Note- Put email address and/or phone number in all ads

Milacron · Nov 6, 2009

I get emails all the time from folks that aren't members of PM, who are either too slack or computer unsavy to join PM, begging me to contact one of you for him about this or that you have for sale....because all you put in you ad is "send me a pm" or something equally lame.

But if you had your email address or phone number in the ad, there would be no such problems. Remember, there are waaay more folks reading PM that are not members than there are members.

Of course I just ignore the beggin requests..no way, no how do I have time for such nonsense.

Maybe Mebfab should make this a sticky...

S_W_Bausch · Apr 11, 2010

We aren't lame, we don't want to put our contact information out on the 'net.

If the person refuses to understand that, I can't help but think they are looking to harvest private information.

The real Leigh · Apr 11, 2010

S_W_Bausch said:
If the person refuses to understand that...

To whom are you referring? :confused:

Milacron?

This is his site. :toetap:

He sets the rules and you obey them.

You have a problem with that? Go elsewhere.

- Leigh

Mel in WA · Apr 11, 2010

I've always understood it's bad to put your contact info in an online ad.
I know that in the past, as soon as you put your email in an online ad elsewhere, you would get all sorts of spam.
My user info is set so people can email me by clicking on my forum name, does this only work for forum members?

Mel :typing:

awake · Apr 11, 2010

The real Leigh said:
To whom are you referring? Milacron?

This is his site. He sets the rules and you obey them.

You have a problem with that? Go elsewhere.

- Leigh

Leigh, I read that post very differently -- it seemed to me that he was referring to the non-member trying to contact someone to buy something, NOT to Milacron. Could be wrong, of course ...

J. Randall · Apr 12, 2010

If you are worried about your personal email addy, get one of the web based ones and use it just for that purpose, hotmail, yahoo, or gmail. Lots of others , and most have pretty good spam filters. Pretty low risk as far as personal info being harvested.
James

Keelan · May 19, 2010

The real Leigh said:
To whom are you referring? Milacron?

This is his site. He sets the rules and you obey them.

You have a problem with that? Go elsewhere.

- Leigh

Okay then, how 'bout you post your full name, e-mail address and phone number to this thread, just to prove that you are willing to 'practice what you preach'?

The real Leigh · May 19, 2010

Keelan said:
Okay then, how 'bout you post your full name, e-mail address and phone number to this thread, just to prove that you are willing to 'practice what you preach'?

I'm not selling anything, which is the subject of this thread.

- Leigh

Ox · May 19, 2010

Mel in WA said:
My user info is set so people can email me by clicking on my forum name, does this only work for forum members?

Mel

I just "logged off" to see what others see.

Turns out the answer is:

NO - they cannot access our contact info like some of us thought was so obvious.

I prolly have some pages here w/o the info up front as well.

Will try to keep that in mind in the future.

----------------

Think Snow Eh!
Ox

viper · Jan 24, 2011

The only way I would post any contact info in a forum ever again is by getting a throw away email just for that purpose. I think that is pretty Inet careless to post any contact info seeing as how searchable that is. I made those mistakes years ago and took years to correct and to this day, I still have small bits of personal info hanging around on this site and the moderators chose to ignore my emails to help me remove it due to other personal matters.

DO NOT put your name and phone number in a forum. I really think some people need a crash course in privacy protection. This is the day and age where all you need is an address and you can zoom right in on their home, see what they drive, etc. Just a matter of time before we will be able to stream satillite video to monitor people real time. SCARY. This stuff goes far beyond a simple inconvenience in a forum listing.

chrismec · Jul 4, 2011

Nope, wont put my contact info in there. I'll just post to ebay instead. Then you wont have to worry about it.

rustamd · Jul 4, 2011

I'm surprised that more people dont have "disposable" e-mail, gmail works great for this, very good spam protection, lots of storage for pictures,etc. Come up with fictitious name and you done, put it any where on net and you still not giving away any private info..

chrismec · Jul 4, 2011

All it takes is a simple setting; "Allow PM from non-members". No net-bot is going to go around PM'ing people.

ben80 · Dec 20, 2011

email

I have a junk email address I can use, but one of the reason for being here is the level of people I get to deal with.

I see the site as a mostly self policing entity, if I put a email and get a contact I then have to deal with that.

Not a big deal, just think it goes away from intended.

ben80

the man machine · Jan 13, 2013

If you're worried about giving out contact info on the net you can use a cash-purchased prepaid phone that is identity-nontraceable. I use a Trakfone and can give out my number to text or even call, I'm not too worried about it and I've never had any problems with anyone. I'm just glad this site has the:
"Block Angry PMs From Moderators" feature lol j/k ... I think.

Johnpaul191 · Mar 2, 2014

Also a google voice number is free and can be forwarded to a cell phone or landline. A lot of freelancers use those for work. You can even set it so it goes straight to voicemail during certain hours and / or weekends.

S_W_Bausch · Mar 2, 2014

Another work-around is to list the item in a local craigslist, choosing the anonymous email option, then post the anonymized craigslist email link in the Practical Machinist ad.

Should work well, and I suspect anyone selling items on the 'net already has a craigslist account.

jpevner · Mar 2, 2014

Many times, I put something up on PM, it is because I don't want to deal with non-PMers.

Not because they are bad, but because the item has some flaws which I think members would know how to
address, without making a big deal about it. Otherwise, it's CL or the Bay. I use my real name on this forum
because, if I say something, I want people to know I am not hiding behind internet anonymity. But, attaching my e-mail
or phone number(yes, a savvy person could figure it out), mmm no thanks. My time is valuable to me as well, so, no,
I will not be getting an untrackable phone, or gmail account for selling things here.

It's a shame, because sometimes, if someone needs things, I will let them go for shipping or a nominal amount, to help get a machine going.
Perhaps I can just PM them directly, oh, and Leigh, put a sock in it please.

regards,

Jon P.

Rick_B · Mar 5, 2014

Seems like lots of folks are coming up with solutions for someone else's problem - namely the guy/gal wanting to buy something but not wiling to join. Why should their problem be made our problem?

Shield we assume that this is a new rule or just a suggestion?

Rick

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Note- Put email address and/or phone number in all ads

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