If someone tries to create a portal account using an email address that already has an an account, they just get an error message that says "invalid email or password". Multiple times per week, potential applicants email us to ask for help setting up their account with a screenshot like the one attached. If they could get an error message that says "this email address has an account" or something similar, they could then reset their password and log in, rather than waiting for us to reset it.
I have these requests too, and I always tell the applicant to just click "Forgot Password" and see if that resets their account.
Yes, this is so time consuming when the error message could just clearly say that there is already an account associated with that email and make it easier on our applicants and us.