Just got a booking update email for a stranger
#16
Original Poster



Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Bedfordshire, UK
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#17
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: JAX
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Prior to the email, have you spoken to anyone at BA recently? It might be that an agent wrote down your details and then wrongly added them to another PNR if they got their notes mixed up.
#18
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#19




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#20
FlyerTalk Evangelist


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I would have first checked the email address that's actually in the booking.
If it's Joely's email address, then something has gone wrong in creating the booking or originally inserting the email address into the booking, but the booking update email has gone out as expected in the circumstances.
If the booking has no trace of Joely's email address, then there's a potentially more serious gremlin in the works that's perhaps randomly taking emails intended for address X and sending them to address Y.
I would have thought the ICO wouldn't be terribly interested in an accident of the first kind. Stuff like that happens; that's life.
If it's Joely's email address, then something has gone wrong in creating the booking or originally inserting the email address into the booking, but the booking update email has gone out as expected in the circumstances.
If the booking has no trace of Joely's email address, then there's a potentially more serious gremlin in the works that's perhaps randomly taking emails intended for address X and sending them to address Y.
I would have thought the ICO wouldn't be terribly interested in an accident of the first kind. Stuff like that happens; that's life.
#21
Join Date: Sep 2013
Programs: BA Executive Club
Posts: 182
I just received an e-mail for a booking I didn't recognise. Sure enough when I opened the mail it informs me that the executive club number for someone I have never heard of was added by someone else I never heard of.
I guess somewhere in the BA system their booking reference got mixed up with my e-mail address but this seems like a fairly hefty breach of security. If I were a more malicious type I could get this families passport numbers, DOBs and other personal details simply by using the information in the e-mail. It further concerns me who might have got e-mails with my bookings!
I guess somewhere in the BA system their booking reference got mixed up with my e-mail address but this seems like a fairly hefty breach of security. If I were a more malicious type I could get this families passport numbers, DOBs and other personal details simply by using the information in the e-mail. It further concerns me who might have got e-mails with my bookings!
Give them a call and report it but it's disappointing to read that this has happened to someone else.
Bob
#22
Original Poster



Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Bedfordshire, UK
Programs: BA Gold, Geek platinum
Posts: 2,004
I would have first checked the email address that's actually in the booking.
If it's Joely's email address, then something has gone wrong in creating the booking or originally inserting the email address into the booking, but the booking update email has gone out as expected in the circumstances.
If the booking has no trace of Joely's email address, then there's a potentially more serious gremlin in the works that's perhaps randomly taking emails intended for address X and sending them to address Y.
I would have thought the ICO wouldn't be terribly interested in an accident of the first kind. Stuff like that happens; that's life.
If it's Joely's email address, then something has gone wrong in creating the booking or originally inserting the email address into the booking, but the booking update email has gone out as expected in the circumstances.
If the booking has no trace of Joely's email address, then there's a potentially more serious gremlin in the works that's perhaps randomly taking emails intended for address X and sending them to address Y.
I would have thought the ICO wouldn't be terribly interested in an accident of the first kind. Stuff like that happens; that's life.
#24


Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: Paris France
Programs: FB Gold
Posts: 105
Slightly off-topic but the messages for booking confirmation/booking updates of several bookings involving my friend and myself, all made in the same order (myself as first passenger, my companion as second passenger), are randomly received on one/the other or both email adress.
#25
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Happened to me too. I never though much of it and it was more or less laughed off when I told them. Never thought about the DPA consequences at the time.
#26
Original Poster



Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Bedfordshire, UK
Programs: BA Gold, Geek platinum
Posts: 2,004
So it seems that it has happened to at least three people on here, which would suggest it is a much wider, and more concerning problem. I just wonder who has got all my booking details now.
#27


Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: London
Programs: Don't even mention it. Grrrrrrr.
Posts: 971
Yes, this is all a bit Daily Mail. Someone has probably slipped a finger somewhere. The chances that it could have gone to a terrorist/criminal rather than the fine upstanding citizen that is the OP is very very slim.
A quick email/contact us would have got this sorted rather than starting fireworks on here (let alone twitter - what are you thinking that will achieve?) and getting the usual "oh my. What a disaster. What if....." etc. etc. in response.
A quick email/contact us would have got this sorted rather than starting fireworks on here (let alone twitter - what are you thinking that will achieve?) and getting the usual "oh my. What a disaster. What if....." etc. etc. in response.
#29
Join Date: Dec 2014
Posts: 76
So looking again a the booking, which I probably shouldn't be doing, but the main contact on the booking is listed as me and yet the e-mail addresses of two of the passengers (the parents I guess) are completely different. So somehow my e-mail address has been hooked up to a completely random booking.
#30
Company Representative




Join Date: Jun 2015
Posts: 462
I just received an e-mail for a booking I didn't recognise. Sure enough when I opened the mail it informs me that the executive club number for someone I have never heard of was added by someone else I never heard of. I thought I would check on BA.com anyway as I have booked a ton of flights recently and maybe the reference number is mine but the e-mail is in error but sure enough the booking is for a family of 4 heading to Orlando next month, I swiftly log out before I accidentally downgrade them or somesuch.
I guess somewhere in the BA system their booking reference got mixed up with my e-mail address but this seems like a fairly hefty breach of security. If I were a more malicious type I could get this families passport numbers, DOBs and other personal details simply by using the information in the e-mail. It further concerns me who might have got e-mails with my bookings! Maybe I'm coming over a little daily mail but it does seem a little lax that their system could mix something like this up.
I guess somewhere in the BA system their booking reference got mixed up with my e-mail address but this seems like a fairly hefty breach of security. If I were a more malicious type I could get this families passport numbers, DOBs and other personal details simply by using the information in the e-mail. It further concerns me who might have got e-mails with my bookings! Maybe I'm coming over a little daily mail but it does seem a little lax that their system could mix something like this up.
Obviously this is a matter we take very seriously and is not a regular occurrence.
We of course will look into this immediately, can you please PM me any details that you have regarding this which will aid our investigations.
regards
Gavin


