Here’s Why You Shouldn’t Use Your Name in Your Email Address
Yes, we know, it’s tempting and sometimes really cool to use your first name. or first and last name in your email address. But, alas, there’s a good reason why you shouldn’t.
And here it is.
Suppose your name is the same as EB’s – Darcy Goobergoober. Now it would be mighty handy and cool to have an email address like DarcyGoobergoober@vodkatower.com, right? Well yes, Darcy Goobergoober is a fine name, there’s no doubt about it. However, what happens when a spammer gets a hold of that address – and you know, over time they probably will.
Here’s what could happen…
The National Bank of Willard
Your savings place and a whole lot more
Car Loans 50% OFF!Dear Darcy Goobergoober,
Thanks for banking with us. Believe it or not, we just found out that $4 million dollars was just deposited in your checking account! It was transferred to your account from your cousin Lotus Overbaum from Kreaker, Lower Slobovia AB49072, First Slobovian Bank Cartel, LLC.
Yes, you’re shocked. We’re shocked too! But it’s true. All $4 million is yours. And all you have to do to claim it to click this link and verify your bank account number and password.
After you give us the information we require, just think! You’ll be one of our richest customers. You’ll get to sit in the plush offices of our president, smoke Havana cigars and drink Grey Goose and key lime with our board of directors – any time you like! And just think, you’ll have $4 million in your checking account you can use to buy whatever tickles you.
Yes, Darcy Goobergoober, you could be $4 million richer just by clicking this link right now .
Thank so much for banking with us, Darcy Goobergoober.
Sicerely yours,
H. M. Hummer
President
National Bank of Willard
If you’re sharp, you’ll think, “Gee, I don’t have any relatives in Lower Slobovia” and you’ll delete this email straight away. Because, hopefully, if you have been with us for a while, then we’ve impressed upon you why you should always be wary of emails from banks, credit card companies, and other emails of that ilk that try to get to click links in them.
But let’s say you did get an email from someone, that is addressed to your name (as Darcy Goobergoober did). What happens if you’re tired, have had too much to drink, or have to work with an evil boss like I do and you are brow-beaten into a miserable weary state and can barely think? You might not be as sharp as usual, and you may decide heck, $4 mil is worth a chance! Click! Click!
But what if your email address did not have your name in it? What if it was RollyPolarBear@Nebraska-is-flat.com? Then what would the spammers write?
Something like this…
“Dear RollyPolarBear”
And you’d say “Wait! My name is Darcy Goobergoober… not RollyPolarBear – these guys are spammers or scammers! No matter how tired you were, how much you had to drink, how much of a rush you were in, or how brow-beaten you were, you’d still -hopefully – know what your name is and what your name isn’t.
Of course, as always, I’ve gone to extremes to prove a point. Most spammers and phishers don’t bother with names – but the best ones do. And now, assisted by AI, if your name is in your email address, there’s a good chance the email will be addressed in your name and not just “Dear cardholder”, “Dear customer” or “Hey baby!” as many illegitimate spammy emails are. I just made up the “Hey baby!” Spammers don’t use that one, do they? Well, maybe dating site spammers.
Anyway, with AI now blooming, spammers and scammers will certainly become more and more sophisticated. See? They can even include pictures of Darcy Goobergoober, created in seconds by AI! I’m telling you – this is as realistic as it can be…
So, you can count on scammers and spammers being even more cunning by using the latest AI technology to trick you. So, why help them by giving them your name by including your first, last, or first and last names in your email address?
Using something other than your name as your email address is a very good idea. Take it from your pals, TC & Darcy. We are here trying hard to help keep you safe on the Web.
Now I’m off to see if RollyPolarBear@gmail.com is available!
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Understandable but I have used my name for my email since work email was created that way and all I had to do was change the way it was punctuated to create a Gmail for personal use. Good thing is my business accounts are mostly under a joint email created for my husband and I. And I don’t check email when I’m tired. I always check to see where it was really sent from. And don’t click on links that are suspicious. Been with you since Windows 3.1 so know how to protect myself. Thanks to you!
I’ve been with you since Hector was a pup and if you had told me this then I wouldn’t have used what I use for my gmail address. While it might be a good idea to change it and I could easily do so for my friends, when I consider all the subscriptions and financial accounts I would have to individually change – I’d be busy for a week. And at my friends’ ages they may not remember to use the changed address and so I’d still be stuck checking my current email on a daily basis to see if they wrote me. Now if you could tell me a way to make gmail forward only certain email from my current account to a new one I might consider it. Right now, it only wants to send me everything.
Like Colleen above, I check where anything financial comes from prior to opening and I sure do know where the spam button is. Thanks to you and Darcy Goobergoober for all the help you have given me for the past 30 or so years.