* Gmail Fail: Account Lockdown: Unusual Activity Detected

Gmail locks me out daily for READING my mail too quickly.

Gmail locks me out of my email every day for reading my email too quickly. And I am using the paid Google Apps version of email!

Here’s how it happens. I use a service that send me lots of email every day. Sort of like Google Alerts. I quickly read that email and scan it for stuff I care about. Like clockwork, I get locked out of my account after a few dozen messages. This bug is completely repeatable. Today, I got locked out twice: the first time out on message 23, the second time on message 35.

The error message:

Account Lockdown: Unusual Activity Detected

This account has been locked down due to unusual account activity. It may take up to 24 hours for you to regain access.

Unusual account activity includes, but is not limited to:

1. Receiving, deleting, or downloading large amounts of mail via POP in a short period of time.

2. Sending a large number of undeliverable messages (messages that bounce back).

3. Using file-sharing or file-storage software, browser extensions, or third party software that automatically logs in to your account.

4. Leaving multiple instances of your Gmail account open.

5. Browser-related issues. Please note that if you find your browser continually reloading while attempting to access your Inbox, it’s probably a browser issue, and it may be necessary to clear your browser’s cache and cookies.

If you feel that you have been using your Gmail account according to the Gmail Terms of Use, you can troubleshoot your problem by clicking here.

This is complete insanity. I am not doing any of the things in the error message that would justify getting locked out of my paid account. Furthermore, I can “fix” the problem by restarting my browser and logging in to Gmail again.

Dear Google, please fix this problem.