I was reading my emails 4 days ago and all of a sudden, I was logged out and told that someone else may be using my account and I can't log in until it's verified. I followed the prompts, changed my password, and verified this using my mobile phone number that I have linked to my hotmail account. I was then told that I have to verify my account. I was given only two options: 1) an old email address that I closed down months ago so can't use and 2) "I can't verify my account" - with a link to complete a questionnaire. I have completed 3 of these questionnaires, each one providing as much info as I can without access to my account (who on earth remembers every email subject heading?!) but each time I'm told that my answers were not enough, and my account has been blocked. What was the point of linking my phone number to my account for verification and security purposes if I then can't use it?! So... I then jumped on to the Microsoft Hotmail Chat Room and got talking to some Microsoft guy who, naturally, couldn't help. He said there is another questionnaire I could complete to resolve the problem, but that you have to be logged into your hotmail to use it. Is this some kind of joke? The whole point is that I'm blocked out of my account, but the only way to get help is to log into my account?!?! He then said if I wanted help I would have to create a brand new account, link it entirely to my life, complete the questionnaire, and then when it's all resolved close the account down. UTTERLY ABSURD. I refused to do this because, you know, I have more important things to do with my time, so he then suggested I log into my boyfriends account to complete the questionnaire. HOW IRONIC. The whole point of this is for security reasons. Hotmail claims to 'take security very seriously' hence blocking accounts, but then suggests obtaining someone elses password to log into their account to get help?!?! what a joke. Anyway, I did this. Completed said questionnaire, gave a full run down of, well all of the above, and was told after submission that a response would be issued within 24 hours. When the response arrived it said 'we have responded to your query - click the link below to see response'. When I click the link I'm then told I have to LOG INTO HOTAMAIL TO VIEW THE ANSWER - ?!?!?!?! So then I get the same old thing - someone else may be using your account, you are blocked, bla ba bla. AND BACK TO SQUARE ONE. So - can someone from Hotmail PLEASE tell me what on earth is going on here? I guess it's not a coincidence that I just switched over to Outlook last week - I've heard all kinds of disastrous consequences on this forum. I just want to access my email again. Oh and another thing - I see many other people are having the same problem. I also see, on this forum, that the Hotmail responses are 'please post a private reply via this link - I have now blocked this thread'. THAT LINK TAKES YOU BACK TO THE SAME UNHELPFUL PLACE!! Please do not do this to my post. The link you provide doesn't work, it just takes you back to some silly support page where you get limited options to re-set passwords and verofy accounts and then you end up starting all over again.

HOTMAIL - TAKE THIS SERIOUSLY!

NOTE: The first two questionnairs I submitted, I did not receive an issue number email. I only received the 'update' emails telling me it hadn't worked. The latest questionnaire, completed this morning, has issue number 100919268