iPhone 4s contacts randomly erased/disappeared and hotmail email no longer loads
shutterbooger
Newbie

I had the same thing happen to me last night, all of my contacts randomly disappeared.  Here's the breakdown of how it all started:

I happened to toggle thru my open apps.  It was then that I noticed the image on the email app showing an unrecognized name (Mr. J Robertson) and it was showing as a contact in my email app; not as an email or what I normally see under my email.  I thought this was odd, so I opened my email app; when I did this image was no longer visible. I tried searching for the name I saw, and found nothing pulled up.  I then tried to delete some of my emails, and got a message stating that it is unable to delete the messages selected at this time. When I refreshed my emails, I received multiple new email sound alerts coming thru on duplicates of three and four times on emails I had already received.  It wouldn't stop!  I have 5 different email accounts on my email app, the only one acting wonky was my hotmail, so I deleted it, and re-added it back.

Upon doing so, no mail shows up under my hotmail email, and I noticed shortly after that my contacts had disappeared (all but my favorite contacts).  Within minutes my favorites also disappeared, and within a few minutes after that I saw the names of my contacts replaced with the phone numbers on my txt message app.  All of this happened within a 10 minute time frame.

I still have not been able to retrieve emails from my hotmail account, and my contacts are still gone.  I am afraid to connect my phone to my computer to restore my contacts from my last back up on itunes, icloud, or my verizon backup assistant; because it makes me wonder if I have a virus on my phone.

From talking to others in social media and viewing the forums on this verizon site, this doesn't seem to be isolated to just iPhone's or Androids; it seems to be a carrier specific issue with Verizon Wireless.  Just a trend I am noticing.

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Re: iPhone 4s contacts randomly erased/disappeared and hotmail email no longer loads
vzw_customer_support
Customer Service Rep

Hello shutterbooger, a working phone is super important! Let's solve this mystery. Can you please go into Settings and toggle on/off iCloud. Also, you can sign in online with your Apple User ID and Password to see if the contacts are saved via the cloud. For the hotmail application, are you using the stock Email app or are you using the downloaded 3rd party hotmail application?

WiltonA_VZW
VZW Support
Follow us on twitter @VZWSupport

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Re: iPhone 4s contacts randomly erased/disappeared and hotmail email no longer loads
shutterbooger
Newbie

Yes, I already tried toggling on/off iCloud under my settings several times and several days. Each time, this does not resolve the problem.

Yes, I have already checked my iCloud account online on my laptop and can clearly see all my contacts there. I also checked my Verizon Backup Assistant online via my Verizon online account and my contacts are all there. That said, I cant find the instructions on how I can transfer the contacts from either one, back to my iphone 4s. 😕

Since, I posted my problem; by some mysterious reason all my contacts re-appeared completely intact back on my phone with no rhyme or reason. I was happy, since I got them all back on my phone without me doing anything. That said, THIS week it has happened AGAIN! I wasn't on my phone, it was just sitting on the coffee table, and I got a text message from a friend so I picked up the phone only to see all my contacts were gone and their names weren't showing up under the texts/messages app or my recent contact phone log or voicemail anymore. It has been 4 days now, today and they have not re-appeared again like they did last time.

Yes, I tried doing all of the toggle on/off on iCloud again; and I also toggled the on/off on my contacts under all my gmail accounts too, and still nothing.

As for the hotmail, issue.....no I am not using a 3rd party hotmail app (never have). Up until my most recent software update, I was using the "Outlook" option given when under "Settings->Mail,Contacts, Calendars-->Add Account". However, since the update when I use this option, it doesn't "pull/sync" my emails to my phone. I instead use the "Other" option now, and that fixed the email issue. So I have come to my own conclusion that the email issue, was unrelated to the My Contacts issue, discussed above.

Korina

"If you think education is expensive, try ignorance." - Derek Bok

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Re: iPhone 4s contacts randomly erased/disappeared and hotmail email no longer loads
CoryStu
Newbie

The EXACT same thing is happening to me. I'm on my fourth or fifth time and ready to get rid of my phone Smiley Sad. I do not have time to constantly mess with this. My husband never installs the updates and has not had any trouble.

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Re: iPhone 4s contacts randomly erased/disappeared and hotmail email no longer loads
vzw_customer_support
Customer Service Rep

Hello shutterbooger. Thank you for reaching back out to us with this info. That is the best fix to resolve the Hotmail issue, with regards to the problems you were experiencing. For your contacts, that is really odd that it keeps repeating and hasn't reappeared. I recommend going to the App Store, and looking for the Backup Assistant app. This way you can recover your contacts from that service. That should help stop this from occurring again.

Keep us posted!

NicandroN_VZW

Follow us on twitter @VZWSupport

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Re: iPhone 4s contacts randomly erased/disappeared and hotmail email no longer loads
shutterbooger
Newbie

So you are suggesting to remove my backup assistant app from my iPhone and reinstall it?

Sent from my iPhone

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Re: iPhone 4s contacts randomly erased/disappeared and hotmail email no longer loads
lauragayle
Newbie

I'm having the same problem (as in my contacts have disappeared). Nothing related to a specific app. I just went to use the phone a couple of mornings ago and POOF! They had all disappeared!!! I'm also quite frustrated -- this is my only phone. Everything is backed up on my computer and other accounts, but still!!

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Re: iPhone 4s contacts randomly erased/disappeared and hotmail email no longer loads
shutterbooger
Newbie

Well I discovered today that my Notes have also been mysteriously erased!! I am so tired of this crap. 😕

Sent from my iPhone

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Re: iPhone 4s contacts randomly erased/disappeared and hotmail email no longer loads
vzw_customer_support
Customer Service Rep

Hi CoryStu,

We can always help! What issue happened to your device? Send details.

Thanks,
PamelaF_VZW
Tweet us @vzwsupport

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Re: iPhone 4s contacts randomly erased/disappeared and hotmail email no longer loads
CoryStu
Newbie

This is probably the fourth or fifth time this has happened. I will have

just used my phone, sit it down, walk across the room or something. I get a

call or text or pick up my phone to make a call or text and there are no

names. Sometimes it comes back in a day or two but so far not this time.

The names I have now are from probably 6 years ago when my daughter was in

junior high and we lived in a different town. I haven't had some of these

names forever. This also has happened before. I had to call in and they

helped me with icloud. I've been trying to do the icloud thing online again

but it won't let me. It keeps telling me I have done it in the last 24

hours. But when I did it, it doesn't change anything. The icloud names are

correct but my phone is wrong. I have tried looking someone up to call or

text and I don't have their number anymore.

Cory Stumeier

(217) 821-8683

corystu1964@gmail.com

On Wed, Jun 11, 2014 at 11:22 AM, Verizon Wireless Customer Support <

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