I did not receive email of security question reset

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Level 1

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I did not receive email of security question reset

Hi.

I recently bought an iPad Air 2 64gb 4g. I wanted to purchase new app when it asked to authorize my apple ID for the first time on this device, and by answering my security questions. I've forgotten the answers so I used the link in my account management page to be sent the reset info to my alternative email. When I clicked the link it said the email was sent successfully and I should follow the steps it would say.

The problem is no email comes to me even after two days and several attempts with sign out/in in between.

My alternative email has nothing in spam folder.

My alternative email receives all emails I tested.

I changed my alternative email in my account successfully but that link of reset email under security question boxes still shows my previous alternative email as for the address to be used.

I was able to change every other detail of my account.

My Questions are:

1. Why apple is not sending me the email even after noticing it as successful?

2. Why although I changed the alternative email, there is still my previous one shown as the destination for reset email? So how can I change the destination shown in the link of security questions reset inquiry?

Thanks in advance

iPad Air, iOS 8.1.3

Posted on Feb 6, 2015 11:30 PM

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Answer 1

King_Penguin

Level 10

334,330 points

Feb 6, 2015 11:53 PM in response to larij

The reset email should have been sent to your rescue email address, alternate email addresses are different and not used for account security - is it your rescue email account that you've checked, or just your alternate email address ?

You won't be able to view and/or change your rescue email address until you can answer your questions, if the email isn't there then you will have to contact Support in your country to get the questions reset.

Contacting Apple about account security : Contact Apple for help with Apple ID account security

If your country isn't on that page then try this form and explain and see what they reply with : https://ssl.apple.com/emea/support/itunes/contact.html

When they've been reset you can then view and/or change your rescue email address for potential future use (you won't be able to set it to be the same as any other email address on the account) : Manage your Apple ID primary, rescue, alternate, and notification email addresses

Or if it's available in your country you could change to 2-step verification : Frequently asked questions about two-step verification for Apple ID

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Answer 2

larij Author

Level 1

0 points

Feb 7, 2015 12:30 PM in response to King_Penguin

Thank you King_Penguin,

I couldn't find any section in My Apple ID page which mentions any rescue email but alternate email.
Referring to "My Apple ID-> Edit your Apple ID -> Password and Security -> Please answer your security questions" under the second box it has written: "Forgot your answers?" and then follows a hyperlink "Send reset security info email to f•••••@gmail.com", this email was exactly my alternate email and I don't care if it is my so called rescue email or not; this is just the address to which Apple says it wants to send the reset email.
I clicked on it and have been shown this message: "Email sent, Check your inbox for an email with instructions on how to reset your security information"
I changed my alternate email successfully, but It still claims the email is sent to the first email. It is in favor of your saying that I can't change my rescue email and that is different from alternate email. Which means my alternate email and rescue email might have been the same in the first place.
I still don't receive anything in my rescue email address.
my current residence was not listed, so that I used that form.
I did not received any email from apple after couple of days (they claim to contact me within this period)
I opened a discussion and thankfully receive one answer but of no help.

(I still can purchase for my old devices without authorization needed)

So here is other question:

Can anyone in any country listed as supported countries contact Apple on behalf of me to discuss the issue?

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Answer 3

King_Penguin

Level 10

334,330 points

Feb 7, 2015 12:40 PM in response to larij

1, a rescue email address is added and changed by answering your security questions on the Password And Security section of your account, you won't be able to view and/or change what you set the address to until you can answer your questions

2, The email address (f.....@gmail.com) may have looked the same as your alternate email address but it won't be ; the rescue email address has to be a unique address on an account.

3, if you are checking the email accounts that you have set as alternate email addresses on that account then you are looking at the wrong email accounts. An alternate email address cannot be the same as your rescue email address

4, you can change alternate email addresses, they are not used for account security. The security question reset email is not sent to them and changing alternate email addresses will not change where the reset email is sent to.

5, see 3

6, 7, 8, what country are you in ? If you used the form to contact Support then you may have received a confirmation email when you submitted the form. A proper reply can take up to 48 hours.

For your final question no. Only you can do it, you will have to prove to Apple you id and that it's your account before they will reset the questions - they wouldn't be security questions if somebody else could get them reset

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Answer 4

larij Author

Level 1

0 points

Feb 8, 2015 4:09 AM in response to King_Penguin

Thank you again King for your reply,

Fortunately they answered my request today and gave me a US phone number. I'll call them and see what they can do.

I am surprised though, as I have never had any email other than that one. So there is only one way that It could be different from my alternate email, which is a probable mistyping at the first time, supposing that there was no rescue email address verification during subscription those days (I mean 3 years ago and I don't remember that). Or maybe a malfunctioning of apple online system which accepted my rescue email as alternate email, who knows?

And if you interested I reside now in Afghanistan for a while and you know what it would be like. 😉

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