Email - The great equalizer

Working at the top level of a huge International Coporation I usually feel unworthy. I always expect CEO/CCO/CPO/(R2-D2)'s to be the cream of the crop. These are the big wheeler and dealers of the world. These men (and some women) are smart, ambitious, and sharp. Certainly the biggest companies in the US and the world would employ executives that are the greatest minds of our time. How could a 22 year old degree-less college student keep up with these great thinkers?

Then I have days like today.

An email was sent out with some random information. All the required people were copied and the original sender accidently also copied the ENTIRE North American coportation.

No big deal right? I got the email, had a "huh" moment of 2 seconds and then realized they must have typed ****ALL USERS***@****** by accident and went merrily on my way assured that it was an accident and there's no reason to focus on it any longer.

However, though the 22 year old assistant figured this out in less than a minute the following train of emails was sent, and copied to all senders. Below is the emails I recieved (as did the rest of the company on our continent) in order over the past three hours. (I've blocked out names and pertinent information with random "*****" to protect the stupid - and my job.)


This reached me in error. Please re send to the proper party.

Hi ********: I have no clue what this is about ......... did you send it to me by error ?

This also reached me in error.

This reached me in error. please resend to the appropriate individual(s).

It reached me in error also.
Thanks,

I believe I rec'd this in error.

THIS MESSAGE HAS REACHED THE WRONG ***** ***********
PLEASE CHECK YOUR ADDRESS BOOK AND RESEND TO *****

This reached me in error. Please resend to appropriate associate.

I have also received this in error.

Please, when you reply, only send to the original person, I have rec'd 9 of these. (Finally someone is catching on.)

STOP RESPONDING TO HER EMAIL.

I do believe she has got the point by now . (Ya think?)

It appears as though this has been sent to the entire company by mistake. I don't think there is any need for everyone to respond. *****, don't worry about it..........mistakes happen.

(That should be the end of that.)

This was sent to me by accident! (Or not.)

I am getting all of these messages and I don't know anything about this. I am ****************** in ********* **********.

It was a mistake as everyone received this.

Please send emails back to org sender not everyone on list. Thank you.

I am getting all of these messages and I don't know anything about this. I am ****************** in ********* **********. (They sent this email TWICE.)

This was sent to me by accident! (They sent this twice too.)

This was sent in error. Please disregard. I hit the wrong address for *******. Sorry for the mistake. Have a wonderful week. (This was sent with stars, in large, bold font, and pretty colors. But....)

this also reached me in error ,please take me off this mailing list !!!!!!

As I type this is STILL going on. Now we're getting emails like the above and emails telling the original sender that they forgive her for typing in the wrong address.

Yes sir, these are the big wigs, the greatest minds of our time, the men with the money and the power.

Who forgot to look at the "send to" part of the email.