I recently attempted to update my email address in my profile. I wanted to change the email from my Yahoo account (which I’m trying to eliminate) to my Gmail account. I received a notification that the Gmail address was already in use. I requested the password for the account using the Gmail address and to my surprise I indeed am registered under a different username, same password, and with the Gmail address.
I would like to merge the duplicate profile into this one and have the Gmail email address as the email in my profile.
MeanJoe - Keep this profile but update email to Gmail address.
mjsmith0469 - Duplicate profile that currently has Gmail address that I never use and would like to eliminate.
You need to send us an email from both accounts, please. That’s a security precaution to be sure you’re really you. Send them me at ckdexthavn@aol.com or to tubadiva@aol.com and we’ll be glad to merge for you.
For everyone else, just FYI: when making such requests, we want an email from your email account, for security. You might have left your Straight Dope Message Board without logging out, and someone else could then easily send PMs or post in your name. Use of your email and password, however, is a second-layer of security.
Just out of curiosity, what if this happened to someone who no longer had one of the email accounts? Like what if MeanJoe’s old account had been from an ISP he no longer uses instead of a Yahoo account?
Then we get a big headache and try to play it by ear. It’s happened before, and I’m sure it will happen again, but it doesn’t happen often enough that we have rules or guidelines about it.