Introduction
This article describes errors you might receive when sending and receiving email using VT Gmail due to internal standards (a.k.a. compliance rules) that Virginia Tech has put into place to be compliant with our Google license or that require you to use Virginia Tech specific procedures to restore service. The errors described below are not intended to describe general reasons you may be experiencing trouble sending and receiving email.
Explanation
Table of Contents
Messages bounce when sending to a recipient using VT Gmail
Potential cause: The recipient is over limit on their quota
When you send from Exchange Online, you will get a bounce from the service saying, "Security or Policy settings at vt.edu have rejected your message". This message could mean a variety of issues, but if you scroll down, you will also see, if it is due to a recipient's mailbox being full, "User is over their Google storage limit. They must reduce storage before they can send/receive emails.".
What can you do?
You cannot send an email to them using their vt.edu Gmail account until the reduce their storage.
Messages bounce when sending or receiving email in VT Gmail
Messages will bounce for several reasons. In these cases, you may receive a message from Mail Delivery Subsystem <mailer-daemon@googlemail.com>. The subject and response may change depending on the reason for the bounce.
Potential cause: You are over your storage quota as an alum or retiree with a retiree date on or before June 1, 2023
When you send, you will get a bounce from, Mail Delivery Subsystem <mailer-daemon@googlemail.com>, with subject, “Delivery Status Notification (Failure)”, and the original message attached. In the body of the bounce, there will be this content:
The response was:
Your Gmail sending abilities are currently blocked. You will need to delete some messages to remove this restriction. For more information, visit: https://drive.google.com/settings/storage
The bounced email will look like this:
Also, anyone trying to send to your blocked account will get a bounced return message, also from, “Mail Delivery Subsystem <mailer-daemon@googlemail.com>”. It will look a bit different depending on the sender’s email service provider (ex. Yahoo, Gmail, Exchange Online, AOL—they will all have slightly different subjects and email body content/formatting). These people trying to send to your blocked account will find the following message within the body content:
User is over their Google storage limit. They must reduce storage before they can send/receive emails.
Your account has been blocked, and messages are bouncing because you have exceeded your storage quota. Alumni receive 5 gigabytes (GB) of storage and retirees receive 10 GB of total account storage (more information regarding storage and services based on your affiliation can be found at Understanding Storage and Services for Google and Microsoft Based on Constituent Groups).
What can you do?
You must reduce your total storage within your account to below your quota. You are not able to purchase additional storage for your account, we will not provide additional temporary storage, nor can we temporarily lift this block. You can reduce your storage using one or more of the following methods:
- Empty your spam folder (you do not need to empty your Trash folder)
- Delete messages or files
- Delete attachments, but leave the messages there
- Request an account reset
It is important to understand that
- There is a minimum 3-day delay between reducing your storage below quota and Google reporting it to us. Your service will be reinstated once Google confirms you are within quota. Expect to be blocked for several days after reducing storage, as this process is automatic and cannot be expedited.
- Bounced messages may be lost and cannot be retrieved.
To avoid being blocked, keep your storage below your quota. Virginia Tech will send 3 notifications, and Google will also issue warnings as you near your limit. Pay attention to these alerts to maintain your service.
Before deleting messages or files, you can export them using Google Takeout. Note that Google Takeout does not reduce your storage, so you will still need to delete items manually. Be warned, Google Takeout can be slow and problematic, and it is not supported by Virginia Tech (not a core VT Google service). For more instructions and troubleshooting, visit:
Potential cause: You are an employee, student, or retiree with a retiree date after June 1, 2023, and also an alum
If you are an employee or student, or retiree with a retiree date after June 1, 2023, at Virginia Tech, you are required to use Exchange Online for email and calendaring. Even if you have a different affiliation with Virginia Tech that provides the VT Gmail benefit, you are still required to use Exchange Online and cannot forward your mail to VT Gmail. More information about the Virginia Tech Microsoft and Google services can be found at Understanding the Microsoft and Google Services for Virginia Tech and Understanding Storage and Services for Google and Microsoft Based on Constituent Groups.
What can you do?
If this applies to you, you must use Exchange Online. Instructions for accessing Exchange Online can be found at Accessing Your Virginia Tech Exchange Online Account.
Access attempt returns “Account has been disabled”
Potential cause: Google account is suspended by Google due to suspicious activity
In this case, you may have been able to authenticate using your VT Username, password, and two-factor, but then receive, "Account has been disabled".
It is likely that Google has suspended your account due to suspicious activity with the following message, “'User suspended (Google identity alert) - Google detected suspicious activity and suspended the account.'
What can you do?
To reactivate it, please submit a ticket to 4Help, and they will process your account through our Compromised Account workflow. We also strongly advise changing any passwords linked to your vt.edu address.
Potential cause: Your account has become inactive due to disuse
Your account was not accessed in the required number of days and has been disabled as a result. Please see Understanding Alumni's Gmail Service for more information.
What can you do?
To reactivate it, please submit a request at VT Alumni Email Benefit or VT Retiree Email and Storage Benefit, whichever applies.
Potential cause: You are not eligible for service
You must have an active affiliation in order to be eligible for services.
What can you do?
If you believe this is in error, please contact the Registrar (students), HR, or your department.
Potential cause: Your account is going through the Compromised Account workflow
Your account has been identified as being compromised.
What can you do?
Contact 4Help for more information, but this process must be completed before re-enablement.