This is my story of how I was locked out of my Google account for nearly two months because of a two-factor authentication (2FA) password reset attempt that I could not successfully complete. If you have a Google Voice number as your 2FA number, change it immediately! You will also be in the same basic situation if you lose your cellphone and access to your text messages. It took 57 days to resolve this issue. FIFTY-SEVEN DAYS! Here's what happened. The Beginning: A Mindless Password Reset Attempt February 2. I am a remote worker using my laptop and receive a Windows update that prevents me from using the Edge browser I normally use on my work laptop. I decided to log in to my Gmail account using the Chrome browser (the first time on this particular device) after several months of using the Microsoft Edge browser, where my password was stored. I wanted to use the time during the update to check my personal email, but I couldn’t remember my password, so I thought I would just use
by Chris Rainey. This is a blog of my journaling, essays, opinion pieces, religious satire, and creative writing.