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Closed Email account- Requirement of error 550

Jeff1949
Level 4

A family member has recently had an email address cancelled by TPG. (and does not want it back)
The closed email address which I can share is rivett_g@picknowl.com.au
That account can no longer be accessed, which is completely understandable, but it is NOT the issue.

The issue is that emails that unfortunately and unknowingly continue to be sent to that closed email address are not met with a return message such as Error 550 to indicate to the sender that their email is undeliverable. The senders logically assume that the message will be delivered to the intended recipient and will hopefully be read and properly responded to and treated with respect.

The intended recipient is of course unaware of the incoming emails to the defunct address. The address is DEAD!
The reputation of the recipient is therefore suffering because the sender understandably believes the the recipient is ignoring the sender's messages.

The key issue is " Does the permanentt closure of an email address require the returning of a warning message such as Error 550 to advise the sender, or is the return of such an error warning simply at the random discretion of the service provider who is TPG" who take no care or responsibility ?

TPG customer service are unresponsive and have ignored my last 8 emails on this issue. My impending complaint to the TIO might help me but I would appreciate help from the community in the meantime.
Thank you
Jeff

3 REPLIES 3
BasilDV
Moderator

Hi @Jeff1949

 

We'd like to raise this further with our Escalations team and have someone to call the account holder to discuss this further.

 

Could you send me a PM with the best contact number and time for our team to call the owner of the said email to discuss the case?

 

Thank you.

BasilDV

Jeff1949
Level 4

BasilDV
This really is a simple and straight forward question that does not need to be over complicated.

The issue is in no way related to the identity of the individual who owns the email account.
I have already given you the particular email address which demonstrates, and is the basis of my concern.

The reality is surely whether an informative warning message such as an Error 550 warning message is required to be sent back from a non existent or closed email address, or it is simply not required to be provided.
And if not required, is it simply up to the discretion of TPG as the service provider to consider or ignore the genuine interests of its email customers in making the decision to provide such a warning or not ?
If you say that it is not a requirement, and also then say that TPG chooses not to provide that warning message which would have been to the benefit of their customers then of course that is TPG's right.
I however would find that situation to be obnoxious, and It would also be my right to inform TPG customers what they can expect to happen to those email customers when they choose for whatever reason to cancel, or are forced to cancel an email service controlled by TPG.

Where this personally impacts me, is that my own Picknowl email address is about to be forcibly closed down by TPG in the very near future. I believe that TPG are likely to treat all their customers in a similar manner. I am therefore concerned that my own email address @picknowl.com.au is likely to suffer the same fate.

I have given up fighting the imminent forced closure by TPG of my emaill address that I have had for decades.
But this means my own reputation potentially suffering because of senders to my soon to be closed email, appearing to be ignored, not through my own actions, but as a result of TPG not advising the sender that their messages will not be delivered to the intended recipient.

Jeff1949
Level 4

The escalations team did not make contact with me either, and therefore also appear to be just as uninterested in supplying customer support for a legitimate concern.


....Just the same revolving pattern again and yet again!

I have now had enough, and have made a 16 page formal complaint and have lodged it with the TIO.
Still no contact from escalations team, four days later on 16 Oct