I opened a Google Gmail account two decades ago because at the time it provided large storage and only people who received an invitation could use it. Little by little, this account opened in 2005 became the backbone of all online identities from social media accounts to streaming service logins and even banking. If the account was hacked, all my online activities would be paralyzed.
So losing access to a Google account is a modern-day nightmare. Google has now introduced a Recovery Contacts feature that allows you to appoint close friends or relatives as people who can verify identity if the account is hacked. To use this feature, only the phone number of the appointed individual is required.
In addition, Google has also introduced a feature to recover a hacked account using Sign in with Mobile Number on Android devices. This feature is for users who have lost access to the account after the device was stolen, for example. To log in again on a new device, only the phone number is required and this number must be verified as the primary phone number first.
