I have a gmail account that I have used for ages and ages.
Sometimes I get spam to that account and it's just a delete, mark as spam, and move on kind of thing. I'm sorry I'm not going to help you get those millions of dollars out of your offshore account Mister.
Recently, I started getting what I thought was spam but was actually some human error. I started getting "please confirm your email" emails from different places.
The first, and most frustrating to deal with was Pinterest. Yes, I initially thought it was spam but when I checked the sender info and stuff it was legit, just someone was possibly using my email? For some reason?
Pinterest didn't seem to hold the account and over the next couple of days I got emails of this person's chat with someone else. That also felt like spam or phishing or something not real. So I went the long route and contacted Pinterest many times to say "I'm pretty sure someone is using my email I do not have an account with you, please delete this" and then telling them that their "hit this button if you didn't sign up" button didn't work and the whole thing was frustrating and annoying and I still was wary it might be malicious but eventually the emails stopped.
Just in time for me to get others. I don't remember all of the places, but one of them was clear in the sign up email that it was for young people (kids) and when I emailed them they said that a youth had tried to make the account. I asked if they'd be able to tell them they were using the incorrect email. (It was worth a shot, I don't figure it happened.) Most of the places were decent at taking off my email and knock on wood the person figured out what they were typing wrong....
I still am not sure it wasn't someone trying to "do something bad" to me, but I tried to be as safe as possible while also keeping in mind it could just be someone not paying attention to their email or missing a period or letter or anything.
But yeah, there's a kid out there (probably) with an email that's close enough to mine that I had to deal with "confirm your email" emails for a couple of weeks. I guess I'm glad they send those out, and hopefully someone figured out... something. You know?
4 comments:
I'm having similar issues with my gmail account. Since the pandemic started, I've been getting monthly emails from a lawyer in NYC. I ignored them at first, then emailed them and said, "I think you have the wrong person" and they never answered that, just kept sending them. I keep deleting them.
I also got emails from an orthodontist reminding me of my "son's" appointments. I emailed them back and had a ridiculous exchange where the receptionist told me they were emailing LastnameFirstname@gmail.com and me telling them I am Lastname.Firstname@gmail.com and they said there was no . in the address they were typing... oy.
(My last name is super common, my first name not so much, but there is an actress with my exact name, so... I guess these things happen?)
UGH!
And yeah, I have no idea why gmail doesn't "fix" the . thing... when I've tried to report things their FAQ talk about blah blah blah similar emails but no real recourse/solution and man it'd be nice if they did something!
You'd think the lawyers and orthodontists of the world would care a little more when corrected! ;)
Particularly lawyers! :)
Right? ;)
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