Bad Service - Microsoft Hotmail

This one really boils my blood and I know there are many who can relate!

Some years ago Microsoft Hotmail decided to change how users access multiple email accounts.  For those with multiple accounts, who could jump from one account to the next using the one login and password, Microsoft decided they would change that policy "for security reasons".  Instead users had to logout of each email account and re-login to their other email accounts.

How this makes multiple email accounts more 'secure' is anyone's guess and just aggravated Microsoft users.

Add to that: Micrsoft Hotmail since decided to add extra security to your Hotmail accounts by requesting (and making it almost impossible to avoid giving) your mobile number or email address (this was introduced around 2 years ago).  They do this by requiring you get an access code from them which can only be sent to either your mobile phone or another email address.  There are ways to access your account without this verification code.

However I decided I would delete my account instead, because I don't want to give them my mobile number or another email account (too bad if a person only had the one Hotmail/email account) only to find deleting an account, in itself, is near impossible due to Microsoft and their stupid security code system.

"To close your Hotmail email account, visit account.microsoft.com and login with the Hotmail account you want to delete. Click the Security & privacy tab, and then click the More security settings link. Scroll down and click Close my account, then follow the prompts to delete your Hotmail account."

Here's what happened.

1) When I click on 'more security settings' I'm told I cannot access that page without a security code so, in desperation, I decided to get a disposable phone number, give that to Microsoft in order to get a 4-digit code text to me.

2) When I entered this code I received a message saying I'm locked out of my Microsoft account for 30 days.

3) Thirty days later I try and gain access to my Microsoft Hotmail account using my previous 4-digit code only to be prompted for a 7-digit code.  Where this 7-digit code is meant to come from I've no idea, so I say I don't have the code and am prompted to give them my mobile number so they can send me another code.

4) I'm given another 4-digit code which I enter only to be told I'm in another 30 day lock-out of my account!!!!!!

This is an absolute joke and from a business perspective I can't understand firstly how Microsoft are allowed to get away with this type of extortion and secondly how they're still operating!  Surely vast numbers of people have either closed or stopped using their Hotmail accounts.  Complaints about this code system flood the internet and yet Microsoft do nothing and refuse to undo this new security setup.

I can't believe how hard they're made it for users to access their accounts.

Have you experienced this Microsoft lock-out and ridiculous security code system?  Tell us about it!