No longer able to access OBI or GV linked account

[Lenski]

I've used the same Google account for both OBI and GV. The other day I realized I had VM, but wasn't able to access it. I tried logging into GV and my number was nowhere to be found. Tried to recover it and it validates I have the correct email address, but never sends me the recovery link.

Next step was to log in to OBI which I haven't done in about two years. It's like my account is totally obliterated, like it never existed. I set it up again with the same gmail address and the phone number is also not present.

I did a reset and now I can't call out or receive inbound calls. I ended up setting up a whole new GV number just to get the phone working again, but still want my old number back (had it for 15 years).

If you call the old number it still has my VM greeting, so I know it's not totally lost.

[SteveInWA]

Hi:

This almost always means that you are looking at the wrong Google/Gmail account; one other than the account that holds your Google Voice phone number.

If you used the Google Voice "I forgot my user name" tool, there are only two possible responses:

If it says it sent an email note, then yes, your Google Voice number is active/working.  It knows which Google account owns the number, and it sends an email to the correct account.  There is no way for it to send a note to the wrong account.  You need to find the note in some other account.

If it says that the number you entered is not a valid Google Voice number, then the number was deleted or reclaimed for lack of use.  Note that "use" is defined as making outbound calls or sending outbound text messages.  Simply receiving inbound calls doesn't count.

http://www.google.com/support/voice/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=115100&topic=29345

[Lenski]

It definitely said it knew there was an account associated and it said D******@g***** which is my one and only gmail address. I even tried to do a gmail account recovery to see if I had some other rogue account and it only came back with the one.

[SteveInWA]

It definitely said it knew there was an account associated and it said D******@g***** which is my one and only gmail address. I even tried to do a gmail account recovery to see if I had some other rogue account and it only came back with the one.

In every single case like yours, over the past many years, the user insists that they are looking at the right account, but they aren't.  The tool is infallible.   You probably created an account with a user name similar to the one you are looking at now.  For example, if the account you think should hold the number is DaveTheMan@gmail.com, but you created DaveTheRealMan@gmail.com, you'd be fooled by the message that the tool returned.

[Lenski]

I'm not one to create other email addresses, but let's just say that was the case. Is there anyway to recover it?

[SteveInWA]

Nope.  Google has very strict user privacy and security policies, and they will not release any information whatsoever about accounts to anyone other than the verifiable owner or to law enforcement in response to a subpoena or court order.