INFORMATION

This website uses cookies to store information on your computer. Some of these cookies are essential to make our site work and others help us to improve by giving us some insight into how the site is being used.

For further information, see our Privacy Policy.

Continuing to use this website is acceptance of these cookies.

We are not accepting any new registrations.

Chain letters/emails, grrr!

...on serious topics that don't fit anywhere else at present.
Post Reply
Message
Author
User avatar
LilacHamster
Posts: 209
Joined: August 1st, 2008, 11:54 am

Chain letters/emails, grrr!

#1 Post by LilacHamster » August 7th, 2008, 4:52 pm

You know the type, the ones that start off really nice and harmless with a proverb, a few words of wisdom, then go on to tell you about someone who sent on the email and won a fortune, and someone else who failed to do so and lost his job, but then sent it on and got a better job, and even someone whose child got ill because they did not send on the email (this is a suggestion I find unforgivably cruel).

Do any of you rational folks find that some people really do believe this garbage though?

I just got one of these horrible things yesterday and emailed back in no uncertain terms to tell the sender what I think of superstitious nonsense. I also copied in the person who sent it to the person who sent it ot me and all the others on her email list, I even made the offer that if any of them were worried about what would happen to them if they did not send it on they could send it to me and I would delete it, so taking on for myself their share of the bad luck!!

So what do you do? Do you just ignore them or let rip at the sender? I think they can upset and scare people who are vulnerable so I usually write back to the sender.

User avatar
Alan H
Posts: 24067
Joined: July 3rd, 2007, 10:26 pm

Re: Chain letters/emails, grrr!

#2 Post by Alan H » August 7th, 2008, 5:42 pm

I occasionally get one from a relative of mine, so I just ignore them, rather than challenging her on it! But, yes, they are complete nonsense.
Alan Henness

There are three fundamental questions for anyone advocating Brexit:

1. What, precisely, are the significant and tangible benefits of leaving the EU?
2. What damage to the UK and its citizens is an acceptable price to pay for those benefits?
3. Which ruling of the ECJ is most persuasive of the need to leave its jurisdiction?

User avatar
Botfield
Posts: 31
Joined: July 13th, 2008, 11:45 am

Re: Chain letters/emails, grrr!

#3 Post by Botfield » August 7th, 2008, 7:31 pm

Since the 1996 Trading Schemes Act came into force, all chain letters have been illegal in England and Wales. Not sure about emails.

The problem is that it is very difficult to catch the people who start the chain letter off.
Let me dance till my shoes cry

Nick
Posts: 11027
Joined: July 4th, 2007, 10:10 am

Re: Chain letters/emails, grrr!

#4 Post by Nick » August 7th, 2008, 8:29 pm

Fight fire with fire. I haven't had the pleasure of such an email. Maybe this says something about me, but I would respond that unless they deleted every such email they received, and refrained from ever initiating such a chain email, they would forever live in constant fear of being turned into a toad.

User avatar
Alan C.
Posts: 10356
Joined: July 4th, 2007, 3:35 pm

Re: Chain letters/emails, grrr!

#5 Post by Alan C. » August 7th, 2008, 8:38 pm

I've had a few, strangely they usually come from a girl I used to work with who is an Atheist, my response is to hit the reply button, and send them straight back, with no message of my own.
Abstinence Makes the Church Grow Fondlers.

lukanator
Posts: 25
Joined: August 1st, 2008, 10:07 am

Re: Chain letters/emails, grrr!

#6 Post by lukanator » August 12th, 2008, 7:00 am

Chain letters and email forwards are things only a certain type of personality is capable of enjoying: the authoritarian. In this case, I'm referring to authoritarian "followers," who prefer to have their news and facts about the world around them delivered complete with instructions on how to interpret them. Similar to the way a baby sparrow has its food pre-chewed and fed to it right into it's mouth. Only in this case, the authoritarian follower isn't helpless, they're just intellectually lazy.

Lazy, lazy, lazy. This is why wonky talk radio has so much success. Killing time in the 'ol cubicle? Not much to do until lunch time, forget reading, I'd rather play solitaire and get my double-dose of INFORMED politics from chain letters and talk radio.

User avatar
Parapraxis
Posts: 117
Joined: April 21st, 2008, 11:17 am

Re: Chain letters/emails, grrr!

#7 Post by Parapraxis » August 12th, 2008, 8:52 am

I used to get tons when I was back in secondary school and we all exchanged our MSN accounts, suddenly people were sending the most pointless chain e-mails and when one received clicking "Forward To All". Luckily now I get none, but my mother often complains about her (supposedly) rational friends forwarding chain e-mails.
The poster formerly known as "Electric Angel"

lewist
Posts: 4402
Joined: July 4th, 2007, 8:53 pm

Re: Chain letters/emails, grrr!

#8 Post by lewist » August 12th, 2008, 11:45 am

Years ago we participated in a German Friendship Cake chain. The cake had a yeast based starter which you had to feed; you then divided it in three, gave a starter to each of two friends (along with the recipe and instructions) and used the third yourself. The cake was really good, a rich fruity loaf with a very distinct flavour, and people were grateful for the starter and often did pass it on. There were no threats, just the promise of a yummy cake if you participated. The chain went on for quite a long time, though there were doubts expressed about keeping the starter going indefinitely. The link above gives instructions for the starter. Interestingly it is given as a sourdough recipe. Anyone for a bit of Robert Service?

Also, I think Maria posted the idea of an email recipe chain in the Recipes thread in the Social Club. The idea is an ok one, provided there is no coercion, mumbo jumbo or unpleasantness attached.
Carpe diem. Savour every moment.

User avatar
snaggletooth
Posts: 72
Joined: July 8th, 2008, 9:18 pm

Re: Chain letters/emails, grrr!

#9 Post by snaggletooth » August 13th, 2008, 10:21 pm

Next time anyone gets one of these emails, just take a look at the number of addresses being passed on with them each time they're forwarded (including your own!). Now think how many want you to reply as well as pass them on. Me being a cynic, I figure they're started by spammers to build address lists. A bit like anti-virus companies spreading viruses (virii?), it keeps them in business! .... and while I'm at it, Princess Di is living next door to Elvis...etc.etc...:wink:

lewist
Posts: 4402
Joined: July 4th, 2007, 8:53 pm

Re: Chain letters/emails, grrr!

#10 Post by lewist » August 14th, 2008, 11:14 am

snaggletooth wrote:Next time anyone gets one of these emails, just take a look at the number of addresses being passed on with them each time they're forwarded (including your own!). Now think how many want you to reply as well as pass them on. Me being a cynic, I figure they're started by spammers to build address lists. A bit like anti-virus companies spreading viruses (virii?), it keeps them in business! .... and while I'm at it, Princess Di is living next door to Elvis...etc.etc...:wink:
The polite way to send out an email to multiple addresses is to send it to ones self with all the others in a bcc list. Of course, spammers may have ways of opening these lists but I don't think so.
Carpe diem. Savour every moment.

User avatar
Oxfordrocks
Posts: 674
Joined: September 10th, 2007, 9:45 am

Re: Chain letters/emails, grrr!

#11 Post by Oxfordrocks » August 24th, 2008, 10:56 am

You should never reply to unsolicited e-mails.

As soon as you do, the spammers know your e-mail account is active and you will receive a ton of junk in your inbox.

Just delete all junk e-mails without opening/reading them.
hello

User avatar
snaggletooth
Posts: 72
Joined: July 8th, 2008, 9:18 pm

Re: Chain letters/emails, grrr!

#12 Post by snaggletooth » August 24th, 2008, 11:20 am

Oxfordrocks wrote:You should never reply to unsolicited e-mails.

As soon as you do, the spammers know your e-mail account is active and you will receive a ton of junk in your inbox.

Just delete all junk e-mails without opening/reading them.
I learnt that the hard way a long time ago! It pays to learn how to set your junk filters, (at least on email accounts that I'm familiar with). I get hardly any junk now, in fact I miss the old "African scam" ones, they always made me laugh, especially the "god be with you" rubbish they always added!
This is how to deal with them : http://www.dumbentia.com/gallery_scammers.html

The last few chain email types I've seen, are mainly involving Madeleine MacCann. It's sad when they resort to using something like that. If any are genuine, it's unlikely they'll help get her back, it's not like no-ones heard of her or seen pictures before!

Post Reply