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It Done Broke.

Facebook Invalid Email Contacts

Just today I logged into Facebook and discovered that it felt that the email address I had supplied as a contact was no longer valid.  It provided me an inline form to give them a new address as well as a link to click if I thought this message was in error.  Action on either front made it cough back an message saying what I’d given them was still invalid.

I did a bit of digging around the site’s help pages and I’m sure it’s no surprise to anyone that it’s pretty much impossible to contact an actual person to help you out.  I do have to credit the CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s enormous ego with creating what is possibly one of the most successful sites with the paradoxically worst support system ever.  The customer forum is composed of an unbelievably byzantine interface link structure that rivals Microsoft’s.  It’s pretty much impossible to find the answer to a problem which they don’t deem to be an official “issue”, nevermind one they do.

Anyway, I did eventually find a solution (without input, of course, from any Facebook staff, possibly from Google).  For some reason, they’ve started scanning their database for contact emails that they deem “generic” (e.g. “mail@…” and “info@…”).  At their request, I changed mine to something else, something equally generic but not what they’re flagging and then set it on my email server side to forward to the address I had previously given Facebook.  This seemed to satisfy it.

I did notice in the “help” pages that some customers had tried to follow Facebook’s instructions but on doing so, became locked out of their accounts.  They’re now stuck in purgatory.  I won’t dwell on this too long, since it’s only a matter of time until I too, am banished with all my contacts, groups and fan pages blown to dust.

Seriously, Facebook:  F.O.

Also, anecdotally (from the “help” pages), more than one customer had reported finding a help page in there somewhere that directed them to contact Facebook support at the following address: “info@facebook.com”.

Category: Complaining, Troubleshooting, Web

Tagged: ,

12 Responses

  1. avatar Jim says:

    I too feel the frustration. Used the site last night, can’t get any support at all but a password change. This is not the problem. It is amazing to me as a business person to see such a “customer no support” attitude at a time when their flawed business model for profit doesn’t work. They, as many start up’s, don’t get that referral and repeat are cheap and credible methods of building a brand. This does nothing more than start the process of nails in a coffin. You have it right, FO Facebook!

    • avatar Brian says:

      please tell me if you find a solution to this goddamn problem…its driving me out of my mind…im still getting notifiacations when i recieve a friend request or message…but the system says my address is invalid? makes no sense

    • avatar Wendy says:

      I just want a password change, I’ve been waiting two whole bloody days! I was already debating quitting FB, and this delay and having no way of contacting anyone for help is MADDENING!

      I have decided I will send a request every hour on the hour today!

  2. avatar epool86 says:

    i’m currently try to help my fren, she cannot login facebook anymore because of sudden error ‘invalid email’.. i check on her profile, on the info section and i see the email still there and still the same. she also said never change her email addres before… she is using email with @yahoo.com.my address.

    now we dont know how to solve the problem… i check on their help page, only found useless FAQ, no email to contact, no phone number to dial, nothing!!! no REAL support service anywhere, i google it and i only found this blog 🙁

    so frustrated!! i hate you facebook.. yes i admit your social web service is great, that is why u got 300 milion users.. but leave customer helpless is really suck..

  3. avatar Miriam says:

    Same problem and I have a gmail account. I’ve never experienced problems with it until a week ago. I have reported it many times and sent numerous emails. Anyone find a solution?

  4. avatar Lesley says:

    This just happened to me today. I’m logging in with the same email I have always used, and all the sudden it is invalid. I cannot seem to find a solution anywhere on the Internet.

  5. avatar Jules says:

    THANK YOU for helping me not feel like a total idiot. Same problem here. One day – whoosh. My email address is no longer valid. It’s not a generic one. But somehow it no longer is valid …even tho I’m getting updates sent TO that email address!!! HELP!

    • avatar Jules says:

      Ok, I just FINALLY found 2 potential solutions. Take a look at this website: http://www.fixya.com/support/t1132185-invalid_email_address

      1. Call facebook support and talk to a human being. The number is 650-853-1300 press option #1. You will not find this number anywhere on fb site.

      2. I have been locked out of my own facebook account for almost a month and i have written fb several messages to no avail. finally i realized that since my profile is still visible on facebook without my having access to it, that facebook was violating their own privacy policy, wherein they promise that we have the ability to adjust our privacy settings. without being able to access my account, they had stripped me of my right to adjust my privacy settings. This was enough to complain to TRUSTe. i got an email from TRUSTe last night, and they said that they agreed my privacy was being violated and they agreed to contact facebook on my behalf. this is the ONLY way so far that i have had any success with this issue. i’m still not back into my account yet, but i’m sure that TRUSTe will be able to get it done! go to http://www.facebook.com/policy.php?ref=pf and scroll down to find out how to write a message of complaint to TRUSTe about Facebook. GOOD LUCK! AND SPREAD THE WORD!!!!

      • avatar Lynn says:

        Thank you so much for sharing your solution with the rest of us!

        I’d been locked out of my facebook for 2 months and about a week ago I stumbled onto this page and decided to try contacting TRUSTe…the following day they replied saying that facebook would contact me in 10 days. Just today facebook sent an email informing me that there was a bug that was preventing me from logging in and they have rectified the situation.

        IT WORKED!!! I am once again able to sign in! I may no longer have much faith in facebook but I’m happy to say that TRUSTe did not let me down.

        Jules has the answer everyone!! Good luck.

      • avatar Wendy says:

        Sorry to tell you that number doesn’t help. All you get is a recorded message that FB doesn’t offer customer service support, that all the answers to your problems can be found in the FB help section!!!

        NO IT DAMN WELL CAN’T!!!

  6. My name is Eduard from Holland and since yesterday I’ve got the same problem. It’s really frustrating. Just like anyone else I’m getting the notifications on my email, but can’t open Facebook due to an invalid email adress, it’s really annoying.

  7. avatar omri says:

    im from Brazil and I have NEVER EVER been able to acess my account, since from day 1 I got an invalid email message. btw, its not generic… ive tried to reach them 300 times.

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