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GW email system - warning

15 years ago

This might be old news but I was just pretty shocked to discover this: If you try to email a post to someone who has chosen not to be made available by email, GW spits back an error message that includes their actual email address! Example:

The GardenWeb member XXXX has elected not to receive communications through forms on the site.

However, you may reach XXXX at: XXXX@gmail.net

Seems you're more anonymous by allowing emails. That way the sender only gets your address if you reply.

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Comments (12)

foodonastump
Original Author
15 years ago
sorry - meant to post on conversations
Teresa_MN
15 years ago
I don't think there is anything wrong with posting this bit of info on this side. FWIW
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lindac
15 years ago
How do you post an email if they have not either given their address or permission to email through the GW?
Not really getting what you mean...?
Linda C
sally2_gw
15 years ago
Don't they require an email address when you register? It's been so many years since I've registered, I don't even remember what they require.

As to what FOAS is telling us, it's good to know. I bet there's lots of people that are victims of this glitch. Thanks for the info.

Sally
foodonastump
Original Author
15 years ago
Linda - When you click on "email this post" you have a choice of putting in any email address or simply a GW user name as recipient.

If you put in a user name of someone who chose not to get emails through gardenweb, i.e. there's no "send me an email" link on their member page, you get an error message with their actual email address. Nice, huh?

It seems the spammers have found a way around it. I tried it for our latest, Sunita23, and got:

The GardenWeb member Sunita23 has elected not to receive communications through forms on the site.

However, you may reach Sunita23 at: HASH(0x1a23eb80)

Obviously gibberish.
ritaotay
15 years ago
But, you have to be logged in to e-mail a post... Do we have that many members that are also spammers? lol

Seriously though, only members have access to your e-mail address... I'm fairly certain that any Cooking Forum member who got "The GardenWeb member XXXXX has elected not to receive communications through forms on the site." wouldn't bother trying to send you any mail... Then again, I may be wrong.

But if you truly don't want mail from anyone, for any reason, all you have to do is open a Hotmail account or other free e-mail account to use here and only check out that account every two months or so to kill off the mail.

Hugs,
Rita
Lars
15 years ago
I noticed that everyone who has elected to receive email from members of this forum also has their email address show up as an alternate way to contact that person. Like Rita, I keep a hotmail account for use when I want to regulate possible spam. If someone is not in my hotmail address book, their email will go to my spam folder. I can retrieve it there if I am expecting it and then add the sender to my address book or safe list. I had much more trouble with spam when I was using pop email account.

Lars
foodonastump
Original Author
15 years ago
Lars - I'm not sure what you're talking about with the alternate contact; haven't seen. You're right, the smart thing to do is open a non-personal account for things like this forum. Of course not everyone knows that though, so I thought it a worthwhile message to tell those who think they're hiding their personal email by choosing the the no-email option, that they're actually making it more readily accessible. Seems counter-intuitive. But then, what other forums publish your IP address every time you post? That's pretty bad, too, IMO.
cloudy_christine
15 years ago
So my preference is set as "show my e-mail address to None" but I see it the way FOAS described, as an alternate. Am I seeing it because I am me, or can everyone see it?
Lars
15 years ago
Christine, I do not see your email address, but I have seen email addresses of others when I started to send them an email from here. Their actual email address was listed as an alternate method of contacting them, as opposed to sending the email from here.

Lars
foodonastump
Original Author
15 years ago
Oh ok Lars, now I know what you're talking about. I've seen that, too. And that's fine, because it's the member's choice.
cloudy_christine
15 years ago
Lars, thanks for letting me know about that. I'm happy to have members contact me, but I just don't want my e-mail address available on the web.

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