Don't post private information

[tony]

Remember how we have said to keep you email private and not to reveal it or other personal information in your posts?

Here is an example why. One of our members received this in her private email account. Our member had entered her email in a post in November. Here is the email she received from an ostensibly German email address.

Hello my dear,
My name is Favor. I am a young lady.

I saw your profile in this site (www.talkofthevillages.com) and became interested in you.

I want us to be friends and to know more about each other.

Please contact me through my email address (favormustafar@yahoo.de) so that i can send my picture to you and also tell you more about myself.

I believe age, distance or tribe does not matter in a serious relationship but love matters most. I will be waiting for your mail.

Your new friend,
Favor

My guess is that this mystery sender will be asking for money if our member would respond. Or, worse yet, will be asking for private account information.

Beware of posting your email address in the open forum

[graciegirl]

Remember how we have said to keep you email private and not to reveal it or other personal information in your posts?

Here is an example why. One of our members received this in her private email account. Our member had entered her email in a post in November. Here is the email she received from an ostensibly German email address.

Hello my dear,
My name is Favor. I am a young lady.

I saw your profile in this site (www.talkofthevillages.com) and became interested in you.

I want us to be friends and to know more about each other.

Please contact me through my email address (favormustafar@yahoo.de) so that i can send my picture to you and also tell you more about myself.

I believe age, distance or tribe does not matter in a serious relationship but love matters most. I will be waiting for your mail.

Your new friend,
Favor

My guess is that this mystery sender will be asking for money if our member would respond. Or, worse yet, will be asking for private account information.

Beware of posting your email address in the open forum

And so Tony......um......what tribe do you think Favor doesn't matter in?

[BobKat1]

Creeeepy indeed...

And a good reminder. Thanks.

[tony]

I don't know Favor's tribe, but I bet he or she is only interested in the money tribe.

:$:

[tony]

And while I am at it, the same goes for your telephone number. If you place an ad, or want people to contact you, have them contact you by Private Message on the forum, where you can exchange telephone numbers.

[JenAjd]

A really really good reminder. Also...IF you're on Facebook you can privatize your profile and above all don't click on attachments and games etc. I've heard where the trolls come and can somehow gain your info and use it.

I've cringed when I've seen on this site, here, people posting their personal contact info. I'm glad you gave the head's up here!!!!

[mfp509]

I got the same thing. Real Sicko!!!

[salpal]

Facebook:

Warn your family (especially your grandkids) NOT to post their whereabouts all the time. My Godchild keeps posting things like "our family is going away to ski this weekend." I have repeatedly told his Mom about this, but to no avail. One of these days when they come home and their home has been burgularized, maybe they will catch on.

[Bryan]

Did you know that if you post a picture on line that was taken with a cell phone camera or a later model digital camera, both of which have built-in GPS features, that the GPS info is embedded in the picture information. Con artists (actually anyone) with the correct software can get the location where that picture was taken to within a few meters.

[KathieI]

Sadly, I received the same email also. I didn't open it, just deleted it. We must be more careful, there are experts out there that are so much more computer savy than I am... :Screen_of_Death:
Thanks for the reminder, Tony and all.

[cartwheel]

I got the same thing. Real Sicko!!!

Got the same one yesterday.

[chocolata]

Kathie - I also received it but I use Outlook Express and unfortunately when my email becomes available, the first message on the list is already open and I don't have the option to just not open it. Didn't have to read it, of course, but ....... Anyway, what a creep!!!!

[chocolata]

Thanks for posting this, Tony. Good lesson to be learned from this.
Chocolata

[Pturner]

Thanks Tony. You are a nice administrator. :)

[tony]

PTurner,

Thanks.

Somebody should tell that to talk host.

[taylor111947]

Just a comment on the safety issue. For some time I've wondered about the wisdom of putting a picture with your screen name. I'm not sure I would be comfortable with someone knowing what I looked like even if they didn't know my real name.
I'm guessing that 'Favor' targeted only women and it would be interesting to figure out how he choose who to communicate with. Was it only single women? If your profile does not contain gender, maybe it was based upon your picture, what forums you contribute to and where you have posted your email address.
I'm sure this was harmless, but it was a little more personal than the usual scams.