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Google Gmail Forum Discussions related to Google's Gmail service should go here: suggestions, tips, comments, requests for help, tech issues etc. |
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12 Jun 2021, 10:28 PM | #1 |
Cornerstone of the Community
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: UK (East Anglia)
Posts: 737
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Someone else's mail coming to my address
For several years I have held a Gmail account in the format 'forenamesurname@gmail.com' Recently, I have received a few emails in the format 'forename.surname@gmail.com' in confirmation of signing up to various mundane online services. I have not signed up to them.
There don't appear to be any ulterior motives - no dodgy links, requests for money, threats or inducements. They just look like genuine emails coming to a mistaken address and belonging to someone with the same name as me. Should I be worried? Is there anything I should do about it? |
13 Jun 2021, 05:55 AM | #2 |
The "e" in e-mail
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Holon, Israel.
Posts: 4,837
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If it's not highly unlikely that anyone else would have the same first name and last name as yours' I guess there's nothing to worry about and not much you can do. Of course identity theft happens, but in most cases you need a lot more than just the same name and email address, and someone engaged in identity theft would not alert you by using your email address.
I have some old addresses in gmail and hotmail based on my last name and initial (like my username here) and over time I received quite a lot of mail belonging to to other people that used my addresses to sign up for services. I got lots of bills belonging to other people: cellphone, cable tv, parking. I also received once a detailed psychological evaluation of someone else's child. I also had two different people sign up to twitter and also to some forums with my email address, and then setup alerts for everything that happens there. In these two cases I tried to stop the alerts by unsubscribing' but the subscriptions were renewed. So eventually I had to request a password reset and take over the account (and remove all other means of accessing the account), and that stopped the nuisance. |
13 Jun 2021, 06:25 PM | #3 |
Essential Contributor
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Canada
Posts: 227
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Fenman,
People enter incorrect email addresses frequently. I have done it a few times because of spelling correction. Of the misdirected email I receive, once I managed to get the sender to remove me from the mailing list. Rarely is it necessary to get into the account to close it. I got someone receipts from a ride hailing service about 10 time zones away from me. Nothing more than a nuisance. |
13 Jun 2021, 06:35 PM | #4 |
Cornerstone of the Community
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: UK (East Anglia)
Posts: 737
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Thanks for the reassurance hadaso and GeraldR.
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14 Jun 2021, 02:57 AM | #5 |
Master of the @
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: USA
Posts: 1,871
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Someone probably has the wrong address....
I did that once by mistake and someone actually replied back and said I had the wrong address..... I said I was sorry......... |
14 Jun 2021, 03:01 AM | #6 | |
Cornerstone of the Community
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: UK (East Anglia)
Posts: 737
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Quote:
You'd think, though, that if someone is signing up for an access key to a paid-for service they'd double check. |
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14 Jun 2021, 08:53 PM | #7 |
Master of the @
Join Date: Feb 2017
Location: USA
Posts: 1,722
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You have to be careful though--could be a phishing expedition to see if someone actually has that address and then they try to engage you in some sort of activity that could potentially reveal your password. I received something like that the other day where it was sent to me telling me that my login for a service was expiring and that I needed to update my password, only it was a fake email. It looked pretty legitimate too, but I am pretty paranoid about these things so dug deeper.
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14 Jun 2021, 10:43 PM | #8 |
Member
Join Date: Apr 2007
Posts: 72
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Doesn't Gmail ignore dots in the email address prefixes? At least that was the case some time ago.
If so, nobody should have been able to register the address with the dot. |
15 Jun 2021, 05:11 AM | #9 |
Master of the @
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: USA
Posts: 1,871
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I notice alot now people just arent getting any emails!!
Ya wonder where they are going?? -- It doesnt bounce back as invalid,they just dont get them!!! Sadly email is going to crap and its sad..... |
16 Jun 2021, 06:18 PM | #10 |
Junior Member
Join Date: Jun 2021
Posts: 3
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Fenman
dude some emails are fake for they try to make you feel confort with them
a lot times i was recevie mails from a lot similar of mine or other companies (they said i must paid or i was earn money from one family member dead) PLS be CareFul try to ignore email you didn't know #STAYSAFE |