Lack of human support – Declared dead by Google: What sounds crazy is the concern of millions of people

When Peter Stör tried to log into his Google account in October 2022, he failed. “I got the message that my user account is deactivated and that I have died,” he told the “Augsburger Allgemeine” in April.

The message was obviously an error. Because Peter Stör is quite lively. “I figured the account would be easy to reactivate,” he explained.

But the man who lives in central Franconian Eckental near Erlangen was wrong. Because nobody could be reached at Google, not a human employee who could have helped him.

Instead: Automated forms, robot voices on the phone. “I’ve never spoken to anyone. You can call there, but you only communicate with one machine.” Stör even hired a lawyer to get back into his account. But that didn’t change the situation either.

“I haven’t had access for years”

Peter Stör isn’t the only one who is annoyed that Google apparently has no human support. Numerous users have contacted our editorial team because they feel let down by the tech giant with account problems.

“I haven’t had access to the admin area of ​​my free Google account for years,” writes a man from Munich. The company wanted to verify his identity and sent him an SMS with a numeric code to his old cell phone number.

According to the Bavarian, however, he no longer has access to them. He, too, tried to get in touch with human Google employees. Solving the problem somehow, preferably in dialogue with someone who knows. But: none.

“Email queries to Google are answered with boilerplate text that leads me into the same hopeless cycle of help tips over and over again, ending with a text message or a call to my old cell phone number,” his email reads. “It’s not possible to contact Google by phone.”

Google is part of everyday life for most people

This had serious consequences for Munich. “I’m self-employed,” he writes. “I had to remove my Gmail address from stationery and website and ask all customers to use a different address until further notice. This is not only very annoying, but also bad for business.”

Google is part of everyday life for most people. Many use the in-house search engine, but also email accounts, the cloud or the payment service of the tech giant. Anyone who owns an Android cell phone is dependent on a Google account anyway. Otherwise the Play Store cannot be used.

Eric Mayer, who does not want to read his real name on the Internet, had saved “half his life” in the Google account, as he told CHIP in an interview. When he wanted to watch a YouTube video with his girlfriend in the evening, he was suddenly no longer logged into his account. “I tried to log in again, but it didn’t work. So I sat bolt upright in bed.”

Copies of ID cards, tax documents, private pictures – Mayer’s Google account was a kind of personal archive. All the worse not being able to access all the data, all the news and information. Like other victims, Mayer emailed Google and received standardized answers and references to the account recovery form.

Mayer was suddenly able to log in again

Nothing worked. Requests to have his account suspended or deleted went unanswered. So Mayer went to the police and filed a complaint against unknown persons. “I was hacked, I was sure of that very quickly,” he says.

According to him, the criminals had set up a Bluetooth key. This is an external security key that is required to log into the relevant account. Mayer thought he would never be able to log into his account again.

“But suddenly, when I returned home from the police station, I was able to register again. The hackers removed the key and my password worked,” he says. Nevertheless, the events have left their mark. Mayer reset cell phone and laptop, and enabled 2-factor authentication wherever possible.

“I still have a bad feeling,” he says. The question that remains is: why is it so hard to get human Google support? Reach employees who can help people like Peter Stör or Eric Mayer? Reddit users have been discussing this for years, there are numerous discussion threads on the platform.

Google reacts surprisingly to requests

Anyone who asks Google why the group is cutting back on the “human factor” will receive surprisingly specific answers.

“Google offers human support, including phone, email, and chat, for many products and services. Most of our online forms, including account recovery, initiate support interactions with real support staff,” writes spokeswoman Enita Ramaj on CHIP request.

And further: “Not only do we offer users the opportunity to solve their problem online, but also toll-free telephone numbers and email support in all countries of the European Economic Area and in all languages ​​in which Google products are offered.”

German users can either Telephone number 0800-5894309 call or message support-germany@google.com send.

In the written answer, Ramaj also refers to various support pages of the tech giant. These include forms that are designed to help protect a hacked or manipulated Google account or that explain what to do in the event of a deactivated account. Sites that many desperate users have probably come across by now.

Mayer is permanently unsettled

In the end, the “human factor” at Google still remains obscure. Apparently, users have the opportunity to get in touch with employees of the group. Even if Google does not identify this offer very prominently.

Mayer, who can log into his account again, is still unsettled. “When I needed help urgently, I couldn’t find the right contact person,” he says. Peter Stör, whom Google declared dead, now has access to his account again.

However, only because the BR magazine “quer” turned to the group. “A mail actually came that the account was restored. For those who looked at it, it was a click. He just ticked the box, not a minute’s work.”