People using my email address to sign up to services

gerryk · 31-07-2012 10:19am #1

My gmail address is a short one, based on my name, and likely similar to many others' names too. For a long time now people have used my email address to sign up to all sorts of stuff. I'm pretty sure it's not purposely malicious... I mean the only way to exploit that would be to have control over google's authoritative DNS servers. But, I often wonder if there is something I am missing. I don't think so, but would be curious to hear others' opinions.

Also, you'd be surprised at how many sites have auth bypass issues when accessed via links in emails. I recently got an email from a hotel in Florida where someone had used my email address to book a room. Using a link in the email, I was able to access the booking details, and could have cancelled, or added a further couple of nights with no further authentication.

AnCatDubh · 31-07-2012 10:39am

As you have the access to that email account then I suspect that the only ones with something to worry about would be those which are mistakenly using your email address of which they have no access. I'd guess it regularly happens.

jameshayes · 31-07-2012 10:42am

gerry@gmail.com?

chrismon · 31-07-2012 10:43am

I have the same problem.
The person using my email had the same email address except it had a . between two of the characters.
Got a fright a few times saying I signed up for something.

gerryk · 31-07-2012 2:39pm

Try again James
(hint... look over there <<---- )

tricky D · 31-07-2012 2:46pm

chrismon wrote: »

I have the same problem.
The person using my email had the same email address except it had a . between two of the characters.
Got a fright a few times saying I signed up for something.

Apparently Gmail ignores dots in the account name.

http://support.google.com/mail/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=10313

homerjsimpson@gmail.com = hom.er.j.sim.ps.on@gmail.com
homerjsimpson@gmail.com= HOMERJSIMPSON@gmail.com
homerjsimpson@gmail.com = Homer.J.Simpson@gmail.com

Also @gmail.com was merged with @googlemail.com and possibly a few others, so more potential for duplication, never mind people just typing incorrectly.

h57xiucj2z946q · 31-07-2012 3:38pm

tricky D wrote: »

Apparently Gmail ignores dots in the account name.

http://support.google.com/mail/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=10313

Also @gmail.com was merged with @googlemail.com and possibly a few others, so more potential for duplication, never mind people just typing incorrectly.

That's correct, homerjsimpson@googlemail.com would go to the same user.

Capt'n Midnight · 18-08-2012 2:15am

I keep telling people that your email address is like the return address written on an envelope. It's visible and anyone can use it on their envelopes, stuff using that address will get delivered to you rather than them.

People using my email address to sign up to services

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