My Microsoft Story - Goodbye Forever

Sharing this story as a last-ditch effort, and so that it's somewhere online (assuming Microsoft even keeps it up.) On December 20th, 2021, I came home and turned my Xbox on. I've been an avid gamer and Xbox Live subscriber for about 15 years, and have an extensive library, saved data, achievements, Gamerscore, etc. I was horrified to find that my Gamertag had been changed, and my email was no longer associated with my account or Xbox. Every single game, all saved data, apps, achievements, EVERYTHING was gone. It was basically as if I had never had an account, and everything I had ever done was gone. I was eventually able to log back into my account, which then had my normal Gamertag and email back, but with everything still missing. Gamers out there, imagine what that feels like. Every second, minute and hour you invested for your entire gaming life - gone.

I spent hours asking for help online, from friends, etc. before realizing I needed to request a call from Xbox support. It's important to note I never received a notice of any kind - suspicious activity email or call, request to reset password email or call, nothing at all. After explaining to them what happened, I was sent a Data Transfer from via email, which I submitted immediately. Since then, here is the short version of what I've experienced, with the total summary below that. Throughout each step below, it was an abhorrent experience filled with the most sketchy and frustrating Customer Service I've ever experienced, and have shared with many others who've never heard anything like it.

I was given a case number, told that it would be escalated, and that I would hear back within 72 hours via phone call and/or email. I didn't hear anything on either end for about a week. When I called to check the status, I was told these things take time, which I completely understood. I then called back a couple days later, and was told the case was closed, and that I would need to re-escalate the case, which I did. I was still confused why I was never called about the first escalation, and why nothing had been done about it. Especially since I was told it would be handled and they would be in touch. After this second escalation, which I was again told they would get back to me within 72 hours, nothing happens. I called back several times, and finally got through to somebody who told me there were 5 cases open, and all were closed. They said the escalation was complete, and they didn't know what to tell me or what to do.

Below is what I've experienced overall, and examples of what I experienced to get to each step, only resulting in wasted time and no help or solution whatsoever.

• I've requested 28 phone calls over the past 25 days.
  
• I've been told my case was being escalated twice, with no update provided well after the time expectation given.
  
• 4 times I was transferred to the “Accounts” department, never getting through once.
  
• 2 of those 4 times I was transferred to a Spanish support line, who then hung up on me when I eventually connected after having all-Spanish instructions.
  
• The other 2, I waited on the line until the music stopped playing, and the line picked up saying the office was “no longer taking calls” (both times were in the middle of the day during the week)
  
• I reached the daily limit of requested calls a lot of these days, due to the fact I never received any help whatsoever.
  
• Some of the memorable things said to me during my time
  
  • I don’t know how to help you and my colleagues don’t either, you might want to just hang up
    
  • I can’t understand what you want me to do, the cases are closed so it’s been completed
    
  • You’re in escalation, so you’ll have your stuff back within 3 days (obviously not true)
    
  • There is no such thing as an “Accounts” team, I don’t know how to help you
    
  • There’s no history on your account having an issue, there’s nothing here
    
  • You’re account says that it’s less than a year old, so I’m not sure what you’re talking about (obviously. I had to recover my Gamertag and my account was completely cleaned out and stolen)
    
  • And much more
    

At this point, I don’t know what else to do. Again, anybody reading this that plays games, or invests anything into something they care about might understand how 15 years down the drain must feel. And not to mention the monetary loss, with a substantial digital library and games costing anywhere from $35-$60/game.

For somebody with a substantial focus on Privacy and Security across everything I am into, I’m still trying to figure out how this could happen. Especially since I never was notified in any way anything suspicious was going on. This feels like a data breach on Microsoft’s front and I fell victim.

If there is anybody out there that can help me, or find somebody higher up at Microsoft that can recover my lifetime of Xbox experiences and ownership, my contact info is below. I’m desperate and don’t know what else to do.

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:)