Aug 2002 Posts: 2,186	I just signed into Outlook.com and got the prompt "Call us over protective, but we want to make sure you can recover your account" and then was asked where to send a code. I had to enter that code to proceed. I was allowed to defer the code retrieval for up to seven days, skip it for now and know it was coming the next time I logged in, but eventually I would have to verify. They asked for an alternative mail address and they wanted to verify it as part of a spot check on login. This seems to be the stopper that webecedarian was speaking about, and I got it even though I have a registered backup address. I'm sure that Hotmail would have taken my cell phone for the code issuance too, but even on accounts created last week they still allow alternative e-mail/question, and that's what worked for me,

5 Aug 2013, 04:47 AM	#12
webecedarian Essential Contributor Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: NYC Posts: 485	Thanks, Kapitsky - yes, that's exactly what I was getting. I had copied it and posted the copy somewhere for storage, but then it disappeared. You couldn't give bogus information, because they were going to use that for confirmation. And, here's the update - it's "finis" for that email. I then got: Help us protect your account Passwords can be forgotten or stolen. Just in case, add security info now to help you get back into your account if something goes wrong. We won't use this info to spam you - just to keep your account more secure. Learn more. What security info would you like to add? (XXX) XXX-XXXX Verify phone via: Text Call [choices] *Skip (This is the last time you can skip)* I sent them a blisteringly angry feedback note about their hypocrisy, and then they sent a link to this: https:/ /support.microsoft.com/oas/default.aspx?&iid=6&iguid=1ef69f31-b391-444e-8a0e-d2a20e230b26_1_2&x=13&y=16&c=SMC&ln=en-us&st=1&wfxredirect=1&sd=gn Here's the curious part. I have over a dozen Hotmail accounts, that are sort of a bunch of default dedicated accounts. That threat only showed up on that particular one (so far). Luckily it was a very unimportant one, so I didn't mind letting it go as a test. But the curious part is: Why that one? It's not the oldest. Nor the newest. Nor the most used. Nor the least used. No idea why that one was targeted. Really annoyed though, and somewhat perturbed.

5 Aug 2013, 06:21 AM	#13
FredOnline The "e" in e-mail Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Manchester UK Posts: 2,616	Can't see if you've said anywhere that you had a back-up e-mail address already registered for the Hotmail account in question?

5 Aug 2013, 11:09 AM	#14
kaptitsky The "e" in e-mail Join Date: Aug 2002 Posts: 2,186	When I create a new Hotmail account, they ask me for a mobile number and an alternate e-mail address. They also give me the option to create a security question, but I do have to trigger that option with a click. If I do create the security question, I am not required to enter a mobile number. If I do not create the security question then I must enter a mobile number to create the account. I find the combination of recovery e-mail address and security question to be a reasonable ask in these days, so I am fine with it. Don't really want to give out a mobile number. But I guess I could give a Google Voice number if I had to; it supports incoming SMS (but not really MMS)

5 Aug 2013, 05:35 PM	#15
chrisretusn Cornerstone of the Community Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Philippines Posts: 846	Same experience here. I also don't like giving out a mobile number. I am fine with the alternate email and the occasional asking for the security code. So far with four accounts it's been once except for when I access "Security info" on the "Account settings" page. The account the asked me, actually had an old alternate email address. So I was not getting the security code. I had to select "I don't have these anymore". I was able to change my alternate email, I was also offered mobile number. I know have to wait 30 days before I can access my "Security info" How do I replace all my security info? - Microsoft Windows Help