My GitHub account was suspended — looking for guidance on the proper recovery process

[lil-ichi]

🏷️ Discussion Type

Question

💬 Feature/Topic Area

Other

Body

Hi everyone,

My Main GitHub account, @itsrasoul, was recently suspended, and I'm trying to understand what may have caused the restriction and how I can properly recover access.

I am the legitimate owner of the account and have not intentionally violated GitHub's Terms of Service or engaged in any malicious activity.

Before the suspension, there may have been unusual login activity involving a VPN, a change in network/location, or another security-related event. I'm wondering whether this type of activity can trigger a security restriction.

The main issue I'm facing now is that I cannot complete the phone-number verification required to contact GitHub Support. Because I cannot pass this verification step, I'm currently unable to properly submit or pursue my account restriction issue through the normal Support process.

I understand that the GitHub Community cannot directly reinstate suspended accounts or escalate individual Support tickets. I'm therefore not asking the Community to reinstate my account.

I'm mainly hoping someone can advise me on the correct process when:

• A GitHub account is suspended;
• The account owner cannot complete the phone-number verification required to contact Support; and
• The owner needs another way to request a manual review or verify account ownership.

If anyone has experienced a similar situation, I would really appreciate any advice on how to proceed or whether there is an alternative way to contact GitHub Support without completing the phone verification.

Thank you for any guidance.

[antoniovasssss]

1. Submit a Support Ticket via Direct Contact Form

• Access the official https://support.github.com/contact-next
• Logged-Out/Incognito Mode: If the system forces you to log in or demands phone verification, open an Incognito/Private browser window and navigate to the support form directly.
• Select Account/Login issues or Reinstatement Request as the topic.

2. What to Include in Your Appeal (When submitting your ticket, provide clear details to help the GitHub Trust & Safety team verify ownership manually)

• Account Username & Email: State your main account handle (@itsrasoul) and the exact email address registered to it.
• Context on Location/Network Changes: Mention any recent VPN usage, IP changes, or travel that occurred right before the suspension, as automated security algorithms often flag rapid location shifts as potential account compromises.
• Phone Verification Barrier: Explicitly state that you are unable to complete SMS/phone verification due to delivery errors or missing verification codes.
• Identity Verification Offer: Offer to provide proof of identity (e.g., matching email confirmation, GPG/SSH key details, or transaction receipts if you held a paid subscription).

3. Next Steps & Timeline

• Check Email Confirmation: After submitting, check your email inbox (including Spam/Junk) for an automated ticket confirmation number.
• Avoid Duplicate Tickets: Submitting multiple tickets for the same issue can reset your queue position or trigger automated spam filters. Wait for a support agent to respond to your initial ticket.

[lil-ichi]

Thank you so much