(no subject)

[ocelot]

Twice now, I have gotten emails for someone named Odile.

The first appears very plausible as a misdirected email. It talks about changes that need to be made to a poster about Malaria. Googling keywords leads me to believe that she's the executive director of a malaria vaccine project.

The second is in French, and talks of organizing a wedding. At first glance, it seemed somewhat spammish - talk of arranged marriages didn't seem to make much sense in the context of a European academic - but I realized that this was likely translation ambiguity, and this email was probably also legitimate.

Both came to the same variation on my email address (my address, with a . in the middle).

It makes me wonder what her real email address is. I do have her professional email address. I wonder if I should forward it on?

Comments

[hideousallusion.livejournal.com]

i get TONS of legit email to my gmail address for the wrong person. It all comes from a few very specific sources- a woman in minnesota who is into crafts, and a German woman, who does more business-type stuff.

[therealocelot.livejournal.com]

I once got email from some guy talking about the wonderful trip we'd taken together now that we'd gotten back together again. Wrong email address = excellent re-start to a relationship!

But that wasn't Odile.

[colinwalker.livejournal.com]

I keep getting stuff on my gmail account for at least 2 other people with my name -- maybe more. I've gotten to the point where I try to just respond to people who look like they are family or colleagues and ask them to get the correct address. Most of the time I keep getting stuff, and mark it as spam. I tried.

Now, if it was something to the extent of "your new liver is here, come to the ER now" I would probably do a little more legwork to try and find the correct recipient. However, given most of them are e-cards, meeting appointments for golf, and the like, I don't feel too bad.