Support AI keeps disconnecting without making support ticket for Data Protection Team

Question

We can't log in with our global admin account because a previous employee is tied to the MFA (authenticator app). I have followed the instructions on pages like this one(and others): https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/answers/questions/5407172/locked-out-due-to-2fa-no-backup-access-cannot-reac?forum=msoffice-all&referrer=answers

Logging into our other domain and trying the support chat there only said I had to call and file a ticket for the Data Protection team. So...

I called the published support number for the U.S. (800.865.9408) 3 times. It's a nightmare getting it to correctly obtain the domain, admin email, my name, phone number, and email but I did it. Restated the problem multiple times and EVERY FREAKING TIME it says "let's take care of this" and then disconnects. Come on, Microsoft, do better. How do I get a ticket submitted? There must be a non-AI way to do it.

Answer 1

Hi Jennifer,

Greatly appreciate your response.

Since you mentioned that you tried the trial tenant path already, I have reviewed the information carefully and recognized that you have already had another domain. Therefore, you should be able to follow the steps in my initial post to create a support ticket with Microsoft.

However, when you said it told you to call, I suspect that you are likely chatting with an AI Support Assistance inside the Admin Center Help & Support. It will provide an automated suggestion that guide you to use phone call as that's the primary method to reach out to Data Protection team.

To confirm my assumption is correct, may I ask whether the interface when you select the Help & Support option is like this:

If it's correct, you need to toggle the button in the top right to turn off the "Support Assistant" feature. The, use the keyword "Support" to quickly bypass automated suggestions > select Contact Support > choose a contact method. Then you will be able to describe your situation in the ticket subscription and send Support Ticket to Microsoft. Please also change the title so the ticket will be routed correctly to the Data Protection Team, for example "Recover sole Microsoft 365 Administrator account"

Answer 2

Hi Jennifer,

Good day and I’m sorry to hear about the difficulties you’re experiencing.

Since you have tried several times but still cannot reach out to the Data Protection team via phone, there is still a workaround that you might consider registering for a new tenant by signing up for a trial subscription. Once set up, you can access the admin console of the new tenant and submit a support ticket requesting to speak with the Data Protection team on behalf of your previous tenant. 

To set up a new tenant, please follow these steps: 

• Visit Microsoft 365 Business Plans and Pricing | Microsoft 365. This would allow you to create a new tenant following the prompts provided.
• Follow the guided setup process to create a new account for a new tenant. 
• Once your tenant is created, you should be able to access the support portal and submit your ticket referencing your locked account without further issues. 
• To create a Support ticket: sign into Microsoft 365 Admin Center > Support > Help & Support. 

In your ticket description, you'll need to clearly explain that you're trying to regain access to your previous Microsoft 365 tenant and need help from the Data Protection team. Here's a message you can use or adapt: 

"Hello, I’m currently unable to access my previous Microsoft 365 tenant due to losing MFA access, which prevents me from receiving verification codes. I’m the global admin, but I’m locked out and unable to generate a QR code or bypass MFA. 

I created this new tenant solely to request assistance. I kindly ask to be connected with the Data Protection team to verify my identity and help me recover access to the original tenant. 

This is urgent, as I rely on Microsoft 365 for my work and have been unable to operate for several days. I’m available to provide any documentation or verification needed to support the recovery process." 

When you successfully contact the Data Protection team, you will need to provide the information associated with your subscription, such as your company name, billing details, phone number, and an alternate email address, etc. This information allows the Data Protection team to verify your identity and securely assist you in regaining access to your administrator account.

Please remember to cancel the trial subscription after your issue is resolved, as this will help you avoid any accidental billing. You may prefer the following resource for detailed instructions: Cancel your Microsoft business subscription in the Microsoft 365 admin center | Microsoft Learn 

I hope this helps you regain access to your account quickly. I'm glad to assist and truly hope the information provided has been useful. Please feel free to reach out anytime if you need further assistance. 

Thank you for your kindness and contributions to the forum. 

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