Three Reasons Why People Send Confirming E-mails

After a phone conversation or meeting, many people send confirming e-mails (i.e., a quick e-mail to a person they just spoke to, making a record of a conversation they just had). Why do people do that? I think many people would answer, "protection from fraud," but there are other possible reasons, too. Here are the three best explanations for why people send confirming e-mails:

Reason one: protection from fraud. As noted above, protection from fraud is the classic answer to this question. People who send confirming e-mails say that such e-mails create a record for reference in the future, in case there is a dispute as to what was said in a conversation. All you have to do is send a quick e-mail, and then you have a document that could potentially be used in court to show exactly what went on in the conversation. In this way, you prevent others from defrauding you based on a conversation.

Reason two: to defraud others. In my experience, after a phone conversation many people send a quick e-mail that claims the conversation included statements that were not actually made. This type of record of the conversation is intentionally misleading. The sender does want a record for reference in the future, but they want that record to mischaracterize the conversation in some way. Rather than sending an e-mail as protection from fraud, therefore, such people are actually sending an e-mail to enable them to commit fraud. When people send confirming e-mails like this, I always feel that I have to respond and correct any errors; otherwise, the e-mail might be used to defraud me in the future.

Reason three: as a memory aid. People send confirming e-mails in some cases simply to aid their own memories -- not to create a record of the conversation. After an important conversation, you might think -- I really need to remember what was just said, but where can I put a note that I'll be certain to remember? One answer is e-mail. Send a quick e-mail that creates a record for reference by you in the other participants in the conversation. Then keep the message in your inbox or some other place where you'll be sure to see it when you need to.

In the business and legal worlds, people send confirming e-mails all the time. It can be nice to have a record of the conversation for future use, but it is only worthwhile to have a record for reference if that record is accurate. Whether it is because of protection from fraud, an intent to defraud others, or simply as a memory aid, there is little doubt that people will continue to send such e-mails.