Been sent a newspaper cutting in the post? Beware of the spam! Discussion

MSE_Jenny

This is the discussion to link on the back of Martin's "Been sent a newspaper cutting in the post? Beware of the spam" blog. Please read the blog first, as the discussion follows it.


Read Martin's "Been sent a newspaper cutting in the post? Beware of the spam" Blog

LukeSkywalker_2

It's an absolute disgrace and they should be suspended by their nostrils from the tallest tree in the kingdom :mad: This type of marketing should be outlawed as it is clearly misleading and more to the point as pointed out, a Scam. :rolleyes:

They are clearly after the vulnerable and gullible members of the public. I know my folks would believe it's from me/a friend. Me, I treat everything with skepticism, even this site... bwahahaha (just kidding)

rapido

. .

THRIFTY_CHICK_2

I got one of these newspaper clippings advertising a miracle diet. This arrived a few weeks after my first baby was born, I was feeling very fat and fed up and being constantly bombarded with pictures of celebrities who were wearing their size 6 jeans just days after giving birth. I was still wearing my tatty old maternity jeans & the *lovely* woman in the post office had asked when was I going to have the baby - he was 4 weeks old at the time!
At the time I thought it was from a friend as the post mark on the letter was Liverpool where a couple of friends live.
I was however cheered up a few days later when a male colleague told me he had recieved one advertising herbal viagra!!!

cafeman

~I was sent a cutting (Apparently) with a yellow post it note attached, hand written "try this", from someone I'd not heard of, (1st warning light). It was for a scheme to find "Govt' Grants" etc. Too good to be true (2nd warning light). Needless to say it went in the bin. People are becoming much more aware of the "nigerian" type scams but this personalising approach will be bound to hook more unsuspecting types unfortunately!! Shame on them and may they rot in their own personal tub of "fill in the blank"

sprocket

I got one that was slightly different.

Headline "Getting the inside story on government funding" from the Financial Business Report Summer 2006.

There was a yellow sticky on it with a hand written note "Anne, try it it works" I smelt a rat as no one calls me Anne! Reading the article it sound like a great way to access government money and the number to call was 0800 xxx 1816 ext 33. I haven't called it but am wondering if anyone els has had a similar letter?

Annie!

(NOTE FROM MARTIN: I've put xxx to replace part of the number, just so no one feels tempted to call by mistake)

gelato_cat

<Devil's Advocate>

Is it a scam, though? They've not impersonated anyone and all they're doing is endorsing a product, which is what thousands of celebrities do every day. It's just another form of marketing - none of which are unbiased by their very nature.

</Devil's Advocate>

I wonder who the people who fall for it think these notes are from if they're not signed?! I know the handwriting of my nearest and dearest and if I didn't recognise it I wouldn't assume it was from someone I knew!

Suze

LukeSkywalker wrote:

It's an absolute disgrace and they should be suspended by their nostrils from the tallest tree in the kingdom :mad: This type of marketing should be outlawed as it is clearly misleading and more to the point as pointed out, a Scam. :rolleyes:

LittleVoice

I've seen examples of this type of marketing since around 1998.
Though earlier forum posts have said the note is not signed, you also find that there is simply an initial - usually "J" (I guess because we all know someone whose name begins with J!).
Whatever product or service they offer, they seem to play on people's feelings of inadequacy. For example training in presentation techniques - and, even if they didn't feel inferior before, someone else thinks they are and therefore sent the note thus creating the feeling.