One of the emails had a phone number for the intended recipient, so I called. It was an old person who was definitely confused.

I can easily imagine there are a bunch of older people who do not have email addresses, yet just about everything requires an email address, even if it's not necessary for whatever service, so people have to either make up an address, or incorrectly remember what the address was that their children or grandchildren set up for them.

Either way, that doesn't excuse the companies that spam innocent people.