Page 10 | Traffic? AIBU? Google. Receiving another's emails for years.

WhereTheSuburbsMeetUttoxeter · 2023-08-05T21:48:40+00:00

I'm not entirely sure where to head here. It has been going on for years. I receive her FB notifications, the odd email addressed to her. Now my storage is 98% full - this makes me thinks it involves both accounts. I'll explain as easily as I can - say my Gmail is google.user @ Gmail . Com Hers is googleuser @ Gmail. Com She lives in America in a town that has the same name as a UK town and we both have the same name. The only difference is the . in the email. I've looked at how to report. It doesn't seem like any scam as it's being going so long. Imagine she is mabelsmithtown and I am mabelsmith.town I don't know where to start with getting in touch. I tried to email her and it came back to me! Sorry, boring for a Saturday night but surely there is something amiss and wrong here. I first noticed when getting Facebook notifications thinking, I don't know that person. But I can't find her on Facebook either. It's highly unlikely that I've 98% filled my Gmail. Just looking for thoughts or how someone can help me get in touch with someone?

IDontNormallySayThis · 09/08/2023 17:44

@Sosocold if that's with gmail, the email address with dots and the one without dots are the same email address. Therefore, both are yours.

RoadSignFool · 09/08/2023 17:47

I have told her so many times and responds with "I'm so glad I have a new friend across the pond".

How are you contacting her @Franticbutterfly?

Franticbutterfly · 09/08/2023 17:49

Her actual email is often included on the round Robin email I get for her, so I know who she is (my email is [email protected], hers is [email protected]). So it's not like I can even block her email because I get emails from her friends and family. I just forward them on now.

enchantedsquirrelwood · 09/08/2023 18:02

This happens to my mum as well. Her email is [email protected] and she gets emails for Enchanted Squirrelmums in the UK, Canada, Australia and Ireland! Sometimes she deletes them, sometimes she contacts the sender and tells them.

Also my husband has a similar [email protected] address and it has happened to him too but not so often. He kept getting invitations to a posh hotel for lunch (maybe we should have just gone)and invoices for other peoples' purchases.

I am enchanted.a.squrrel though and so it doesn't happen to me, although sometimes people forget the "a" and so my emails go to someone in the US. She used to forward them to me once she worked out who I was (this was in the earlyish days of the internet so I think she just found me online), but hasn't done for years.

It's a massive security issue though and I don't know why Google haven't fixed it.

BunchofStars · 09/08/2023 18:07

enchantedsquirrelwood · 09/08/2023 18:02

This happens to my mum as well. Her email is [email protected] and she gets emails for Enchanted Squirrelmums in the UK, Canada, Australia and Ireland! Sometimes she deletes them, sometimes she contacts the sender and tells them.

Also my husband has a similar [email protected] address and it has happened to him too but not so often. He kept getting invitations to a posh hotel for lunch (maybe we should have just gone)and invoices for other peoples' purchases.

I am enchanted.a.squrrel though and so it doesn't happen to me, although sometimes people forget the "a" and so my emails go to someone in the US. She used to forward them to me once she worked out who I was (this was in the earlyish days of the internet so I think she just found me online), but hasn't done for years.

It's a massive security issue though and I don't know why Google haven't fixed it.

Tell me you haven't read the thread without telling me you haven't read the thread...

Haffiana · 09/08/2023 18:08

It's a massive security issue though and I don't know why Google haven't fixed it.

I always wonder if the people who haven't read the thread before responding end up changing their usernames in sheer embarrassment.

OnionBhajis · 09/08/2023 18:11

Er what's the security issue?

That sometimes people mistype addresses?!

brentwoods · 09/08/2023 18:23

enchantedsquirrelwood · 09/08/2023 18:02

This happens to my mum as well. Her email is [email protected] and she gets emails for Enchanted Squirrelmums in the UK, Canada, Australia and Ireland! Sometimes she deletes them, sometimes she contacts the sender and tells them.

Also my husband has a similar [email protected] address and it has happened to him too but not so often. He kept getting invitations to a posh hotel for lunch (maybe we should have just gone)and invoices for other peoples' purchases.

I am enchanted.a.squrrel though and so it doesn't happen to me, although sometimes people forget the "a" and so my emails go to someone in the US. She used to forward them to me once she worked out who I was (this was in the earlyish days of the internet so I think she just found me online), but hasn't done for years.

It's a massive security issue though and I don't know why Google haven't fixed it.

how would you propose Google "fix" people typing in the wrong email address? 🙄It's user error, not a security issue!

SmartHome · 09/08/2023 18:33

😭😭😭😭😭😭😭

nonmerci99 · 09/08/2023 18:51

Man, this thread is a hell of a ride.

SwedishEdith · 09/08/2023 18:56

Oh, excellent, this thread is back to where it should be after the drunken interlude.

Curseofthenation · 09/08/2023 19:29

@SwedishEdith I mean, the thread is still where it started 😆. OP is probably bombarding Google with emails about her 'security issue' since recovering from her drunken daze.

Please could we all have a moment of silence for the unfortunate soul on Google's customer support team that will endure the emails...

IDontNormallySayThis · 09/08/2023 19:36

Curseofthenation · 09/08/2023 19:29

@SwedishEdith I mean, the thread is still where it started 😆. OP is probably bombarding Google with emails about her 'security issue' since recovering from her drunken daze.

Please could we all have a moment of silence for the unfortunate soul on Google's customer support team that will endure the emails...

🤣🤣🤣

SwedishEdith · 09/08/2023 19:53

My Gmail address has my middle initial. I'm tempted to email the address without that just to see what happens 😁.

HyggeTygge · 09/08/2023 20:30

Franticbutterfly · 09/08/2023 17:49

Her actual email is often included on the round Robin email I get for her, so I know who she is (my email is [email protected], hers is [email protected]). So it's not like I can even block her email because I get emails from her friends and family. I just forward them on now.

That's literally what happens with me and my doppelganger. Her gmail is lastnamefirstname and mine is firstnamelastname . Sometimes they have dots in, sometimes not, because
It
Makes
No
Difference

Takacupokindnessyet · 09/08/2023 20:46

I would try to reset the password for the Facebook account.

WiddlinDiddlin · 10/08/2023 05:15

Takacupokindnessyet · 09/08/2023 20:46

I would try to reset the password for the Facebook account.

And this will achieve what exactly?

The strange other person is giving out the wrong email address in some way.

They have no access to the OP's email account. Changing the password can have no possible effect on some numpty telling people 'my email address is numptyface @ gmail.com' when in fact her email is 'numpty.face1 @ gmail.com'.

Piranhaha · 10/08/2023 07:47

Changing the password is a good idea because firstly it gives you control over the account so you don’t get annoying emails about the other persons activity. And secondly you hope to inconvenience them enough that they will stop giving out your email.

Takacupokindnessyet · 10/08/2023 09:41

WiddlinDiddlin · 10/08/2023 05:15

And this will achieve what exactly?

The strange other person is giving out the wrong email address in some way.

They have no access to the OP's email account. Changing the password can have no possible effect on some numpty telling people 'my email address is numptyface @ gmail.com' when in fact her email is 'numpty.face1 @ gmail.com'.

Show quote history

If the op is getting fb notifications that suggests the other person had set up a fb account using the ops email address., so changing the password will allow the op to change contact information and block access for the other person.

Takacupokindnessyet · 10/08/2023 09:46

WiddlinDiddlin · 10/08/2023 05:15

And this will achieve what exactly?

The strange other person is giving out the wrong email address in some way.

They have no access to the OP's email account. Changing the password can have no possible effect on some numpty telling people 'my email address is numptyface @ gmail.com' when in fact her email is 'numpty.face1 @ gmail.com'.

Show quote history

Also regularly changing password is good practice, particularly if they're is wanting that could be considered suspicious activity such as storage being unusually full.

humpty74 · 10/08/2023 10:24

accessing someone else's facebook account and changing things probably falls under the computer misuse act.
Contact facebook and ask them to remove your email address from the account.

Boomboom22 · 10/08/2023 10:24

So this works for outlook too and all email? I can leave out the dot?

humpty74 · 10/08/2023 10:25

Boomboom22 · 10/08/2023 10:24

So this works for outlook too and all email? I can leave out the dot?

No. Just gmail.

RoadSignFool · 10/08/2023 10:49

humpty74 · 10/08/2023 10:24

accessing someone else's facebook account and changing things probably falls under the computer misuse act.
Contact facebook and ask them to remove your email address from the account.

Yeah, OP, don’t mess with the Facebook password set up on an account using your email address- the police will be round in riot gear to throw you in the slammer.

Meanwhile, back in the real world, it’s a great idea.

Takacupokindnessyet · 10/08/2023 10:50

humpty74 · 10/08/2023 10:24

accessing someone else's facebook account and changing things probably falls under the computer misuse act.
Contact facebook and ask them to remove your email address from the account.

Not if it is your email being used, it would be the other person who has misused your email. I've had similar where someone has created an account using my email. I've secured the account by changing the password then reported the misuse to the service provider but they are not always very quick to do anything about it.