Ask HN: How to get a company to remove my email from an account

15 points by lenwood 3 years ago | 17 comments

Hi HN, I have a sticky issue that I haven't been able to solve and am looking for ideas. My primary email is MyName@gmail.com. I've occasionally gotten email intended for others with my name, until now it has never been an issue.

Then someone that shares my name created an account and used my email address as the primary email. At the time I didn't think anything of it, they wouldn't be able to validate the address and would correct that. That correction never happened and now I'm receiving email with all of their account activity. Failed login attempts, receipts, updated credit card info, iCal invitations for upcoming events that they've joined. Some of this is quite personal, I shouldn't be seeing this.

I don't know anything about the person that shares my name so I don't have a way of contacting them directly. There is no unsubscribe because this isn't opt-in email. I tried marking the email as spam, but somehow it started showing in my account again.

A month ago I contacted their support and asked that my email be removed. They couldn't help me. Their support team sent instructions for how to change an email address or how to recover an account, but neither of these solutions apply in my case.

Now I seem to be stuck, once their team realized that I'm not their customer they stopped replying. I tried logging into the account to take it over and change the address myself, but they have 2FA enabled so this wasn't possible. Meanwhile my phone has started automatically adding their iCal invites to my calendar so I just got a notification to appear at the other person's hotel.

How can I get my email address removed from an account that belongs to someone else?

Raed667 3 years ago |

Just create a rule in Gmail that skips your inbox and immediately deletes the email from that particular domain. You won't be notified and you don't have to worry about accessing someone else's private data.

lenwood 3 years ago | |

I've known about Gmail rules but I didn't know that I could set it to delete. I'll check into this. Thanks you.

codegeek 3 years ago |

I think it is more common that you may think. Happens to me as well and after a while, I gave up. Most of the times, it is a variant of my name but somehow the email comes to me. One time, I found the phone number of the guy and called him directly. He apologized and fixed the email. But then it happened with someone else and then someone else. I keep an eye to ensure there is no fraud but it is just incompetence and now I get a chuckle getting a grocery list or emails about their recent purchase experience.

CabSauce 3 years ago |

Reset the password and take over the account. A little mean, I guess, but it seems like the other person has had plenty of opportunity to fix the issue.

MerelyMortal 3 years ago | |

> I tried logging into the account to take it over and change the address myself, but they have 2FA enabled so this wasn't possible.

akeck 3 years ago |

A certified postal letter requiring removal of the email address sent to the legal address of the company starts an evidence trail. Companies usually get the message and take action. If that doesn't work, the next step is probably to consult an attorney.

lenwood 3 years ago | |

I like the certified letter approach, I'll check into this. I've considered getting an attorney involved but that could get expensive quick. Thanks for your suggestions.

akeck 3 years ago | | |

This essay will help with tone and format: https://www.kalzumeus.com/2017/09/09/identity-theft-credit-r...

butz 3 years ago |

Adding email address without verification by its owner should be illegal.

If you are in EU, you might try invoking "Right to rectification" as described in GDPR. Although company might ask you for identification and you'll be back to square one. Look up CAN-SPAM if you are in US, as those messages can be considered as "Unwanted Commercial Electronic Mail". But again, no guarantees that company will comply.

Best solution is to add unwanted senders to block list.

netsharc 3 years ago |

Shouldn't their support care about the customer's personal info being shared with you?

For maximum effect, if those events are real life, show up there looking for MyName and tell him/her about all the info you have on them... Or I wonder if the event organizer would be able to pass on a note. Or if there's a postal address/phone number you can use to notify them

lenwood 3 years ago | |

> Shouldn't their support care about the customer's personal info being shared with you?

I agree. The company is pretty large and has a support team. I'm guessing here but I think I'm a challenge for them because I'm not a client. They don't have a defined process for how to field my question.

> show up there looking for MyName and tell him/her about all the info you have on them...

The events are in another state (I'm in US), I'm not going to travel to chat up the individual. I have looked through the info to see if there's a way to contact them directly, its not a straightforward path. Thanks for your suggestion.

sethammons 3 years ago |

I like a sibling comment that suggested a certified letter. You can also reach out to their security team and let them know they are actively sending private information to unintended recipients. Legal and/or security is a good starting point.

MerelyMortal 3 years ago |

I just mark as spam.

I like the abuse@domain.tld idea though. I would try that first in your case.

jenkstom 3 years ago | |

Very, very rarely does that email address exist.

elashri 3 years ago | | |

And probably never useful (for individuals at least).

shitlord 3 years ago |

Send an email to abuse@website.com and let them sort it out. This approach has always worked for me.

toast0 3 years ago | |

If they don't run an abuse@, you can also try to figure out where they're hosting and send to those abuse contacts.