Email account either read or hacked by TPG - Security Flaw

[mortytemps]

I would love some help - to see if anyone else has experienced this, or if TPG can please advise.

I have a TPG email account that has been used for well over 15 years.  Over the last year (in the last 12+ months) when using the TPG web email client postoffice.tpg.com.au, certain emails will appear as read, even if they have been opened.  This occurs in all folders (including the Spam folder).

Passwords for the account have been continuously updated to accommodate any potential hack of the account.  In one instance, we updated the password on a brand new phone (to ensure that there was no way it could have already been hacked), and within the space of an hour we had emails that had been sent to us that appear as 'Read' - in this instance there is absoultely no way it could have been opened unless it was done from TPG's side of things.

More recently things have gotten a big stranger:  The most recent files in the Spam folder have just automatically been deleted.  I'm not sure if this is a related problem, but it is disturbing that things are just changing automatically.  

I have contacted TPG Support for this once, but they were unable to offer any advice.  As a loyal TPG customer for over 15 years I really need some answers to this, else there is no way I can continue my service as it seems as if TPG has an inherent security flaw in it's email mailbox.

Any similar stories/suggestions?

[Ahra_G]

Hi @mortytemps, 

Welcome to the Community! 

We appreciate you raising this to us. This certainly sounds alarming however we still have a few things to look into. We rarely get an issue such as this and we'd be glad to assist in checking what seems to be the cause. 

Below are the list of things we need to check:

• Are you using an email client? If yes, which one? 
• Did you notice any recent update on the mail client? 
• How many devices are set up using the email address and/or the email client?

There is an email feature which will mark your emails as 'read' despite not even accessing your email; thus the need for us to know first which email client you are using and which version it is. 

Kindly send us with the concerning email address via private message so we can assist you accordingly. 

Regards,

Ahra_G

[mortytemps]

Dear Ahra

Thank you for the response, to answer your questions below:

• Are you using an email client? If yes, which one?

I use Outlook 365, and am using POP3 protocol.  As mentioned, the issue only occurs in the postoffice.tpg.com.au webclient, and not on any external web client.  This will occur before the emails have been downloaded.

• Did you notice any recent update on the mail client?

No,

• How many devices are set up using the email address and/or the email client?

Only one laptop with Outlook 365 as mentioned above.

Hope that helps.  I have sent a screenshot that shows what I experience - as you can seem when I logged into my email this morning, an email from AirBNB came up as 'read' even thought I had not preivoulsy been in the account, nor have any emails been downloaded.  As mentioned, this happens immediately after changing any passwords.

Any help would be great,

[Ahra_G]

Thanks for confirming, @mortytemps.

I'll raise this with our PostMaster and get back to you if they will require more information. 

Regards,

Ahra_G