Duplicate Gmail Address??

marcooss Posted messages 3 Status Member -  
jag72 Posted messages 14864 Registration date   Status Member Last intervention   -
Hello everyone

I have a small problem with someone who is convinced they have the same Gmail address as me. We both have almost the same first name.

The person thinks they created an address like abc.def@gmail.com a week ago, while I have had an address abcdef@gmail.com (without a dot) for a very long time.

I looked into it; Gmail does not take dots into account.

So, abc.def@gmail.com = abcdef@gmail.com = my address.

I explained all of this to this person (I have received one or another email from their contacts to whom they have already given "their" new Gmail abc.def@gmail.com). But they won’t listen and reply in one line that they won’t change anything (it must be a teenager).

In your opinion, does this person really have access to their address abc.def@gmail.com? Or are they bluffing to get me to delete my address abcdef@gmail.com and give it to them?

Can they access my inbox???

Thank you in advance for your responses.

Best regards,

Configuration: Windows XP / Firefox 7.0.1

7 answers

cedric_ Posted messages 188 Status Member 43
 
Hello,

it's hard to give a certain answer. It seems there's a bug in Gmail. I see two possible scenarios:
- The accounts are completely separate (which contradicts Google's response)
- The last registered account has access to the emails of the old one.

The third possibility (both accounts have access to all emails) is unlikely; otherwise, you would have already seen emails belonging to him in the inbox or sent mail.

You can run a test by sending an email to abcdef@gmail.com but addressing it to him (for instance, asking him if he commits to deleting your old emails if you change your address). If he replies, you'll know. If he doesn't reply, you won't be able to find out.

In the meantime, it's wiser to change your address and quickly inform your friends, considering you are the oldest regarding the account creation date.
If you're a purist, there's also the option to spam his inbox to harass him into changing his address. Just keep sending emails in a loop to abc.def@gmail.com, emails you won't receive! In this case, you should have previously created a temporary address to communicate to your friends, as he might delete all your messages in retaliation! This isn't the solution I recommend, even if his behavior is rather uncivic (to say the least!)
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marcooss Posted messages 3 Status Member
 
Hello

Thank you for the response.

I did the test: the account abcdef@gmail.com is exactly the same as abc.def@gmail.com, as well as a.b.c.de.f@gmail.com, ...

I can log in without any issues to all these accounts and access my usual inbox.

When I send emails to all these accounts, I also receive them without any issues.

My only concern would be regarding the other person accessing my account with what they think they have created as an account. Is that possible for them?

I should clarify that this involves a teenager who is convinced they have rights to this address. Their responses are not clear at all.

Thank you in advance for your responses.

Best regards,
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cedric_ Posted messages 188 Status Member 43
 
You had the good reflex to test with a new account. If you have access to the emails of the original account, it means it also has access to yours.

So, the safest solution is to change your email address. Otherwise, you are engaging in a battle of who can withstand this unbearable sharing of private data the longest.

It’s worth informing Google so they can correct this unacceptable bug as quickly as possible!

Good luck.

Cédric
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jag72 Posted messages 14864 Registration date   Status Member Last intervention   2 790
 
Hello,

Strange because even with the "same" address, the password is not!

I don't see how he would be able to download the emails with.
--
Motto: Do as little as possible!!

Desert CCM. Need to get some fresh air. ;)
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cedric_ Posted messages 188 Status Member 43
 
The password is only there to verify that you are indeed who you claim to be: abcdef@gmail.com or a.b.c.def@gmail.com in this case. Once the server is sure of who you are, nothing stops it from pooling the information from the database (received emails, sent emails, etc.)

That's another issue.
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jag72 Posted messages 14864 Registration date   Status Member Last intervention   2 790
 
Ah thanks, I didn't know that.
--
Motto: As much as possible, as little as possible!!

Deserte CCM. Need to get some fresh air. ;)
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marcooss Posted messages 3 Status Member
 
Thank you all for your responses.

Do you think he can access my messaging?

Because when I look in the "sent emails," I only see mine. There is no trace of him.

In my opinion, he cannot access this messaging ??

See you later.
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jag72 Posted messages 14864 Registration date   Status Member Last intervention   2 790
 
Honestly, I doubt it.
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