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I have just received an email from Google wherein they are asking for my physical address so that I can continue to use my Google Wallet account. This is strange since I have never used Google Wallet. What will happen if I don't supply the address?

I have no idea what Google Wallet is because I only use Gmail, Google App Engine API, Google Docs, and a Google account to sign into StackExchange websites.

What is the purpose of Google Wallet and what does it have to do with email, GAE API, Docs, and auto-signing in?

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  • I wish I could say Google would never ask for such information, but alas, they are desperate to know everything about you (for instance, GMail asks me to provide my phone number every time I log in), so I wouldn't hold them above this.
    – Mr Lister
    Commented Aug 30, 2012 at 6:59
  • Strange request. While Google wants to know everything, they don't normally ask via email. Have a look at this page - in particular the section at the end about how to "Recognize Spoofing".
    – John C
    Commented Aug 30, 2012 at 8:37
  • @MrLister: Gmail asking for mobile phone number is simply a security feature. They can use it to verify account ownership if required. I think they will stop asking after a while though.
    – MrWhite
    Commented Aug 30, 2012 at 9:14
  • Does the email want you to reply with your address? (This would definitely be spam.) Or is there a link to enter your details online? (Could be phishing.)
    – MrWhite
    Commented Aug 30, 2012 at 9:27
  • Received same; definitely sounds like a scam and very unlike Google. The wording of the message is odd, "we need you to confirm your home address where you reside". Google folks generally have a better handle on English than that. I think I'm going to treat it as spam/phishing. I never use GW anyway so if it is legitimate and they cancel me or something, I won't be missing out on much.
    – djangodude
    Commented Sep 5, 2012 at 14:37

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You say you use Google App Engine API. Does that also mean you've used Apps to buy a domain at some stage? If so, then your transaction went through Checkout, which has now turned into Wallet.

The last time I went into Wallet (to check that my credit card there was still valid, prior to a domain I'd purchased auto-renewing), I was asked to confirm my billing address.

While I understand the privacy concerns, it does seem reasonable that once we start doing financial transactions with the company, they do need to do a little more to identify us and tie us to bricks-and-mortar places.

That said, if I was you I wouldn't be clicking on a link in an unexpected, unsolicited email. But it's probably reasonable to go into Wallet and see if you need to have a creditcard registered there.

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Whenever you get mail like this, always check the address that you are receiving this email from. For example, if Google sent it, you should receive it from someone@google.com

If the email doesn't seem legit, try looked for mailed-by and signed-by sections of the email. (This is easily available in Gmail). Also, when you click on a link, verify that you are on the correct URL, in this case someproduct.google.com (example: wallet.google.com)

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    Email From: addresses are extremely simple to spoof. That's not a clear indication of authenticity at all.
    – ale
    Commented Feb 22, 2014 at 16:21
  • ^ Google is at least capable enough of filtering .google.com email address spoofs.
    – Deepak Kamat
    Commented Jul 6, 2015 at 10:53

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