All my email has disappeared

[#1]

On Tuesday two and a half years of emails vanished. I did not delete them, and apparently neither did Plusnet. They have yet to tell me where they are. They also told me that it must have been Apple as I use mac mail. I spoke to them but of course it can't be Apple. Plusnet are saying that they don't have them and I was told by one ' manager' that they don't keep IMAP emails, which is obviously wrong as how would we access them if they don't have them. I am self employed and all my correspondence is via email. It is a total disaster for me. It seems like more than a coincidence that they have been working on the 'email platform' the day my emails disappeared. 

[#2]

you mean that you don't keep off line copies as a backup - have you checked with the local copies kept by macmail

[#3]

This Tuesday just gone or the Tuesday prior?

It was the Tuesday prior when the main storage maintenance took place. I can't think of anything since then that would have resulted in the loss of any email.

What strikes me as odd though, is that fact that your entire folder hierarchy seems to be missing. I'll see if I can get somebody to take a look but this would be the first example of this I've come across.

[#4]

Thanks Bob for replying. There were about 80 left, a couple per month really. 

[#5]

Hi Oldjim, when you say local copies what do you mean? 

[#6]

Oh and it was this Tuesday just gone

[#7]

even though you use IMAP doesn't MacMail download a copy onto your devices and retain it unless deleted

[#8]

I must admit that I've never used a Mac, but Outlook, Outlook Express, Windows Mail, Windows Live Mail, Mozilla Thunderbird etc. have all given me the option of leaving a copy on the server.  Is it possible that your MacMail has had this option unticked (during an update for example)?

[#9]

"leaving the mail on the server" option is only applicable to a POP3 client configuration.

This is IMAP wherein email is always retained on the server and is synchronised with the email device(s)' local folders.  If the mail disappears from the server, it gets removed from all devices synch'd with that email address.  That's why @Oldjim's words are so wise - it is not wise to depend on your ISP for securing your emails - archiving locally is a sound precaution against loss.

@Woody1 - have you confirmed that this is not a case of an over full email store having been archived by PN?

[#10]

Hi, thank you yes I am learning fast and will make sure it's backed up. Yes I did check with Plusnet that they didn't delete it, they say they didn't.