Cam and the real-life horror of getting locked out of your account

Ever been scared of not being able to access your email or profile? This horror movie is for you.

Madeline Brewer.
(Image credit: Courtesy Netflix)

I got locked out of my Gmail account last year. At first I wasn't worried; I'd thoughtlessly punched in a few variations of my password before it froze me out for too many failed attempts. But when I tried to go through Google's password reset process, things started to spiral.

As part of the procedure, I had to answer personal questions — sure, no problem, right? I know my birthday! Google also pinged my phone and backup email with codes to confirm who I was. Again, no big deal; I was able to enter them. But then came the verdict from Google: Even though I had successfully answered all its questions, it still couldn't verify I was me.

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Jeva Lange

Jeva Lange was the executive editor at TheWeek.com. She formerly served as The Week's deputy editor and culture critic. She is also a contributor to Screen Slate, and her writing has appeared in The New York Daily News, The Awl, Vice, and Gothamist, among other publications. Jeva lives in New York City. Follow her on Twitter.