Years ago, I posted, here or elsewhere, about people who didn't know their own email address(es). They'd sign up for dating sites, bank accounts, cellphone service, charge accounts, real estate listings, etc. and I would get the email confirmations. I'm a proud early gmail user, with a simple email addy. I can understand how someone can mistake their longer, more complicated addy for mine (yeah, sure). But really, it's starting to get ridiculous.
Among the mistaken emails I've gotten over the years was an apology from a woman who kept trying to change my password because she thought the account was her uncle's (no doubt a Sheldon "Shelly" S). Then there was the woman who emailed to tell me the guy she'd told me about was interested and should she forward my addy to him. When I replied that my husband might not like that, she was properly embarrassed and answered that she was glad she checked first. I had no idea what the right addies were, but I didn't much care. I'd spent enough time getting into accounts and changing or removing my addy from the not-my accounts, or, better, canceling them.
For a long while, I'd had a bit of a respite. Then this year, the airline reservation emails started, for someone in Puerto Rico traveling in a group to Florida and back. Unable to get into the account to remove my email addy, I sent all the emails to spam. Then came a second airline's email and that did allow me into the account, no password required when clicking through the link in the email, and I removed my addy, but not before toying with the idea of changing the seat location, or even canceling the flight! No, I didn't but I sure was tempted. ;)
Tonight, I got an email for a woman ordering DISH service. In Iowa. I have her full name, address, phone number, and DISH account number. What I don't have is her actual email address to forward the email. So I Googled her. And bless Ms. Shelly (apparently, short for Michelle) Skel...'s heart, she has a Google+ account and a YouTube account, but still, I cannot get her email addy. I even read a bit about her in an article and on a Yahoo! group. I found her Facebook account, too, but she's careful about who can see what. And I'm not paying one of the many online search sites to look up her email addy, which they might or might not be able to find. So, Ms. Shelly Skel... (I can't quite bring myself to fully identify her publicly), wife of Mike, of Iowa, please learn your damn email addy and use it when you sign up for things. Many thanks.
Ditto all of the above, except because my email is a well-known chapter of the Old Testament I get absolutely LOADS of prayer requests, church newsletters, and other religious-based email. But yeah, I do also get Redbox notices, resume acceptance letters (today, in fact), Paypal and bank statements, and creepy quasi-religious mash letters from married men looking for love.
ReplyDeleteI occasionally remove the names and post them on my blog. In fact, there may be another one of those posts coming. Thanks for the reminder. ;-)
LOL. Sometimes, I'm not sure I'm seeing spam or real though mistake emails in my In Box. Back when I was getting the past due notices for cellphone service, I actually went back and forth with them on email, and finally called. I couldn't believe they can only look someone up by name, which I didn't have, and had no way to check the email. So I told them the notices would from then on go to my spam folder.
DeleteMy dopplegangers have signed my email up for various online publications, including a tattoo magazine, and a Classmates account. All of which now go to spam.
I'm mostly amazed at the poor security of some of these sites, that they email the password and other private info before confirming the addy.
Sure sounds like it. :)
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