How to delete your Yahoo email account after secret monitoring revelations – all you need to know
Yahoo has been plagued with a number of damaging cyber attacks in recent times
YAHOO has been plagued with a number of damaging cyber attacks in recent times - including two major data breaches and a potentially huge hack.
Two Russian intelligence agents and two hackers have been charged in the United States with masterminding the 2014 theft of 500 million Yahoo accounts.
It also emerged in October last year that the tech giant created a tool for the US government to scan through people’s private messages.
The company had worked with either the FBI or the National Security Agency to allow spooks unhindered access to Yahoo email databases, Reuters reported.
Even messages from people using other email providers such as Gmail or Hotmail could have been secretly read by government agents.
It has lead to a backlash in the tech world, with leading voices calling for Yahoo users to shut down their email accounts and move to a different service.
It's prompted users to consider scrapping their accounts with the company.
How do I delete my Yahoo account?
1. Sign in to your Yahoo! account
If you forgot your password, follow the steps to get a new one.
2. Click the 'Account Termination' link
To get to this, click the 'Help' link at the bottom-right corner of the page.
Then click on 'My Account' at the bottom of that help page.
Select ‘Register or delete account’, then click ‘closing your Yahoo account’ and click into the ‘account termination’ link in the middle of the page.
3. Enter your login information again
You’ll need to enter your login details again. This helps prevent accounts from being deleted if they’re left open somewhere.
4. Account notification termination
Deleting your Yahoo account will not allow you access to all Yahoo services including Yahoo Mail, Flickr, contacts and more.
Unsubscribe from any paid services before deleting your account otherwise you could still be charged.
5. Enter your password
In order to confirm deletion, you will need to enter your password again
You will also need to fill out the CAPTCHA to prove you’re a human. Click 'yes' to delete the account.
Your account details will be saved by Yahoo! for about 90 days but your deletion process is not reversible.
