Change email provider? That isn’t a flippant remark, it’s a serious suggestion.

[CharlesDeluxe]

How would that help?

Most people who are 'hacked' have simply used an easily-guessed password that's in one of the many known-password-lists or they've simply reused the same password on multiple sites and one of them has had its userID and passwords stolen - this happens all the time to so many websites.

The only other way is to use GCHQ/NSA-level tools, which is unlikely for a regular user, and even if they did no other email provider would be safe from that either!

[PhilWakelin]

The email account is question is used by a vulnerable relative, and the password on this was a strong password. However, the account also gets around a dozen phishing emails per day, many of them phishing for BT credentials, which I believe is the most likely vector of attack on this account. BT email support have also acknowledged to me that 2FA only profiles certain IP addresses and imho. can not be relied upon to secure vulnerable BT accounts.

[Kimberlin]

@CharlesDeluxe 

Perhaps if you were to type email hacked into the search bar on this forum, you might understand why I suggested changing email provider.

I’ve never had a BT email account and nor would I. Whilst appreciating BT no longer offer email accounts, judging by the numerous threads and comments about BT email, I wouldn’t touch it with a barge pole anyway. If that comes across as flippant or unfair, then that is just how it is.

[CharlesDeluxe]

I just don't understand, do you think that other email providers don't get the same kind of hacking, and yes of course if you search here you'll find plenty of people who were hacked - if they just used complex single-use passwords 99.9% of them wouldn't - it's got nothing to do with the provider and everything to do with the user's behaviour.

[Kimberlin]

@CharlesDeluxe 

Are you saying that people who have their email hacked are somehow incompetent because they don’t use complex passwords? Or have I misunderstood you? Apologies in advance if I didn’t read your post in a way you may have intended otherwise.

I subscribe to a Swiss based email provider, have been for 5 years and I haven’t been hacked once 🤷‍♂️

[licquorice]

I have had a btinternet email address since it's inception (probably 30 years) and neither have I been hacked.

Both your and my statements are meaningless.

[WSH]

And likewise, I've had three simultaneous email accounts with Microsoft, for 25, 15 and 5 years  resp., that I use for different things.  (There's something to be said for having email that is independent of the ISP.  You don't have to change it when you move).  None have ever been hacked.

I also have a BT mail account.  I initially had to set one up when I first moved to BT, 10 years ago, as MYBT was funny about registering any other account.  (It seems a bit more tolerant these days).  I don't use that account but I do keep an eye on it.  Never been hacked.

Sadly, what most people outside the industry think of as a "strong" password is not as strong as they think.

One of the papers, (Sky News, I think), recently reported the latest list of most popular passwords.  All the old favourites were still there.  It's depressing how little the list has changed over the last 20 years.

[CharlesDeluxe]

Are you saying somehow BT is less secure than your Swiss email provider? If so how? I, and my family, have had our BT email accounts for over a decade and haven't had ours hacked either. And yes, I am saying that the vast majority of users who have their internet accounts of all types hacked are because of easily-guessed passwords and reusing their passwords on multiple sites - this is very common knowledge - they're called dictionary attacks and if you look up your own email address on a site such as https://haveibeenpwned.com you'd be surprised how many websites have had their accounts stolen, if you use the same password on multiple sites, and many do, then the bad guys will try other sites with those same usernames and passwords.

[Kimberlin]

@CharlesDeluxe 

Clearly, as I don’t have a BT email account, I cannot positively know for an absolute fact that BT email is any more secure than my email provider. I literally have to go by what I read in the numerous threads on this forum, unless of course all of those contributors are making up the issues they report. I don’t believe that they are all incompetent but I can accept that some are entirely responsible for their own misfortune.

Peronally, I use a password manager for all of my passwords as well as 2FA using an Authenticator. But then I’m clearly an idiot.

Seems we have differences of opinion but that’s forum discussion for you 👍

[licquorice]

With a customer base in the millions, there are bound to be  some customers with issues.

You are comparing apples with oranges.