What to do if…
you receive a notice that an online account will be deleted soon for inactivity

What to do now

1. Open the service safely.
   Close the message. Open a fresh browser window or the official app, then type the service address yourself or use a bookmark you already trust.

2. Check whether the warning is real inside the account.
   After signing in safely, look in account settings, security notices, account status, inactivity, closure, deactivation, data retention, or billing messages. If there is no matching warning inside the account, treat the message as suspicious.

3. Save the deletion deadline and account details.
   Take a screenshot of the warning inside the real account, if there is one. Note the account email or username, the stated deadline, and the data or services you may lose.

4. Export or download important data before doing anything else.
   Look for options such as export, download your data, transfer your data, archive, backup, or privacy dashboard. Prioritise photos, messages, contacts, documents, notes, receipts, licences, subscriptions, and purchase history. Save the export in two places, such as your computer and an external drive, or two separate cloud accounts.

5. If you want to keep the account, follow the provider’s own inactivity instruction.
   The safest activity is usually signing in through the real site or app and completing any official “keep account active” prompt shown there. If there is no specific prompt, a small normal action may help, such as opening the inbox, opening a stored file, or using a core feature briefly, but this varies by provider.

6. Check the recovery routes while you still have access.

   • Make sure the recovery email and phone number are yours and still work.
   • Turn on two-step verification if available.
   • Review recent sign-ins, connected devices, and active sessions.
   • Sign out of devices or sessions you do not recognise.

7. If you cannot sign in, use only official recovery routes.

   • Use the provider’s “forgot password” or “can’t sign in” page from the real site or app.
   • Keep screenshots of error codes, the warning, and the deadline.
   • Avoid support phone numbers or live chats found in the warning message, search adverts, or social media replies.

8. If this is a work, school, or organisation account, contact the administrator today.
   Send the account address, the deletion deadline, and a short list of what data is at risk. Organisation accounts can have separate retention rules, and only an administrator may be able to stop closure.

9. If the message looks like a scam, report it and contain the risk.

   • Forward suspicious emails to report@phishing.gov.uk.
   • Forward suspicious texts to 7726.
   • Mark the message as phishing or spam in your email app.
   • If you entered a password or code, go to the real site or app, change the password, turn on two-step verification, and review recent sign-ins.
   • If money was taken, an account was taken over, or you experienced fraud or cyber crime in England, Wales, or Northern Ireland, report it to Report Fraud. If you are in Scotland, contact Police Scotland on 101.