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Original poster

Unknown email address came up on autofill on DH lap top?

34 replies

DFOD · 22/03/2021 09:35

Always use his laptop. An unknown email address “[email protected]” xxx is shortened male name - not his or this whole email name is not something he would do.

I only became aware that he had a yahoo account recently when he sent me something (I knew he had google and his work) - appreciate that yahoo is really old domain....

Any ideas - hacker? Virus?

How would I find out about this account?

I could ask him directly - but don’t want anything to be wiped if there is something.

Any thoughts?

OP posts:
MindGrapes · 22/03/2021 09:38

So you were in an email client (gmail?) and this came up as autocomplete in the "to" field when you composed a new mail?

MindGrapes · 22/03/2021 09:39

Or was this when you were in a webpage asking you to enter an email address and it suggested this one?

Radagast · 22/03/2021 09:40

My Gmail has loads of random email addresses saved, pretty much anytime you get an email from someone it seems to store them, even some spam messages. It could well be nothing.

smeerf · 22/03/2021 09:40

Oh dear. Wonder why your DH needs a secret email account with a false name.

MindGrapes · 22/03/2021 09:40

If you go to yahoomail on the same browser does it automatically log in as that email address, or at least prefill with that username and a password?

KitchenFairy · 22/03/2021 09:40

How many people have access to his laptop?

LabbyNoona · 22/03/2021 09:41

Can you google it? Unlikely but something could come up. If you wanted to, you could search his emails for that email address. Do you suspect something, I presume?

MindGrapes · 22/03/2021 09:43

I've got loads of email addresses I use to sign up to stuff. Doesn't mean I've got Interesting Secrets (sadly). But OP hasn't been too clear on the context where this popped up.

Original poster
DFOD · 22/03/2021 09:44

@MindGrapes

Or was this when you were in a webpage asking you to enter an email address and it suggested this one?
It was this situation - the random one was at the top of the list - his others below.

Never happened before. I have googled the name (not the full email yet) and someone uses this name on Reddit

OP posts:
Postprandial · 22/03/2021 09:45

Why so suspicious? I have a very old Yahoo email address from back in the days when I posted on Livejournal, and which I think I revived after Mn was hacked because I didn't want the email address I used for general things to be used when Mn couldn't keep my information safe. It's also a backup email for some other stuff. DH would have absolutely no idea I have this address, because I don't use it for email, and would never email him from it, but it might well come up on autofill from my usual Gmail address.

It wouldn't occur to me that there was anything at all covert about what you say.

Original poster
DFOD · 22/03/2021 09:46

@MindGrapes

If you go to yahoomail on the same browser does it automatically log in as that email address, or at least prefill with that username and a password?
Not tried that.

Our teens v occasionally use the lap top.

OP posts:
MindGrapes · 22/03/2021 09:50

Try going to yahoomail. Tbh I wouldn't automatically assume it's "his" email.

If you were really suss you and really don't want to ask him, you could set up your own new email anonymously and send a generic message to this xxxman one?

InTheNightWeWillWish · 22/03/2021 09:53

Our work laptop has somehow got my line manager’s work email stored in its auto fill list, I’ve obviously put it for something and then it’s decided to save that.

Is the xxx a shortened version of your DH’s name and you’re worried he has another account? Or are you worried he’s emailing someone with the shortened man’s name frequently and you don’t know who it is?

For the first, both DH and I use old email addresses for junk. If the second, I wrote an email to someone the other week and the suggested email was someone I didn’t recognise. I had to search my emails and it was a random recruiter from 12 years ago.

InTheNightWeWillWish · 22/03/2021 09:54

*Our personal laptop

SylvanianFrenemies · 22/03/2021 09:54

Not a hacker or virus.

Possibilities:
An email address he has typed, depending where it came up.
An email he uses for spammy stuff.
A secret email.
Someone else who has used the computer.

You could try searching facebook, twitter and Instagram with it, if so inclined.

Jobsharenightmare · 22/03/2021 09:59

I am a firm believer that the simplest explanation is usually correct.

What does this email user post on Reddit? Is it anything that would concern you if it was your husband? It may be an old email that he is currently using just for Reddit.

DiscoLightsOnAFridayNight · 22/03/2021 10:12

I have googled the name (not the full email yet) and someone uses this name on Reddit

I have a specific email address that I only use for things like MN (no name or identifying information in it). I’ve never mentioned it anyone, including my partner, as I only use it for sign up purposes & not for correspondence so I don’t see the need.

Is there a backstory as to why you’re suspicious?

RebeccaCloud9 · 22/03/2021 10:16

It does seem like a bit of a dodgy email, but god I've got several email addresses and my DH won't know them all, but none of them are for illicit purposes! Also there are loads of reasons to send an email and sites remember snippets of info here and there. An address I once put in to Royal Mail to buy a stamp for a Christmas card often pops up in my autofill!

Wanderlusto · 22/03/2021 10:27

I don't get why that's odd. Maybe of is sick of all the junk mail in one email inbox so made a new email address...perhaps for an important email he is waiting on.

I think if you're this concerned about something minor like this, there must be a major backstory. Seems the trust is gone. Probably time to walk.

Fullofthejoysofspring · 22/03/2021 10:39

I have a yahoo email that I use for my personal emails etc, not sure why this is suspicious?!

LadyJaye · 22/03/2021 10:43

I have multiple 'burner' email accounts that I use for different purposes (none particularly exciting or nefarious, I'm afraid).

Is this a case of hear hooves, think zebras, or is there more of a background?

sanfranfibber · 22/03/2021 10:53

@Fullofthejoysofspring

I have a yahoo email that I use for my personal emails etc, not sure why this is suspicious?!
Because it's an email with another persons name on which is 'big man' and not his normal yahoo. Do you have an account like that?
BrownFootStool · 22/03/2021 11:33

This happens to me all the time. Sometimes it is something totally random and sometimes a known email-- for example my husband's computer is currently suggesting the email of my old boss as his autofill.

I think it just pulls emails from anything you have ever sent.

RevolvingPivot · 22/03/2021 13:12

I think it is the words in the email address which are concerning the op.

I have an email address from over 20 years ago that I have linked to my phone. It's not embarrassing as such but it's not something I would use now. I never sign into websites with it though.

My husband probably hasn't a clue about it.

I don't think it's ever come up as I sign in to anything as I wouldn't have saved it to do so.

The questions are:

1 - Which website/s he uses it to log into
2 - How long ago he made that email address

Swordfish1 · 22/03/2021 14:30

If it autofilled when entering login details to a website, it will only be because that email address has been previously used to log into something.

Can you try and log into it via yahoo? Most email accounts have a recovery email or mobile linked to them so you can recover the password. Could you try a password recovery and see what address/mobile number it says it will send the link to?

If it's to your dh email address, then I think your dh may have a secret email hes been using to log into something.