Help! Dropbox files completely gone after disconnecting from joint account

[H_F92]

Hi, hoping someone can help. I recently linked my Dropbox to a client's account in order to more easily view/share files. I chose the option to merge my Dropbox with the client's, which meant that I was essentially using their Dropbox both to save off the files I was working on with them + other job-related or personal files, which the platform reassured me would be put into my own personal, private folders. I could see from the icon that these files which didn't relate to the client were visible to just me and no-one else (or at least assumed!!).

When I finished my work with that client, they deleted my account from their Dropbox in order to give it to someone else. I assumed that this would mean that I would revert to having my personal Dropbox account with the files I had not been sharing with the client. However, it appears to have deleted my entire personal account too! I can no longer access any DB file from my PC - from the desktop app, it was listing the account as '[Client]'s Dropbox', so I uninstalled and reinstalled it. I also tried logging into my personal DB online but it said it had been deleted and that I'd have to re-register. When I did, it is basically a completely new account and none of my files are there. I also cannot restore files using any of the usual channnels.

Has anyone had this issue before? It seems like quite a fundamental flaw that the app offers the option to merge with another Dropbox account, but then deletes everything the moment you disconnect from it... help on how to resolve this would be much appreciated!!

[Mark]

Hi @H_F92 

Unfortunately your assumption at the very start was incorrect - when you merged into there Dropbox you did exactly that, you became part of the Business and they own your account. What you actually saw was your own folders, in their account, but not shared. 

You need to ask the business to restore it via https://help.dropbox.com/account-access/restore-deleted-users and then ask them to remove you from the Team NOT delete it. There is a very short time window where this can happen so you need to get them to do it quickly. 

[Pam Kenyon]

Where are the files linked to that account that has been disconnected? I can see how to restore deleted user files, but there is no option to restore the disconnected user? Where are their personal files that were in the dropbox before they were disconnected? How do they access or how can i restore them so that they can copy them and remove them?

[Jay]

Hi @Pam Kenyon, if you want to restore a deleted member from the Dropbox Business team, if you're the team admin, and it's within 7 days of the deletion, you can follow these steps to recover their account.

Afterwards, you can convert their account to a personal account away from the team.

[Pam Kenyon]

The member isn't showing as deleted, they are showing as disconnected and so there is no option to restore. If the member was transferred to a personal account will there files all show there? 

[Megan]

Hi @Pam Kenyon, sorry to jump in there! 

Keep in mind that disconnected members are those users that have had their Dropbox account converted from the Business to a personal account away from the team.

And yes, if you transferred their files to a different member, the content should be available there. 

[ericweathersart]

I came home to find my account is completely missing. 5+ years of files are gone and it's as if my account never existed.

It was a part of a business account which they had removed me from outside of my knowledge, but everything in my personal folder is gone. Again, like it never existed in the first place.

[Mark]

Hi @ericweathersart 

If you were part of a business account they 'owned' everything in it and as such when they remove you they delete everything. 

The only way to fix that is ask the business admin to restore the account and then remove you from the business plan. However, that has to be done with 7 days or the data could be irreversibly lost.