Apparently I just rented a Camry in Seattle

"Snuze: Needs another Swede" (markg)
04/17/2019 at 14:26 • Filed to: None

I have an OG g-mail account that is just my first and last name @ gmail. I also have a quasi common name, so I routinely get e-mail meant for other people. Some highlights include:

Camry Rental - if any Seattle area oppos want to hang out you apparently missed your opportunity as “I” just dropped off my silver rental Camry to Dollar Rent-A -Car and am presumably getting ready to board my flight home.

Saw blades - about twice a year “ I” get quotes for band saw blades. I don’t even own a band saw.

High school reunion & vacation - I was getting regular e-mail updates about “my” upcoming 50th high school reunion. I haven’t even been alive 50 years. Then several of “my” friends started and e-mail chain and invited me on vacation with them. ( I e-mailed them back and explained I wasn’t the right person, I was invited to come on vacation anyways.)

Christian books - “I” apparently like to read uplifting and inspiring tales from the Christian Science Reading Room.

Taxes - This was the craziest one. “My” accountant accidentally e-mailed me “my” 2017 tax returns last year complete with all of my info and SSN. (Fortunately the correct e-mail address was in the cover letter of the tax return, I emailed the “real me” and let him know about the screw up and then deleted the e-mail with the returns).

DISCUSSION (25)

E90M3 > Snuze: Needs another Swede
04/17/2019 at 14:33

So you didn’t go on that vacation? Your loss.

KingT- 60% of the time, it works every time > Snuze: Needs another Swede
04/17/2019 at 14:34

Is your name John Smith or what?

SnapUndersteer, Italian Spiderman > Snuze: Needs another Swede
04/17/2019 at 14:34

I have an OG g-mail account that is just my first and last name @ gmail.

Weird flex, but ok

razorbeamteam > Snuze: Needs another Swede
04/17/2019 at 14:35

Who makes more money, the real you or the fake you?

facw > Snuze: Needs another Swede
04/17/2019 at 14:35

Kinja'd!!!

Luckily most sites have moved towards making you verify your email address by actually receiving an email there instead of making you enter it twice.

Snuze: Needs another Swede > SnapUndersteer, Italian Spiderman
04/17/2019 at 14:36

I’ve had people get excited about it. I figured that made me special, or something.

Snuze: Needs another Swede > razorbeamteam
04/17/2019 at 14:40

If it was fake me, I’d be posting this from some non-extraditionary tropical island nation and fake me would be buying drinks with little umbrellas in them for all of Oppo.

(actually, I was so freaked out I didn’t even look)

Ash78, voting early and often > KingT- 60% of the time, it works every time
04/17/2019 at 14:42

That’s like THE most OG Euro- American name of all.

Snuze: Needs another Swede > KingT- 60% of the time, it works every time
04/17/2019 at 14:46

Okay, not quite that generic.

Tangentially related - m y wife has a coworker named Barbara Johnson and she can’t have Facebook. Apparently she’s tried setting up accounts mulitple times and they always get taken down as bot/troll accounts because her name is too generic and she doesn’t post frequently enough.

Arrivederci > Snuze: Needs another Swede
04/17/2019 at 14:49

I don’t have a common name and I get these somehow on the regular. I’m guessing it’s because I set my gmail back in the day when they still required invites and I was able to nab First Initial + Last Name @gmail.com.

Anyways, here are just a few of the fun emails I get:

Kid’s School - I get emails from “my” kid’s elementary school about class trips, staff changes and everything else. My actual kid is seven months old and goes to daycare. Interestingly enough, this school is in the same state, maybe 90 minutes away.

Christian Book Group - this is a small book club that meets at coffee shops regularly to discuss various Christian books. I haven’t read anything they’ve suggested...

Food Truck - someone who owns three (!!) food trucks emailed me today to find out my availability for the summer, ostensibly to work for their food trucks. I’m wondering how much fun I should have with this one.

The Ghost of Oppo > Snuze: Needs another Swede
04/17/2019 at 14:56

What kind of deal you getting on those band saw blades?

Snuze: Needs another Swede > Arrivederci
04/17/2019 at 14:57

Yeah, I think a lot of it is the first + last @ gmail. As SnapUndersteer pointed out, it’s a weird flex, but I’ve had people in absolute amazement that my gmail is just my name and nothing else.

My Christian Reading Room one was a receipt, and then return information. I guess I didn’t like it. But if it was a book group I’d have some real fun with that one, suggest some off the wall titles.

You should definitely have a little fun with the food truck one.

Snuze: Needs another Swede > The Ghost of Oppo
04/17/2019 at 14:59

It was okay, nothing special.

Azrek > Snuze: Needs another Swede
04/17/2019 at 15:04

I love wrong number texts and wrong emails. I immediately turn into a massive asshole...it is amazing to watch. My name is super rare, so it makes it fun as I likely know the person they want to reach...

Example: A cousin was on a Christian mailing list and used my address @gmail instead of theirs at @aol. *Yes, AOL*. I asked to be removed, they said sure...then sent me another. I asked to be removed again. They sent me more. So I started responding with my signature block and the worst possible Bible Verses I could find and then reply all to the whole address list . I was immediately deleted and my elderly cousin likely got an earful.

Work email: I have a cousin in Colorado. I am in Florida. They started emailing me. Dude’s name was Kael. So I kept calling him General Kael *From Willow* and reminding him I am in Florida and my email is obviously not the same as his. Then I started replying with Darth Vader motivational posters. He thought it was hilarious and deleted me.

Snuze: Needs another Swede > Azrek
04/17/2019 at 15:06

That’s great! I’ve had some fun with them before. Some are weird though. One time I had a 30 minute phone conversation with a guy who was trying to call his neice but got me instead. Turns out he lived in a town I used to be stationed in so we go talking about that. So random but cool.

Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > Snuze: Needs another Swede
04/17/2019 at 15:16

I have had the same yahoo account since 1995.

-Apparently I am an FSU alumni

-I bought a chevy traverse in Michigan

-My name is Janet and I have only a few days to re up my warranty on my Chevy

-My name is Janet and can I please rate my latest service at XYZ chevy.

-I subscribe to the Huston Chronicle .

TheRealBicycleBuck > Snuze: Needs another Swede
04/17/2019 at 15:17

I have a similar problem. My gmail address is my first initial + last name. However, I have my own domain and ALL the mail to it lands in my inbox. I get all kinds of strange stuff.

The two best interactions so far was with DirectTV and a limousine service. DirectTV got my e-mail address on one of their account-holders, so I started receiving all of her e-mail regarding her bills. I tried correcting it through DirectTV, but they wouldn’t fix it. I had to call the account holder, explain the situation, get her real e-mail address, then forward all of her DirectTV e-mails to her so she could contact them and get it all straightened out.

The limo service was really fun because I had a chance to talk to a fellow with my last name who is a little older. We had a great time talking about genealogy and where along the famil y tree we might be related. Looks like we shared great-great-great-great-grandparents.

smobgirl > facw
04/17/2019 at 15:26

Yeah, I’ve gotten the same verification email from DirecTV at least 25 times due to some idiot with my last name and first initial.

Better than Verizon, who wouldn’t allow me to stop emails intended for one of their customers because I didn’t have the password.

smobgirl > Snuze: Needs another Swede
04/17/2019 at 15:28

I apparently got new windows and a boat last year. When I started getting emails from a lawyer I replied and asked him to tell his client to get their shit together.

Snuze: Needs another Swede > TheRealBicycleBuck
04/17/2019 at 15:34

That sounds pretty crazy.

One thing that really freaks me out is my Paypal is linked to a different e-mail address I had before gmail. I would like to add my gmail to paypal but apparently it’s already been linked to a different account. I’ve talked to paypal about this, and I need to get access to that account to change it?!? I can’t do this because that paypal account has a different backup e-mail address that reset e-mails and such go to. It’s such a circus that I’ve given up trying to fix it.

Snuze: Needs another Swede > Highlander-Datsuns are Forever
04/17/2019 at 15:34

Either the Traverse is a long way from home, or someone all the way up in Michigan is getting a Huston paper every day.

RPM esq. > Snuze: Needs another Swede
04/17/2019 at 15:46

I thought I saw “your” rental silver Camry on my commute this morning. Then I saw it again, and again, and again, and again, and again, and again, and again, and again, and again, and again. The one silver Camry in Seattle sure gets around a lot.

AMGtech - now with more recalls! > Snuze: Needs another Swede
04/17/2019 at 16:06

I somehow don't see this as a problem for her

NKato > Snuze: Needs another Swede
04/17/2019 at 16:17

Just make a new "business" email and link that to PayPal. That's what I did.

Snuze: Needs another Swede > RPM esq.
04/17/2019 at 16:28

Yeah, I’m disappointed in myself for not renting a better car.