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Original poster

How did the man in the photo shop know my email address?

30 replies

Aiionwatha · 22/09/2022 15:41

I went to get my baby's passport photo taken in a shop that does various photo services. I didn't book, just walked in.

When I was typing my email address in on the screen (to receive the digital files), I missed a letter off the end of my name. The man (who was evidently from a foreign country and had english as his second language) said I had missed a letter. Now, my name also works as a name without the last letter, but it's less common that way, so I presumed he just guessed that my name was the version with this extra letter.

After my name comes a number in my email address. When typing, I also missed the second digit of said number. The man said "you missed a number - it's 3 isn't it?"

Now, how did he know that the number was 3?!

OP posts:
Original poster
Aiionwatha · 22/09/2022 15:41

FYI I hadn't given ANY personal details prior to this.

OP posts:
ChessieFL · 22/09/2022 15:43

Have you used that shop before? Or used them (or a sister business) online?

LaTangerina · 22/09/2022 15:44

Have you had any photos printed out with them before or through their online app if they have one?

Original poster
Aiionwatha · 22/09/2022 15:45

never ever used the shop before

OP posts:
Original poster
Aiionwatha · 22/09/2022 15:45

never used their website or app before

OP posts:
ChilliBandit · 22/09/2022 15:50

Just to clarify, you walked into a shop as a one off, without booking, and a man you’ve never met before, who had no way of knowing who you were or that you’d be there, somehow knew your email address better than you, who made numerous mistakes when typing it?

Original poster
Aiionwatha · 22/09/2022 15:52

ChilliBandit · 22/09/2022 15:50

Just to clarify, you walked into a shop as a one off, without booking, and a man you’ve never met before, who had no way of knowing who you were or that you’d be there, somehow knew your email address better than you, who made numerous mistakes when typing it?

Well I knew my email address, but as I was typing it I just accidentally missed a letter and a number.

But yes I hadn't booked and I had never met the man before or used the shop before.

OP posts:
Pixiedust1234 · 22/09/2022 15:53

@ChilliBandit its a real mystery isn't it 🤔

ChilliBandit · 22/09/2022 15:55

@Pixiedust1234 well it’s certainly got me stumped 😉

Original poster
Aiionwatha · 22/09/2022 15:55

Only thing I can think of is that he saw my fingers were near that number and letter but that I missed them as I was typing...

OP posts:
Original poster
Aiionwatha · 22/09/2022 15:56

but he'd have to be watching my fingers very closely to spot that

OP posts:
35965a · 22/09/2022 15:57

He’s psychic 🔮

PinkButtercups · 22/09/2022 15:57

Don't be fooled his name is Meg and on the down low our back he goes by Mystic Meg.

PinkButtercups · 22/09/2022 15:57

Out*

Smartish · 22/09/2022 16:50

Why didn’t you ask?!

Original poster
Aiionwatha · 22/09/2022 17:16

Smartish · 22/09/2022 16:50

Why didn’t you ask?!

I actually did ask in a jokey/nervous way "now how did you know that?" but his accent was quite strong and I didn't catch his answer

OP posts:
SnoozyLucy7 · 22/09/2022 17:31

Aiionwatha · 22/09/2022 17:16

I actually did ask in a jokey/nervous way "now how did you know that?" but his accent was quite strong and I didn't catch his answer

Show quote history

Why didn’t you ask him to repeat what he said?

Smartish · 22/09/2022 18:55

Aiionwatha · 22/09/2022 17:16

I actually did ask in a jokey/nervous way "now how did you know that?" but his accent was quite strong and I didn't catch his answer

Show quote history

Well, I've no idea how he knew your details. I'd find it very odd of it happened to me.

AffIt · 22/09/2022 19:04

I work in information systems and, when I was younger, in info sec.

My party trick used to be guessing people's passwords - you'd be astonished at how easy it is (although fortunately it's getting more difficult, thanks to more people using randomly-generated passwords).

Was your email FirstNameLastNameRandomNumber@ (or FirstInitialSurnameRandomNumber@)? If so, the last random number will almost always be 3.

People are very predictable.

Original poster
Aiionwatha · 22/09/2022 19:54

AffIt · 22/09/2022 19:04

I work in information systems and, when I was younger, in info sec.

My party trick used to be guessing people's passwords - you'd be astonished at how easy it is (although fortunately it's getting more difficult, thanks to more people using randomly-generated passwords).

Was your email FirstNameLastNameRandomNumber@ (or FirstInitialSurnameRandomNumber@)? If so, the last random number will almost always be 3.

People are very predictable.

It wasn't actually 3 - I just used that as an example

OP posts:
AffIt · 22/09/2022 20:03

Aiionwatha · 22/09/2022 19:54

It wasn't actually 3 - I just used that as an example

Show quote history

Then it will have been 7 or 9 or 4 or, at the very least, a 1 in 9 chance guess.

(I didn't get it right every time, I'm not Derren Brown!)

But what I say stands - he has given an answer based either on his experience or a chance guess.

Coincidence happens nine times out of ten.

Original poster
Aiionwatha · 22/09/2022 20:12

AffIt · 22/09/2022 20:03

Then it will have been 7 or 9 or 4 or, at the very least, a 1 in 9 chance guess.

(I didn't get it right every time, I'm not Derren Brown!)

But what I say stands - he has given an answer based either on his experience or a chance guess.

Coincidence happens nine times out of ten.

Show quote history

It was a 5.

I dunno, I still find it odd. He was a guy working in a photo shop, not in information systems/info sec...

OP posts:
AffIt · 22/09/2022 20:14

@Aiionwatha

It was a 5

😁😁😁

1 in 9 (but 10 out of 10 for obtuseness).

You are massively overthinking this. Everything is fine. Put it down now.

LemonMuffins · 22/09/2022 20:16

Was it obvious that you'd missed a number? As in, did you type SaraSmith198 and miss off the last digit of a year?

DPotter · 22/09/2022 20:18

I have a zettle machine and a customer's email address will automatically come up sometimes. Not quite sure why - maybe they have a paypal account or similar. Could this be the case with you?

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