AOL mail got hacked - now what? They want "$89 to 'fix and retrieve' mail/password"

[EarlyPorsche]

My mother (older) had her AOL mail account hacked. I am trying to figure out how to get her password back without having to pay crappy AOL $90. She just can't login and nor can I using her old password. I'm not a conspiracy theorist but looking online tells me it could be something AOL does from time to time or at least knows happens and doesn't stop. If they don't help her out she is going to be another person who leaves AOL for gmail.

[RWebb]

Gmail

and get her off AOL

[Zeke]

Be careful with gmail. I opened an account a nd thought I could not forget my password. Well, I did. I used gmail just a few times before this happened. They won't help me and instead assert that I'm not real. The email addy I used is gone forever in their system.

Who knows, I applied for a couple of cool jobs using that addy.

[azasadny]

Why is ANYONE still on AOL?

[Gogar]

Start fresh with something new. Gmail, yahoo, etc. Don't worry about "losing" Any contacts; the important ones will find their way back. It's actually quite liberating; which may be a hard sell for your mom.

[porsche4life]

Gmail is good... Write down the passwords....

[Lothar]

AOL sucks. I hope this thread is searchable on Google. I'm sure there are lots of results that would say the same thing.

[porsche4life]

AOL sucks - Google Search

[scottmandue]

I tried Gmail but much prefer yahoo...

Dump AOL... I still have an old AOL email account that must be 20 years old at least... only alive because dad won't give up AOL... never been hijacked

[john70t]

Oopsy-daisy....
AOL Watch - Updated Daily!
For several months, as a way of working around AOL's shortcomings, he was
forwarding as many as 400 emails - to himself. "Somehow this triggered their
system that I was 'bulk emailing'," he told AOL Watch - and last January, AOL
canceled his account.

Franks was baffled. ("I was not bulk emailing anyone... I was just forwarding
emails TO MYSELF!!") When he explained the situation to AOL, they re-activated
his account and flagged his screen name as being okay for large mailings. But
they also mistakenly removed his main screen name from that same list - without
telling him. By April, the same forwarding had triggered AOL's malfunctioning
filters -- and AOL cancelled his account again! "It's like a child's game of
'Simon says'," Franks complained. "They said I was on a six month probation
(that I knew nothing about) and [that] was my last chance. And I'm permanently
terminated."

Who is Michael Franks? "I'm on the board of directors of the Republican Party
of Texas, and just got through running for the Texas Legislature." Among the
people he emails are the governor of Texas, its state legislators, and the
party county chairman.

http://www.michaelfranks.org/

After six years on AOL, "THOUSANDS of people across Texas have my email address
for basic communication," Franks complains. Yet his account has suddenly been
de-activated. It's a matter he'll be discussing with the Texas Attorney
General - who happens to be a personal acquaintance - and "I've already
contacted a few lawyers..."

[EarlyPorsche]

Well its solved. I called and let them know what will need to happen and it did. She's keeping AOL but if they will reset the password on the phone that easily after it getting hacked I can live with them.

I don't even know who I would call if my gmail gets hacked.