Smith Barney sent a welcome message to Harold Bxxxxx, welcoming Harold B to Smith Barney online and another for account number ###-##099 being enrolled in E-Delivery with the last 3 SSN ending in 040.  Smith Barney, like others, links to their privacy policy, and does a wonderful job following it.  They do give an 800 number (800-221-3636) to call, but no link or email address to notify them.

Next we have Intuit QB Basic Payroll sending order # SBL36468501 for 243.89 to me for Grant Kxxxxx in Boca Raton, Florida with no reply address and no way to notify them that they are sending information to someone else.

An update on the American Express “Settlement and Payment Advice Report for SE No: 9740108691.”  American Express is still sending them.  While asking to be notified by email, but messages to their notification email address still bounce.

How about companies adopt a standard link at the end of their emails to notify them to review the address?

Following in the footsteps of others, Best Buy and HSBC Bank send private information without a method of notifying them of their mistake.  They obviously do not bother to verify email addresses.   So, Tom H***** is getting information from Best Buy about his account ending in 8954 sent to us.

The kicker is that Best Buy and HSBC included the statement that  “We maintain strict security standards and procedures to prevent unauthorized access to information about you.”  I guess that is, unless of course HSBC and Best Buy send it to the wrong email address they do not bother to verify them.

After speaking with a supervisor, they intended to “try to find the account number” and delete it, but apparently there is no method for them to look up an account number by email address, name or last four digits.

And yet another example for poor privacy practices by Continental Airlines sending me flight check-in information for “Annmrs Zgonena”.  Now it seems a bit strange that someone would be using an email address that does not belong to them to book a flight and the airlines wouldn’t know it.  But it is also amazing the amount of information they share including the confirmation number, complete itinerary and the food selection with a complete stranger.

To make matters worse, Continental provides no method to notify them that someone is not using their own email address to book a flight.

As a follow-up, HomeDepot is yet another company that plays fast and lose with your privacy.  Check the email out below.

Now in this same email, the Subject says “DO NOT REPLY.”  In the text HomeDepot says “This is an unmonitored mailbox; please do not reply directly to this e-mail.”  Then a few sentences further, it says “if this message has been sent to you in error, please immediately alert the sender by reply e-mail.”  The do include a link to their privacy policy (http://www.homedepot.com/privacy).  Fortunately OUR terms of service that apply to email sent to us, is that we may quote it here. Otherwise, emailing us is strictly forbidden.

HomeDepot should be including a link to report problems that are either fraud or honest errors.  Likewise, HomeDepot should take the time to proofread their emails in order to ensure that they make sense.

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Fri, Nov 13, 2009 at 9:54 AM
subject DO NOT REPLY: The Home Depot Home Services Appointment Details [47638xx]
Dear: Paul Jxxxxxx,
Thank you for submitting your information with The Home Depot’s Installation Services:

Home Insulation

Our representatives will contact you within 24 to 48 hours.
…
This is an unmonitored mailbox; please do not reply directly to this e-mail.
…
If you are not the intended recipient of this message, or if this message has been sent to you in error, please immediately alert the sender by reply e-mail and then delete this message, including any attachments.