This isn't the first time they've taken this type of action with email account names.
I had an @att.net email address from when I had U-Verse that was essentially Yahoo mail with an ATT address. I thankfully didn't do anything on that account, but I kept it since it was the same user name I have registered on most major webmail services.
I got an email about a year ago that those addresses would be merging with Yahoo, and that my address would now be @yahoo.com. Fine with me, I thought, perfect if I ever wanted to try out Yahoo mail for a spell.
A few months later a get an email about my password being changed. Not good. From there I had about a 15 minute back and forth with someone else trying to get their information(alternate email address, password, security questions, phone number for 2-factor) on the account to lock me out. I prevailed, and in double checking how that person could have gotten access, found something disturbing. This was not my email account. It was mostly dormant, but there were legitimate emails from years ago sent by another person who shares my name.
I contacted Yahoo through their form about such matters, but they never answered. So now I've held on to the address, which I value for preserving my internet identity, but someone else is out of luck in trying to access an account they used sparingly years ago.
This is obviously much worse, as it's intentionally going to result in these types of account ownership issues, but it certainly seems reflective of Yahoo's attitude towards the importance of holding an email address.
I had an @att.net email address from when I had U-Verse that was essentially Yahoo mail with an ATT address. I thankfully didn't do anything on that account, but I kept it since it was the same user name I have registered on most major webmail services.
I got an email about a year ago that those addresses would be merging with Yahoo, and that my address would now be @yahoo.com. Fine with me, I thought, perfect if I ever wanted to try out Yahoo mail for a spell.
A few months later a get an email about my password being changed. Not good. From there I had about a 15 minute back and forth with someone else trying to get their information(alternate email address, password, security questions, phone number for 2-factor) on the account to lock me out. I prevailed, and in double checking how that person could have gotten access, found something disturbing. This was not my email account. It was mostly dormant, but there were legitimate emails from years ago sent by another person who shares my name.
I contacted Yahoo through their form about such matters, but they never answered. So now I've held on to the address, which I value for preserving my internet identity, but someone else is out of luck in trying to access an account they used sparingly years ago.
This is obviously much worse, as it's intentionally going to result in these types of account ownership issues, but it certainly seems reflective of Yahoo's attitude towards the importance of holding an email address.