Don't make this little Gmail mistake or you might end up sending personal info to a stranger
Here's something about Gmail that you might not know. According to a Google Support Page, dots do not matter in Gmail addresses. As Google points out, if your Gmail address is johnsmith@gmail.com, all dotted versions of the Gmail address belong to you, such as:
- john.smith@gmail.com
- jo.hn.sm.ith@gmail.com
- j.o.h.n.s.m.i.t.h@gmail.com
But let's return to what could be a major privacy issue. If you own the johnsmith@gmail.com address and someone is sending private information to john.smith@gmail.com because they made a mistake, or are trying to be funny, you'll end up receiving the email and learning more about the person who sent the message than he or she probably wanted you to know.
"Dude, I have the same thing happening with my "FirstnameLastname@gmail.com" address. Some dude keeps trying to use "Firstname.Lastname@gmail.com" thinking that's his email address, and it's... not. I get his emails. Legal notices, business inquiries... it's been happening for almost a decade. You'd think he'd figure it out by now."-Reddit subscriber jb-1984
This can also work like this. Suppose you are a friend of someone also named John Smith and his email address is iohn.43.smith@gmail.com. But let's assume that you forgot the numerals and typed only the dot instead. The email you sent to john.smith@gmail.com all about your cancer diagnosis and other personal information will end up going to johnsmith@gmail.com because he automatically owns john.smith@gmail.com. You do see the issue here, right?
Some Gmail users think that if they own the smith@gmail.com Gmail address, they will receive email addressed to john.smith@gmail.com or jenny.smith@gmail.com. That is not the case. Those emails will go to johnsmith@gmail.com or jennysmith@gmail.com instead.
Let's change up the scenario a little. Suppose this time you have a relative named John Smith who is a tax lawyer with the Gmail address of John. Smith.1099@gmail.com. You want to tell John all about your legal hassles with the IRS to see what advice he has for you. So you send him all of the info in an email addressed incorrectly to john.smith.@gmail.com.
Because of your mistake, your embarrassing information arrives in the inbox of johnsmith@gmail.com. Something like this can absolutely happen! The best way to avoid a problem is to make sure you know what your recipient's correct email address is, and double-check to make sure that you've typed that address correctly.
FCC OKs Cingular\'s purchase of AT&T Wireless
Things that are NOT allowed: