# Emails from dead man’s account helping family and friends find closure **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [March 15, 2012, 12:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/emails-from-dead-man-s-account-helping-family-and-friends-find-closure/615853 "2012-03-15T12:09:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2012, 12:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/emails-from-dead-man-s-account-helping-family-and-friends-find-closure/615853/1 "2012-03-15T12:09:36Z")
Actually, it’s freaking them out > **[Emails from dead man’s account helping family and friends find closure](https://www.yahoo.com/news/blogs/sideshow/emails-dead-man-account-helping-family-friends-closure-193306965.html)** > > When Jack Froese, 32, died of a heart arrhythmia in June 2011, he left behind a number of grieving friends and family members. But the BBC reports that several mysterious posthumous emails from Froese's account have brought some happiness and closure... > [@](#): > > When Jack Froese, 32, died of a heart arrhythmia in June 2011, he left behind a number of grieving friends and family members. But the BBC reports that several mysterious posthumous emails from Froese’s account have brought some happiness and closure to those who were closest to him. > > Last November, five months after Froese’s death, his childhood best friend Tim Hart received an email from Froese’s account. > > “One night in November, I was sitting on my couch, going through my emails on my phone and it popped up, ‘sender: Jack Froese.’ I turned ghost white when I read it,” Hart told the BBC. “It was very quick and short but to a point that only Jack and I could relate on.” > > The email had the subject heading, “I’m Watching.” While the text of the message itself read, “Did you hear me? I’m at your house. Clean your f\*\*\*ing attic!!!” > … > > … > > … > > For now, the source of the emails remains a mystery. But that’s OK with Hart, who says that even if the emails are coming from a cruel prankster who has hacked Froese’s account, he doesn’t mind. “If somebody’s joking around, I don’t care because I take it whatever way I want,” he said. How come _Ghost Hunters_ never records ghosts complaining about how messy the place they’re haunting is? How bad is your attic that your friends are coming back from the dead to complain about it? The last line of the article is a kicker: > [@](#): > > And if you’re simply looking for advice on preparing for your Web-based afterlife, the site Digital Beyond offers ongoing tips about preparing your online identity for after your death. I have to prepare my online identity for after I’m dead? How come nobody told me about this? ---
**Author:** ![clairobscur](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/839c29/32.png) [@clairobscur](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clairobscur)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2012, 12:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/emails-from-dead-man-s-account-helping-family-and-friends-find-closure/615853/2 "2012-03-15T12:29:34Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > How bad is your attic that your friends are coming back from the dead to complain about it? This one cracked me up. Fortunately, email didn’t exist when my grandmother, (who raised me) passed away. Or else, I would get hell for the state of my appartment. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2012, 12:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/emails-from-dead-man-s-account-helping-family-and-friends-find-closure/615853/3 "2012-03-15T12:30:47Z")
Theory - the dead man is the prankster. He knew he was dying so enlisted the help of a friend to send pre-prepared emails at random dates after his death. Which is a fucking spooky thing to do in itself. Either that or one of the recipients is doing it. I suspect the guy with the broken ankle. Shame they haven’t investigated further - I’ve always wanted to know the IP address of the Great Beyond. ---
**Author:** ![Susie\_Derkins](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e47774/32.png) [@Susie\_Derkins](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Susie_Derkins)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2012, 1:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/emails-from-dead-man-s-account-helping-family-and-friends-find-closure/615853/4 "2012-03-15T13:10:13Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > I have to prepare my online identity for after I’m dead? How come nobody told me about this? You should set up your Facespook account now! (Did anyone else hear a groan?) ---
**Author:** ![Sailboat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sailboat/32/461_2.png) [@Sailboat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sailboat)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2012, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/emails-from-dead-man-s-account-helping-family-and-friends-find-closure/615853/5 "2012-03-15T13:13:33Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > I have to prepare my online identity for after I’m dead? How come nobody told me about this? Sheesh, _another_ damned thing to worry about… ---
**Author:** ![billfish678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@billfish678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billfish678)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2012, 1:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/emails-from-dead-man-s-account-helping-family-and-friends-find-closure/615853/6 "2012-03-15T13:16:15Z")
I’ve been sending (brain) dead emails and posts for years so people I know aren’t even remotely surprised about this story. ---
**Author:** ![Nawth\_Chucka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c57346/32.png) [@Nawth\_Chucka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nawth_Chucka)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2012, 1:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/emails-from-dead-man-s-account-helping-family-and-friends-find-closure/615853/7 "2012-03-15T13:19:35Z")
Sadly, the email account of a friend who passed September 2010 has been used by a hacker selling various dick drugs; I get one or two a month. Sick to think my friend’s mom gets them, too. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2012, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/emails-from-dead-man-s-account-helping-family-and-friends-find-closure/615853/8 "2012-03-15T13:31:00Z")
A few years ago when a coworker died in a motorcycle accident, the HR guy had to go into his work email account and let people know he’d passed away. One of the emails was a personal one that said “I haven’t heard from you in ages. Have you died?” The HR person, who was a man of very little brain, sent a reply saying that the coworker had indeed died _from the deceased coworker’s own email account_. ---
**Author:** ![YogSothoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/8edcca/32.png) [@YogSothoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YogSothoth)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2012, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/emails-from-dead-man-s-account-helping-family-and-friends-find-closure/615853/9 "2012-03-15T22:27:31Z")
Read the comments section, they’re HILARIOUS! I especially like the guy who asked if his grandma would be able to email since she died before email existed. Like, do ghosts get some kind of afterlife technology training to help them better communicate with their descendents? ---
**Author:** ![Taomist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/53a042/32.png) [@Taomist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Taomist)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2012, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/emails-from-dead-man-s-account-helping-family-and-friends-find-closure/615853/10 "2012-03-15T22:38:45Z")
> [@YogSosoth](#): > > Like, do ghosts get some kind of afterlife technology training to help them better communicate with their descendents? Have no fear, Steve Jobs is here!! ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2012, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/emails-from-dead-man-s-account-helping-family-and-friends-find-closure/615853/11 "2012-03-16T19:08:15Z")
> [@Taomist](#): > > Have no fear, Steve Jobs is here!! Don’t get me started. Steve Jobs keeps trying to sell me Viagra and penis enhancers from beyond the grave, and dammit, I just wish he would _stop already!_ ---
**Author:** ![Lemur866](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lemur866/32/434_2.png) [@Lemur866](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lemur866)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2012, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/emails-from-dead-man-s-account-helping-family-and-friends-find-closure/615853/12 "2012-03-16T19:29:20Z")
I have a friend who died a couple of months ago. His email account was hacked and I was getting three or four “click this link” spams sent from his account every week. I finally decided to just block the account. It kind of pissed me off. ---
**Author:** ![Ann\_Hedonia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ann_hedonia/32/319_2.png) [@Ann\_Hedonia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ann_Hedonia)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2012, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/emails-from-dead-man-s-account-helping-family-and-friends-find-closure/615853/13 "2012-03-16T19:31:28Z")
> [@jjimm](#): > > Theory - the dead man is the prankster. He knew he was dying so enlisted the help of a friend to send pre-prepared emails at random dates after his death. > > Which is a fucking spooky thing to do in itself. > > Either that or one of the recipients is doing it. I suspect the guy with the broken ankle. > > Shame they haven’t investigated further - I’ve always wanted to know the IP address of the Great Beyond. I don’t even think he would need the help of a friend, my e-mail account lets me write e-mails and specify that they be sent at a selected time in the future. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2012, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/emails-from-dead-man-s-account-helping-family-and-friends-find-closure/615853/14 "2012-03-16T19:35:54Z")
> [@YogSosoth](#): > > Read the comments section, they’re HILARIOUS! > > I especially like the guy who asked if his grandma would be able to email since she died before email existed. Like, do ghosts get some kind of afterlife technology training to help them better communicate with their descendents? No, it requires a sue-ance. ---
**Author:** ![FlyByNight512](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/82dd89/32.png) [@FlyByNight512](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FlyByNight512)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2012, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/emails-from-dead-man-s-account-helping-family-and-friends-find-closure/615853/15 "2012-03-16T20:25:39Z")
> [@Ann\_Hedonia](#): > > I don’t even think he would need the help of a friend, my e-mail account lets me write e-mails and specify that they be sent at a selected time in the future. It’s also painfully easy to spoof an email address. Someone who knew the deceased but didn’t have access to their email could be sending these as a ‘joke’. ---
**Author:** ![Taomist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/53a042/32.png) [@Taomist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Taomist)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2012, 5:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/emails-from-dead-man-s-account-helping-family-and-friends-find-closure/615853/16 "2012-03-17T05:35:53Z")
My bet’s on an outsider. Sure, you can set stuff up, but unless you know exactly when you’re going to die, well… The only thing I can think of, even regarding using a professional setup, is to have things set up that go out after XXX amount of time has passed when you haven’t logged in. Which could be a lot of fun during the week your computer shits the bed. 😛