How to Access or Delete Email or Cellular Accounts from Major Providers

Google also goes a step further with something called “Inactive Account Manager,” which is a way to either share or delete your account after a set period of inactivity. Here’s how they describe it:

What should happen to your photos, emails and documents when you stop using your account? Google puts you in control.

You might want your data to be shared with a trusted friend or family member, or, you might want your account to be deleted entirely. There are many situations that might prevent you from accessing or using your Google account. Whatever the reason, we give you the option of deciding what happens to your data.

Using Inactive Account Manager, you can decide if and when your account is treated as inactive, what happens with your data and who is notified.

Step 1: Timeout period
You set a timeout period, after which your account can be treated as inactive. The timeout period starts with your last sign-in to your Google account.

Step 2: Alert me
Inactive Account Manager will alert you via text message and optionally email before the timeout period ends.

Step 3: Notify contacts and share data
Add trusted contacts who should be made aware that you are no longer using your account. You can also share data with them if you like.

Step 4: Optionally delete account
If you wish, instruct Google to delete your account on your behalf.

To set up Inactive Account Manager, go to your Settings Page, click on Data Tools and then click “Set up Inactive Account Manager”

In the case of death and you need to access an account, you can follow these steps. This does not take care of situations where a user is incapacitated, ill, aging, etc.

If you are the authorized representative of a deceased user and wish to proceed with an application to obtain the contents of a deceased user’s Google account, please carefully review the following information regarding our two stage process:

Part 1

Google requires the following information:

1. Your full name
2. Your physical mailing address
3. Your email address
4. A photocopy of your government-issued ID or driver’s license
5. The Gmail address or Google username (which is typically an email address) of the deceased user
6. The death certificate of the deceased user. If the document is not in English, please provide a certified English translation prepared by a competent translator and notarized
7. The following information from an email correspondence that you have received at your email address, from the email address associated with the Google account in question:
   • The full header from the email message. See instructions on how to find headers in Gmail and other webmail email providers. Copy everything from ‘Delivered-To:’ through the ‘References:’ line
   • The entire content of the message

Mail or fax this information to:
Google Inc.
Gmail User Support – Decedents’ Accounts
c/o Google Custodian of Records
1600 Amphitheatre Parkway
Mountain View, CA 94043
Fax: 650-644-0358

Part 2

Upon receipt of this information, Google will review your request and notify you by email as to whether or not we will be able to move beyond Part 1 to the next steps of the process. If we are able to move forward based on our preliminary review, we will send further instructions outlining Part 2. Part 2 will require you to get additional legal process including an order from a U.S. court and/or submitting additional materials. Please note that submitting these materials will not guarantee that we will be able to provide account content so we recommend not embarking on Part 2 until you hear back from us regarding Part 1. Also, some information for some products may not be available or provided even if steps 1 and 2 are completed successfully. Because of our concerns for user privacy, if we determine that we cannot provide the account content, we will not be able to share further details about the account or discuss our decision. Please note that Google may change what is required from time to time and in particular cases.

At the time of registration, all account holders agree to the Yahoo Terms (TOS). Pursuant to the TOS, neither the Yahoo account nor any of the content therein are transferable, even when the account owner is deceased. As a result, Yahoo cannot provide passwords or access to deceased users’ accounts, including account content such as email.

Yahoo does have a process in place to request that your loved one’s account be closed, billing and premium services suspended, and any contents permanently deleted for privacy.
Requesting to close the account

In order to process this kind of request, we require specific documentation:

A letter containing your request and stating the Yahoo ID of the deceased
A copy of a document appointing the requesting party as the personal representative or executor of the estate of the deceased;
A copy of the death certificate of the Yahoo account holder

Send the information to our Legal Department

Email: legalpoc-support@yahoo-inc.com
Fax: (408) 349-7941
Customer Service Number: 800-318-0612

701 First Avenue
Sunnyvale, CA, 94089-0703

Here is how you delete a general Microsoft account.

The above article is detailed with all of the associated items such as subscriptions, files and more.

When you’re sure you’re ready:

1. Go to Close your account.
2. When you’re prompted to sign in to your account, double-check that it’s the account you want to delete. If not, select Sign in with a different Microsoft account.
3. Check that the page shows the correct Microsoft account, and then click Next.
4. Read the list, and select the checkboxes to acknowledge you’ve read each item.
5. In the Select a reason drop-down list, choose the reason you’re closing the account.
6. Select Mark account for closure.

If you can’t sign in to your account to close it, get help with when you can’t sign in to your Microsoft account.

To close a Skype account

Skype accounts must be associated with a Microsoft account before they can be closed. Follow the previous steps to close an account, and sign in with your Skype account. You are prompted to add an email address to create a Microsoft account. Make sure to use an email address that isn’t already associated with a Microsoft account. Once that is complete, you can continue with the steps to close your account.

After you close your account

When you tap or click the Mark account for closure button, we wait 60 days before permanently deleting your Microsoft account in case you change your mind or need to access something on the account before it’s gone forever.

During the waiting period, your account is marked for closure but it still exists. If you want to reopen your Microsoft account, just sign in again within that 60 days. We’ll cancel the account closure, and everything will be just as you left it.

Here are the steps to remove an XBox account.

This is only in the case of death.

Microsoft Next of Kin Process: What to do in the event of the death or incapacitation of a loved one with a Hotmail account.

If you have lost a family member, or have a family member who has become medically incapacitated, the following information will help you contact Microsoft regarding their Windows Live Hotmail or MSN Hotmail account.

What can Microsoft provide me with in relation to my family member’s Hotmail account?

The Microsoft Next of Kin process allows for the release of Hotmail contents, including all emails and their attachments, address book, and Messenger contact list, to the next of kin of a deceased or incapacitated account holder and/or closure of the Hotmail account, following a short authentication process. We cannot provide you with the password to the account or change the password on the account, and we cannot transfer ownership of the account to the next of kin. Account contents are released by way of a data DVD which is shipped to you.

Unfortunately, the Next of Kin department cannot assist you with password resets, account recovery, or any other support for your own account.

What products does the Microsoft Next of Kin process support?

At this time, the Microsoft Next of Kin process supports only Windows Live Hotmail or MSN Hotmail accounts (email accounts ending in @hotmail.com, @live.com, @windowslive.com, or @msn.com). We do not provide support for SkyDrive, MSN Dial-up, or Xbox Live.

How do I request the contents of my family member’s account, or request the closure of the account?

In order to request that the contents of the email account be released to you, or to request the closure of the account, please contact the Windows Live Custodian of Records by emailingmsrecord@microsoft.com to initiate the process. To process your request, we require that you provide some information about the account as well as copies of documentation to verify the status of the account holder and your kinship. Please refer to “What information and documentation will I need to provide for the next of kin process?”

Please also provide us with an email address where we can reach you in case we have any follow-up questions and so we can notify you of the status of your request.

What documentation will I need to provide for the next of kin process?

In order to prove that you are legal next of kin and that the account holder is deceased or incapacitated, we require the following documentation:

1)      An official death certificate for the user, if the user is deceased. Unfortunately, we cannot accept anything other than an official, government issued death certificate. Examples of documents which we cannot accept are:

a.       An obituary

b.      A coroner’s interim death certificate

c.       A coroner’s statement of inquest into a death

d.      A funeral director’s statement of services performed

2)      A certified document signed by a medical professional in charge of the care of the user, if the user is incapacitated. A note signed by the doctor in charge and notarized will suffice, as will a signed court document showing that you have power of attorney or executorship of a trust for the account holder.

3)      A Document showing that you are the user’s next of kin and/or executor or benefactor of their estate, or that you have power of attorney. We accept any of the following documents as proof of kinship or executor status:

a.       A marriage certificate showing that you are the surving spouse of the account holder.

b.      Signed power of attorney paperwork.

c.       A copy of a will or trust document naming you as executor or beneficiary.

d.      A birth certificate for the user, if you are their parent; or guardianship paperwork for legal guardians.

4)      A photocopy of your government issued photo ID.

What information will I need to know about the Hotmail account?

We require answers to all of the following questions about the account holder’s email account.

1)      What is or are the email address or addresses?

2)      What is the first and last name that the account holder used when creating the account?

3)      What is the date of birth that the account holder gave when creating the account?

4)      What city, state, and zip code (for U.S. users) or country did the account holder enter as their place of residence when the account was created?

5)      Approximately when was the account created? This doesn’t need to be anything specific. “During the late 1990s,” or “Around 2004” are perfectly acceptable answers.

6)      Approximately when was the account last accessed? It is important that you tell us if you have been checking the account past the account holder’s date of death, or if you suspect that the account has been accessed by an unauthorized individual after the account holder’s death.

7)      Your shipping address, if you are requesting a copy of the contents of the account. Please note that we cannot ship to a P.O. Box.

8)      What type of computer you use, if you are requesting a copy of the contents of the account. We support PC, Mac, and Linux users, but we need to know what type of computer you use for preservation purposes.

How do I submit my documentation once I’ve gathered it?

Once you’ve gathered your documentation, you may submit it to us in any of the following three ways:

1)      You may scan and email the documentation to us at msrecord@microsoft.com.

2)      You may fax the documentation to us at (425) 708-7851.

3)      You may mail copies of the documentation to us at:

Next of Kin

One Microsoft Way

Redmond, WA 98052

Please do not send originals of any of the documents, as all documents will be shredded upon completion of the verification process.

It’s going to take a while for me to gather all of this information, should I wait to contact you until I have everything?

We understand that it can take time to gather all of the necessary documents and submit them to Microsoft. We ask that you contact us at your earliest convenience to notify us of your request. This will allow us to complete a preservation of all of the data currently in the email account to prevent it from being deleted due to inactivity. Once you contact us, we will complete this preservation immediately, and will maintain it for a period of one year from the date of your initial response. After one year, your case will be closed and the account preservation will be deleted.

I have some of the documentation right now, but not all of it. Can I submit what I have while I gather the rest?

Certainly. We will maintain any documentation which you submit while we wait for you to submit any remaining pieces of documentation. Please bear in mind the one year timeline for all cases.

What happens if the verification process fails?

If for any reason we are unable to successfully verify that the email account belongs to the appropriate account holder, the account holder’s status, or your kinship; we will advise you that the verification process has failed. If this happens, we are prohibited from explaining specifically which piece or pieces of information did not match. We will ask for a completely new package of documentation, as well as any additional information you can give us which you think may help you pass the verification process on a subsequent attempt. Please note, however, that we can only allow a total of three (3) attempts to pass the verification process.

What languages do you accept documentation in?

We prefer that all documentation be submitted in English, or that you provide certified translations to English for all of your documents. Certified translations can be costly, however, and if you cannot provide a translation, we may provide translation assistance for some languages. Unfortunately, we are current unable to provide translation assistance for any language that uses an alphabet other than the standard Latin alphabet; Japanese, Cyrillic, or Arabic, for example.

How long should I expect the Next of Kin process to take?

Once you have contacted us with your initial request, you should expect to hear back within 3 business days. We are not open on weekends or major American holidays. Once we have received all of your documentation, the verification process should take no more than one business day, at which point you will be notified that either the verification process was successful, and we are in the process of shipping you a data DVD with the contents of the account, or that we have closed the account, depending upon your request; or that verification has failed. Shipments are usually received within 5 to 7 days.

What happens if I don’t receive my shipment, or if the disc is damaged?

If you do not receive your shipment within 7 days, please contact us by emailingmsrecord@microsoft.com and we will track the package to determine its status. If the tracking states that the package has been delivered, but you did not receive it; or if the tracking states that the package has been lost, or if you receive a damaged disc, we will ship a new copy. Discs are encrypted to prevent unauthorized access and the password will be provided separately from the disc.

If you are having trouble accessing the data, please contact us by emailing msrecord@microsoft.comand we will provide step by step instructions to assist you.

My family member passed away some time ago, will you still be able to assist me?

Unfortunately, in most cases email account contents are deleted after 9 months of inactivity, and the account itself is deleted after an additional 3 months; for a total of one year. Once that happens, we are unable to recover any of the data from the account. We would recommend that you still contact us, however, in case the account has not yet been deleted.

This depends on what you use AT&T for. You may simply use them for your cellphone service, or you may also use them for email accounts, or for DSL service. You need to know this first then follow the steps for each situation:

To Cancel AT&T Internet Service or home phone service:

Call them at 800.288.2020 during normal business hours to cancel services. Downgrading and canceling services can’t be completed online. We apologize for any inconvenience. If you joined AT&T through a special reward promotion, early cancellation penalties may apply if you cancel before the end of your commitment term.

Since Yahoo and AT&T Merged, the accounts were somewhat blended. It may be more complex and you may only want to delete the AT&T portion and retain the Yahoo portion.

You can also add additional authorized users. Perhaps you have an older parent or student away at college and you want to be able to make plan changes, or monitor on their behalf. You can do MOST things with account access, but not everything.

To cancel or close a Sprint account for a deceased family member, send an email message to DeceasedNotification@sprint.com. For the quickest resolution, include the following:

• Account holder’s name (the person who established the account)
• Mobile phone number of the deceased individual
• Date of death
• Social Security number of the deceased individual
• Your phone number (in case Sprint needs to contact you)

Remember, as with AT&T, this account may be an ISP, email and landline telephone account, as well as cellular. You’ll want to ask their help to make sure you are addressing all accounts. If you need to gain access, you’ll need the account number or your bill.

The death of a loved one is hard enough. T-Mobile doesn’t want to make it any more difficult. If you need to cancel a line of service on behalf of a deceased person, T-Mobile will waive the ETF. Simply contact Customer Care. You will be asked to provide the following:

• Mobile number
• Account number
• Billing responsible party name
• Death certificate, or attorney/legal estate documents if death certificate is not yet available

Customer Relations will verify the information and adjust the ETF if appropriate within seven (7) business days (excludes holidays). You will be contacted by letter with the result of the request.

Important: Supporting documentation must be received within 30 days of the cancellation in order to be considered for ETF adjustment. Documentation received after this date will not be processed.

Remember, as with AT&T, this account may be an ISP, email and cellular. You’ll want to ask their help to make sure you are addressing all accounts. If you need to gain access, you’ll need the account number or your bill.

Verizon’s policy isn’t clearly listed, but a post by a “community leader” in the Verizon forums suggests contacting the company “with proof” to have the issue taken care of. One of the best acceptable forms of proof would be a death certificate and that the cancellation can be taken care of either in-store or by calling Verizon.

If the account is in the name of the deceased, contact Verizon with proof and all lines on the account can be cancelled without an ETF.

If the deceased is a secondary line, only that line can be cancelled without an ETF.