ALL eBay messages deleted after changing my ID (only)

[netspin]

240803
The cardinal sin in digi-world: loss of one's data.
(circa: July 15, 2024 - Aug. 2, 2024)
The "DEFECT" (as I believe it is) has to do with the eBay MESSAGING function. I had had several effective and valuable exchanges with 3 eBay sellers. These had been the first time I had ever used the eBay messaging service. Then I noticed an "iget_44" on every message. What was that? It was only that I've had thousands of Internet experiences over my 24 years that I learned the importance to understand every link on a frequented webpage that I realized "iget_44" was ME and wondered how it got there! I did NOT CREATE that eBay ID! I set about changing it to an ID that I preferred. A facility that eBay provides. (this was not a hack job). When I launched the messaging feature under my changed (only) name EVERY MESSAGE WAS GONE!
The Inbox noted a purchase I made over 5 years ago but could not provide any information because it had "aged". So apparently I am recognized.
REQUEST
1. Restore my messages and,
2. Explain how this loss of data occurred and,
3. How it can be avoided in the future.
Thanks

[eburtonlab]

@netspin 

Are you certain you actually changed your username? There is no indication that your username has been changed within the last thirty days; that is usually indicated by an icon on your feedback page.

Is it possible that rather than changing your username, you have simply signed in to a different eBay account? This account appears to have been registered in 2001, has never left any feedback, and has a feedback number of 2, though only one feedback comment from over five years ago is visible.

Try signing out of this account and signing back in using your previous username.