# Is My Identity Stolen?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-my-identity-stolen/354697>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [April 29, 2006, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-my-identity-stolen/354697 "2006-04-29T03:08:14Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ccd318/32.png) [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)\
**Post date:** [April 29, 2006, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-my-identity-stolen/354697/1 "2006-04-29T03:08:14Z")

</div>

Odd internet goings on here.

I am in Saudi Arabia. I use the same censored server as everyone else in the Kingdom. I have two e-mail addresses. MYNAME@ hotmail and another with the same name at Yahoo.

So yesterday I went to my Yahoo mail page and it asked me for my password to log in as SOMEBODYELSE@ hotmail. I reentered my name did my password and I got in. Same thing (with yet another name) this morning.

This morning I went to the Hotmail page. It had some third person’s name. I corrected it and typed in my name, then my password. Repeatedly. It kept asking me for my password again and again. It consistently told me my password was wrong.

What do you think might be going on?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\
**Post date:** [April 29, 2006, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-my-identity-stolen/354697/2 "2006-04-29T03:18:59Z")

</div>

Does anyone else have access to this computer?

You can set Yahoo mail (and Hotmail, too, IIRC) to remember your name when you log on the next time. If someone else used the computer, and checked that box, their name would come up when you try to log in.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ccd318/32.png) [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)\
**Post date:** [April 29, 2006, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-my-identity-stolen/354697/3 "2006-04-29T14:33:45Z")

</div>

Nobody else can get near my machine. I was most puzzled that when I go to Hotmail, the page has someone else’s name and asks for my password.

I am just back from work, and my name was on the signon page, and this time it accepted my password. Now I can get my mail with no problems.

All in all, a strange occurrence.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![drachillix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/48db29/32.png) [@drachillix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drachillix)\
**Post date:** [April 29, 2006, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-my-identity-stolen/354697/4 "2006-04-29T14:37:16Z")

</div>

> [@Paul in Saudi](#):
>
> Nobody else can get near my machine. I was most puzzled that when I go to Hotmail, the page has someone else’s name and asks for my password.
> 
> I am just back from work, and my name was on the signon page, and this time it accepted my password. Now I can get my mail with no problems.
> 
> All in all, a strange occurrence.

Any changes to cookie handling?