{"id":31356,"date":"2026-01-07T09:18:08","date_gmt":"2026-01-07T14:18:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thundercloud.net\/infoave\/new\/?p=31356"},"modified":"2026-01-07T09:18:20","modified_gmt":"2026-01-07T14:18:20","slug":"a-reminder-never-use-your-name-in-your-email-address","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thundercloud.net\/infoave\/new\/a-reminder-never-use-your-name-in-your-email-address\/","title":{"rendered":"A Reminder: Never Use Your Name in Your Email Address"},"content":{"rendered":"


\nA Reminder: Never Use Your Name in Your Email Address
\n<\/span>
\n<\/strong>\"Don't<\/span><\/p>\n

Now that Gmail has decided they are going let users change their email address (read more here<\/a><\/span>), maybe you’ll want to change yours. So, dear friend, we want to remind you again that while we understand how tempting and how really cool it is to use your first name, or first and last name in your email address, there\u2019s a really good reason why you shouldn\u2019t.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

And here it is.<\/span><\/p>\n

Suppose your name is the same as EB\u2019s \u2013 Darcy Goobergoober. Now it would be mighty handy and cool to have an email address like DarcyGoobergoober@vodkatower.com. Well, yes, Darcy Goobergoober is a fine name, there\u2019s no doubt about it. However, what happens when a spammer gets hold of that address? You know, over time, they probably will.<\/span><\/p>\n

Here\u2019s what could happen\u2026<\/span><\/p>\n

The National Bank of Willard<\/span>
\nYour savings place and a whole lot more<\/span>
\nCar Loans 50% OFF!<\/span><\/p>\n

Dear Darcy Goobergoober,<\/span><\/p>\n

Thanks for banking with us. Believe it or not, we just found out that $4 million dollars was 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.<\/span><\/p>\n

Yes, you\u2019re shocked. We\u2019re shocked too! But it\u2019s true. All $4 million is yours. And all you have to do to claim it is to click this link<\/a><\/span><\/span> and verify your bank account number and password.<\/span><\/p>\n

After you give us the information we require, just think! You\u2019ll be one of our richest customers. You\u2019ll 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 \u2013 any time you like! And just think, you\u2019ll have $4 million in your checking account you can use to buy whatever tickles you.<\/span><\/p>\n

Yes, Darcy Goobergoober, you could be $4 million richer just by clicking this link<\/a><\/span> right now!<\/span><\/p>\n

Thanks so much for banking with us, Darcy Goobergoober.<\/span><\/p>\n

Sincerely yours,<\/span><\/p>\n

H. M. Hummer<\/span>
\nPresident<\/span>
\nNational Bank of Willard<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

If you\u2019re sharp, you\u2019ll think, \u201cGee, I don\u2019t have any relatives in Lower Slobovia,\u201d<\/em> and you\u2019ll delete this email straight away. Hopefully, if you have been with us for a while, we\u2019ve 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. NEVER CLICK LINKS IN EMAILS FROM BANKS, CREDIT CARD COMPANIES, FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS, or ANY SITE THAT DEALS IN MONEY OR ASKS FOR VERY PERSONAL INFORMATION, SUCH AS YOUR SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER OR HOME ADDRESS, ETC.<\/span><\/p>\n

But let\u2019s say you did get an email from someone, and it’s addressed to your name (as Darcy Goobergoober did). What happens if you\u2019re 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!<\/span><\/p>\n

But what if your email address did not have your name in it? What if it was RollyPollyPolarBear140@Nebraska-is-flat.com? Then what would the spammers write?<\/span><\/p>\n

Something like this\u2026<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDear RollyPollyPolarBear140\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

And you\u2019d say, \u201cWait! My name is Darcy Goobergoober\u2026 not RollyPollyPolarBear140 \u2013 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\u2019d still -hopefully \u2013 know what your name is.<\/span><\/p>\n

Of course, as always, I\u2019ve gone to extremes to prove a point. Most spammers and phishers don\u2019t bother with names \u2013 but the best ones do. And now, assisted by AI, if your name is in your email address, there\u2019s a good chance the email will be addressed in your name and not just \u201cDear cardholder\u201d, \u201cDear customer\u201d or “Hey Handsome”, “Hey lover” or \u201cHey baby!\u201d as many illegitimate spammy emails are. I just made up the “Hey Handsome”, “Hey Lover” and \u201cHey baby!\u201d, “Hey\u00a0 Spammers don\u2019t use those, do they? Well, yes maybe romance scammers and dating site scammers might.<\/span><\/p>\n

Anyway, with AI now “The Next Big Thing, 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\u2019m telling you \u2013 this is as realistic as it can be\u2026<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Why<\/span><\/p>\n

So, you can count on scammers and spammers being even more cunning by using the latest AI technology to trick you. Why help them by giving them your name by using your first, last, or first and last names in your email address?<\/span><\/p>\n

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.<\/span><\/p>\n

Now I\u2019m off to see if RollyPollyPolarBear @gmail.com is available!\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

A Reminder: Never Use Your Name in Your Email Address Now that Gmail has decided they are going let users change their email address (read more here), maybe you’ll want to change yours. So, dear friend, we want to remind you again that while we understand how tempting and how really cool it is to use your first\u2026 Read More »<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":25103,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1461,1751,4410,1764],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thundercloud.net\/infoave\/new\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31356"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thundercloud.net\/infoave\/new\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thundercloud.net\/infoave\/new\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thundercloud.net\/infoave\/new\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thundercloud.net\/infoave\/new\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=31356"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.thundercloud.net\/infoave\/new\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31356\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":31359,"href":"https:\/\/www.thundercloud.net\/infoave\/new\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31356\/revisions\/31359"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thundercloud.net\/infoave\/new\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/25103"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thundercloud.net\/infoave\/new\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=31356"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thundercloud.net\/infoave\/new\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=31356"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thundercloud.net\/infoave\/new\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=31356"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}