If you logged into your Gmail account to find your inbox empty, you’re not alone.
More than 100,000 users of Google Inc.’s email service had their accounts accidentally deleted, including all records of sent and received messages.
Google says it began investigating reports of problems Sunday after users complained that emails, folders and contact lists going back years had completely disappeared, as if their accounts had been reset.
Some reports said users who were able to access their accounts received welcome messages of the type Google sends to new users.
As of Monday morning, Google said it is continuing to investigate the problem. It is not known when full service for affected users will be restored.
In a series of messages posted via its App Status Dashboard, Google said Sunday it was working to restore full access, but cautioned that affected users may be unable to log in to their accounts while fixes were ongoing.
“Google Mail service has already been restored for some users, and we expect a resolution for all users in the near future,” the website said.
“Please note this time frame is an estimate and may change. This issue affects less than 0.08% of the Google Mail userbase. Google engineers are working to restore full access. Affected users may be temporarily unable to sign in while we repair their accounts.”
Gmail boasts more than 170 million users worldwide. It is estimated that about 150,000 of those account holders have been affected by the current glitch.
