@Carol_Scherf  Perhaps try addressing your request to @atthelp on this forum.  Sometimes a representative will respond to your post and deal with your specific case offline.  

Thank you. I don't mean to be obnoxious but how do I address my message (to whom, email address)?

The @ username paging function does not work for ATTHelp.  They aren't actually on this forum software so they don't get the notifications.

Then is there any other way to contact someone other than the phone number you are sent to?

Well now that you've threatened legal action their attorneys have probably advised them not to talk to you at all.  😁

But seriously, there are a number of different failure modes to this email fiasco.  Exactly which situation are you in?  Are you unable to do the "forgot password"?  Does it give you secret questions that you've never seen?  Do you just get an error message that something went wrong? Where does it break down for you?

Once we know that we can tell you which category you're in.....completely hosed or there's still a chance.

I did not threaten legal action, I tried to gauge interest. When 20-plus years of your contacts, life and work are suddenly taken from you, it's quite disconcerting. I still have biz obligations and am naturally shocked at not knowing why this has happened without warning. I am at the point where I am not allowed to change my password, and I am directed to call 800-288-2020. I hope there is a recovery possibility. Thank you for reaching out.

🤦‍♂️ It was a joke, geez.

You want help but then you just ignored my questions that might shed light on any  possible remedies.

I am no longer able to go through the "Forgot Password" Option. Prior to this, I was asked security questions for which I had forgotten the answers. I somehow found the 800 number and customer service would give me a temp password that would give me access to change my password. But over time, I would get bumped off, over and over. At this point, my only option is to call the 800 number where they keep telling me my password doesn't work. But while telling me she was sending me a temp password (the email was working on my cell, just not on my laptop), my email just stopped, even though I was still receiving emails from others. So, I don't think she was really sending me a temp password anyway. That customer service agent actually just disconnected me after that happened. That's when I turned to this forum. This seems a little convoluted to me, but I hope you understand it.

Nope, not convoluted, it's a common story in here these days, unfortunately. 

As of 9/1 AT&T stopped giving out temp passwords to callers who can't authenticate their ownership of the email account.  Giving them out was a terrible idea both from a security and a privacy standpoint, especially in light of the attacks that are currently plaguing those accounts and I guess someone there finally figured that out.

Barring you coming up with something that they can use to authenticate you (old AT&T account number?) I'm afraid what you have now is all there is.  The mobile app doesn't use the same login method so it isn't affected, for now.  If you log out of the app or replace the phone, you're going to be completely dead in the water.

I'm going to look for the old account number. I used SBC at my last place in Illinois. Would that cover an ATT account? They switched every couple of years to new business structures. We did not have ATT buildout where I lived in Naperville. As I said, the customer service agent cut off my email from my cell while she was on the phone with me yesterday.  I know they know I am giving them the correct info...they have my phone number to verify the account.