Gmail – Geographically restrict access to Gmail

Is there anything else we can do?

Yes. You can make the email ID more secure by turning on two-step authentication. More details here. It might be a bit bothersome for your girlfriend at first. But it might bother her more if her account gets hacked.

Google is probably using information that it has not specifically requested of you during the password reset process in order to verify your ownership of the account. Specifically, tokens stored on your computer, and your IP address.

I had a similar experience to yours, which initially alarmed me, and tested the above theory by using the Tor browser to perform the reset. This browser redirects a Web session through Tor's own servers in Europe, making your session more anonymous.

The result was a much more aggressive set of questions. The first time I attempted to reset the password, I just blew them off, and hit a brick wall. I tried a second time, and once I had answered the questions somewhat correctly, I was presented with an emailed link to a reset page. When I clicked that link, since I have two-step verification set up, I was presented with a demand for a number provided by the Google Authenticator app on my phone. I provided that number and only then was I allowed to reset the password.

This experience gives me more confidence in the process. Google, while fallible, is not a huge corporate playpen full of idiots. Password security is a critical feature of Google's business, and I'm sure that they have thought long and hard about how best to allow legitimate users who are schleppy enough to lose passwords to get them back without allowing thieves to run off with all the Google accounts.