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I've posted this before, but it's relevant so I'll post it again. Not sure if this has changed since I last posted, but it's a hell of a warning sign on how the

I've posted this before, but it's relevant so I'll post it again. Not sure if this has changed since I last posted, but it's a hell of a warning sign on how they practice: So, I'm an Australian. We don't have OnStar but I've heard about it via the net. I keep getting emails for 2 different people's OnStar accounts to my Email address... and OnStar won't do anything about it. I have a pretty short Gmail address because I signed up early (6 characters), and Gmail's autocorrect/fuzzy email receiving means I get emails for all sorts of people that have mistyped their email and mine is "close" to what they typed. To give you an idea of how bad this OnStar situation is: - The emails have all the personal details inside each one. Name, home address, car make/model and various ID/registration details, home phone number, etc. - It gives me full access to the cars maintenance records via monthly emails with EVERYTHING in the email relating to the car, INCLUDING LETTING ME EDIT IT via a link. - It gives me a link directly to their OnStar account, and the password is the persons postcode, WHICH IS IN THE EMAIL. There's quicklinks to access the full account, change vehicle details, remotely access various aspects of the vehicle's features, etc. - I can send directions to their GPS from my browser, which comes up on their screen. - ... lots lots more "could" be done if I was inclined. I've emailed OnStar support about it a few times, they don't reply. The closest I get to any form of reply is an automatic message telling me to call them on a "toll free number" (not free for me to call from here!) PS, Mr Buchner, your 'tires' on your GMC Terrain are low and your oil needs changing urgently. It's overdue by months.

bonestamp2 10y ago
Oh brother, I know your pain. I too have a 6 character gmail address because I signed up in 2004 when it was in beta and I too get email for all sorts of people (both accidentally and because people just give out my email address as a fake when they sign up for something stupid). It can be fun too though, like when someone signs up for a dating site with your email and you can login to what is effectively your account. I had the same problem as you with a large bank... kept getting emails with someone else's balance in them. I kept responding and trying to get the bank's attention, but nothing. Eventually I tweeted at them publicly with a description of the problem and that got them to clear it up pretty quickly. ;)
- devy 10y ago
  WOW! I was also an early adopter of Gmail and have a six-letter gmail address as well that I got all sorts of emails that were from other people (but with the same name as mine). In inspecting the raw email content, the "To:" field is correctly spelled with my gmail address but the email content have been nothing to do with me: someone else's group invite, account registration that was clearly not me, flight confirmation emails, hotel booking confirmation emails, bills, work related emails and etc. You name it. Is this a widespread issue with Gmail?
  - in_cahoots 10y ago
    Yes. Heaven help you if you have an extremely common firstname.lastname combination where there are multiple spellings of the first name. Once you're in someone's address book, it's nearly impossible to get them to delete you if they're not tech-savvy. So every time someone intends to email Jon.Smith@gmail.com they send it to John.Smith instead. There are companies that have been emailing me contracts for years now. I've gotten multiple divorce records, tax returns, all sorts of confidential information. I guess that's what all those legal disclaimers in the footer are for, because someone could do a ton of damage with the information I've gotten.
    - Casseres 10y ago
      Those legal disclaimers in the email footers are not binding. (I am not a lawyer.)
  - linohh 10y ago
    yep, I also have a 6 letter gmail address and I get a ton of stuff. It's a nightmare. I have utility bills, at some point I was on a mailing list for some real estate company, I even got people complaining to me about their broken A/C units. Several cable accounts with multiple providers in multiple US states are registered on my account and there is nothing I can do about it because the companies don't give a damn or the support people received the worst training. Sometimes it's funny because people send me Mails trying to recover their account but I tell them to speak to the companies because I have no way of verification that I'm actually turning over something to the right party, so I don't do it.
Cretin1 10y ago
Here's what I do in these situations: 1) determine the email pattern for gm employees, usually it is something like john.doe@gm.com 2) find the head of every major department related to my issue as well as the CEO and add their addresses to an email 3)provide documentation of all attempts to correct the issue and if you use outlook, request read receipts just to be 'that person', send an email highlighting your multiple attempts to correct this, how you are willing to escalate it to x,,y, or z. Media, government agency, etc. if it is not dealt with appropriately. 4) success I've received gift cards, emails from CEO's apologizing, finally got removed (after 6 months of emails to regular staff trying to stop it) from an automated Dell email invoicing the wrong company, etc.
cowkingdeluxe 10y ago
Unrelated to OnStar but similar issue here. I have a common name @ gmail from 2004 and get all sorts of information. A MetLife VP keeps sending me confidential financial stuff. Several other people around the world too, bank stuff, car stuff you name it. I've stopped trying to "fix" the situations and just mark them as spam and move on.

bonestamp2 10y ago

Oh brother, I know your pain. I too have a 6 character gmail address because I signed up in 2004 when it was in beta and I too get email for all sorts of people (both accidentally and because people just give out my email address as a fake when they sign up for something stupid). It can be fun too though, like when someone signs up for a dating site with your email and you can login to what is effectively your account. I had the same problem as you with a large bank... kept getting emails with someone else's balance in them. I kept responding and trying to get the bank's attention, but nothing. Eventually I tweeted at them publicly with a description of the problem and that got them to clear it up pretty quickly. ;)

devy 10y ago
WOW! I was also an early adopter of Gmail and have a six-letter gmail address as well that I got all sorts of emails that were from other people (but with the same name as mine). In inspecting the raw email content, the "To:" field is correctly spelled with my gmail address but the email content have been nothing to do with me: someone else's group invite, account registration that was clearly not me, flight confirmation emails, hotel booking confirmation emails, bills, work related emails and etc. You name it. Is this a widespread issue with Gmail?
- in_cahoots 10y ago
  Yes. Heaven help you if you have an extremely common firstname.lastname combination where there are multiple spellings of the first name. Once you're in someone's address book, it's nearly impossible to get them to delete you if they're not tech-savvy. So every time someone intends to email Jon.Smith@gmail.com they send it to John.Smith instead. There are companies that have been emailing me contracts for years now. I've gotten multiple divorce records, tax returns, all sorts of confidential information. I guess that's what all those legal disclaimers in the footer are for, because someone could do a ton of damage with the information I've gotten.
  - Casseres 10y ago
    Those legal disclaimers in the email footers are not binding. (I am not a lawyer.)
- linohh 10y ago
  yep, I also have a 6 letter gmail address and I get a ton of stuff. It's a nightmare. I have utility bills, at some point I was on a mailing list for some real estate company, I even got people complaining to me about their broken A/C units. Several cable accounts with multiple providers in multiple US states are registered on my account and there is nothing I can do about it because the companies don't give a damn or the support people received the worst training. Sometimes it's funny because people send me Mails trying to recover their account but I tell them to speak to the companies because I have no way of verification that I'm actually turning over something to the right party, so I don't do it.

Cretin1 10y ago

Here's what I do in these situations: 1) determine the email pattern for gm employees, usually it is something like john.doe@gm.com 2) find the head of every major department related to my issue as well as the CEO and add their addresses to an email 3)provide documentation of all attempts to correct the issue and if you use outlook, request read receipts just to be 'that person', send an email highlighting your multiple attempts to correct this, how you are willing to escalate it to x,,y, or z. Media, government agency, etc. if it is not dealt with appropriately. 4) success I've received gift cards, emails from CEO's apologizing, finally got removed (after 6 months of emails to regular staff trying to stop it) from an automated Dell email invoicing the wrong company, etc.

cowkingdeluxe 10y ago

Unrelated to OnStar but similar issue here. I have a common name @ gmail from 2004 and get all sorts of information. A MetLife VP keeps sending me confidential financial stuff. Several other people around the world too, bank stuff, car stuff you name it. I've stopped trying to "fix" the situations and just mark them as spam and move on.