WWYD - Embarrassing Email Mistake

[Annie]

I just received an accidental email from an acquaintance that I know through some work I did from a small online retailer. I've known her casually (online) for five years or so, and we've talked on the phone about business a couple of times. It's unlikely, but not impossible, that I'll speak with her on the phone again or meet her in person. We're Facebook friends.

 

The email she accidentally sent me was about a personal family issue which is fairly embarrassing and sensitive. I was one of two recipients, and by the other person's email address, I'm confident she was an intended recipient. My initial instinct was to email her saying that it looks like this was sent to the wrong person, but then I thought maybe I should just ignore it and pretend I never saw it.

 

WWYD?

[Impish]

I'd ignore.

[Lady Marmalade]

Ignore and pretend you never saw it.

[sparrow]

I would let her know. If she's like me, she'll realize her mistake and not know if she should contact you to apologize. It would make me feel uncomfortable if I realized the mistake and didn't hear back from the recipient with a simple, "Oops. I don't think this was meant for me!"

 

I recently e-mailed the ex-wife of an ex-boyfriend (oh, Facebook, the crazy web you weave) because she posted a very personal message about another friend on the wall of an organization she thought was private. It wasn't anything bad, but it was discussing a person's social awkwardness, etc., asking the organization if they would reach out to them. It showed up in MY FB newsfeed. She thanked me profusely for contacting her.

[besroma]

I agree with sparrow.

[katilac]

I would ignore it.

[nmoira]

I'd let her know, in case the other person's email client automatically replies to "all."

[Lawana]

I voted ignore, but I've changed my mind. I didn't consider that the other person is going to see that you are a recipient, and will wonder why the heck you were also getting the email. I would let the sender know asap so that she can contact the intended recipient and apologize for the mistake.

[Remudamom]

Least said soonest mended.

 

ETA- My mama, a great Southern lady, would go further and if the sender actually said something about it she'd say something like "I simply don't recall anything like that, must have gone to my trash basket".

[lisamarie]

the only reason I'd say anything is because she probably started typing in a name for the email recipient who had the same first name as you, then clicked it to send. The person who was supposed to get the email now doesn't have it. So if the sender is counting on the support of the other recipient and ends up getting ignored, she might wonder why and feel hurt.

 

I only say this because I have several friends with the same first names and the same first three letters in their last names. I catch myself all the time about to send an email to the wrong person because I start typing their name and click enter to accept the address too soon.

[Violet Crown]

Other: I might send an e-mail saying something like, "I was copied on an e-mail that you sent to Jane Doe, but the text was just gibberish. Could you re-send it?" (And I would convince myself that "gibberish" could conceivably mean "thing I choose to remember as gibberish because it wasn't meant for me.") Then she'll realize her error, not be embarrassed, and easily cover for her mistake by telling you she accidentally copied you.

[Sisyphus]

Violets idea is great!

[butterflymommy]

My husband was once accidentally emailed something that would have mortified the sender. He pretended it never happened.

[Melissa in Australia]

I would ignore it

[TranquilMind]

I just received an accidental email from an acquaintance that I know through some work I did from a small online retailer. I've known her casually (online) for five years or so, and we've talked on the phone about business a couple of times. It's unlikely, but not impossible, that I'll speak with her on the phone again or meet her in person. We're Facebook friends.

 

The email she accidentally sent me was about a personal family issue which is fairly embarrassing and sensitive. I was one of two recipients, and by the other person's email address, I'm confident she was an intended recipient. My initial instinct was to email her saying that it looks like this was sent to the wrong person, but then I thought maybe I should just ignore it and pretend I never saw it.

 

WWYD?

 

Since it is not a huge mass email sent to many, I'd ignore it. You won't see her and the other person was intended to get it.

 

If it had been sent to a huge list, I might write a short, diplomatic email indicating that it appeared that she inadvertently sent this to perhaps a wrong list.