I know this is a long shot but...

Has anyone been successful with an ACCOUNT recovery?

i've attempted over the years to try and log back into my account but unsuccessfully each time.
I don't even receive an email from them confirming/denying recovery.

any reccomendations on how to actually recover it?

Yes, several times.

1) Have access to the email you created the account with and submit the ticket using THAT email address. If you don't, there is no chance you will get it back.

2) Submit a recovery ticket and provide as much extra info as possible with the ticket. NC purchases, items in inventory/shop/SDB/Gallery, pet names and colors, anything.

3) They do account purges. If it's been a really long time, it's possible your account cannot be recovered.

Good luck!

Not true, I managed to get mine back without access to the original email or the name on the account even being mine.

I listed off about 400 items that were in the SDB and where I was geographically when I made the account and that was good enough for them.

I would say that is highly unusual and improbable. I've been through the process probably a dozen times over the last 15+ years and I have always been asked for extensive additional information, whether it's access to the original email, recent NC purchases, amount in bank, etc. I don't know anyone with a different name, email, etc. just being able to rattle off SDB item lists and getting an account back. The OP shouldn't expect to either.

I sent them many emails over 2 years. It was an annoying process, but it happened. Just keep at it, I also gave them old passwords the account used to use.