Nightmare with rediffmail.com. Review on RediffMail

I am writing this review not only to express my opinion about the service but also to warn all others that they might have lost important email without knowing about it!

I am using rediffmail for the past more than a decade or so. I like rediffmail for its speed of loading even if we use the age old bsnl landline dial up connection. But the shock of using the email came to be known only very recently. I will explain below.

I have several folders in my email and I have organised my email in these folders since it was more sensible and that much easier for locating the email I wanted.(I think you will agree that the search email facility is too primitive and takes a very long time). When ever I wanted to see the sent mail, I was clicking on the folders link and I was able to see all the folders. I never knew that the emails supposed to be in that folders are truncated until I clicked on an old email and I got to see the following message:

From:   Unknown Sender| Add to Address Book|This is spamTo:  Subject:   No SubjectDate:  Thu, 01 Jan 1970 05:30:00 IST

Notice the date: It is 01-01-1970. I think rediff.com did not exist at that point in time and internet was perhaps unheard of then. It is a different story that I was a toddler in that year!

When the "show full headers" hyperlink is clicked, this is what I get to see on the screen:

Email HeadersWe are unable to process your request right now. Please try later.   Copyright © 2011 Rediff.com India Limited. All rights reserved.

Disclaimer| Privacy Policy

I do not know what does that mean.

The emails also show the size of the attachments but they are not accessible.

I contacted them for support and they asked me to send details relevant when you lost access to your account needs restoring! On being indormed about, they asked me to send screen shots and the period for which the emails have been truncated. I have sent them immediately. Now hold your breath. There is no response again despite reminding 3-4 times.

I therefore suggest all rediff users to be aware of this problem. If you are lucky and able to access your email correctly. you may consider forwarding those emails that you consider as important to some other account such as gmail.com. I think there is no fun in being sorry after the damage is done. And if you have time patience, write to customtakeoutersupport@rediff.co.in, quoting Rediff=011-570-503 and enquire about its status. Perhaps a few emails from fellow members like me can make them to act!