doodlebug Posted January 6, 2011 Report Share Posted January 6, 2011 i was sent this email the other day and i remember back couple years ago someone (shana?) received a spamming quilty email....here is the email with names removed: I stumbled across your blog for the first time today (lucky for my wife and I) and was astonished at all the quilts you do. My wife and I started quilting off and on 10 years ago, though busy with work sometimes we always manage to come back to it. We just don't have the time to hand quilt the finished product and have been searching for someone to do this. Do you have a store front on the web, pricing, or anything? We are still beginners and the quilts may not look like much to others, but in our eyes they are beautiful creations that we would love to get quilted. the wording just seems a bit off to me, plus i see some red flags in the phrasing....whatcha think? i'm coming out of a slight customer burn, so i'm a little paranoid... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quiltmonkey Posted January 6, 2011 Report Share Posted January 6, 2011 Agree that it sounds a little "canned" to me ... Along similar lines, I have repeatedly been getting a spam email that says "We want to sell your quilts in our stores." that one is going straight in my trash can. I don't even reply. It not only looks like spam, it smells like spam. Well, if you want to take a chance and "google" their names, or their business to see if they look legitimate. Or maybe you can just reply back that simply says you would like to talk to them in person if they would email you with their name, phone number and mailing address. If they are legit they will reply, if they don't it's spam. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave-Jane Posted January 6, 2011 Report Share Posted January 6, 2011 Sometimes when I want to check something out, I use the library computer - just to be safe. But any way, Shana the spam you have been getting is sort of legitimate - emphasis on "sort of" - you have to pay them a fee to sell your products - Like about $300 to start and then other fees later - like per item. Once I started to read the details, I did not finish reading it - just deleted it---- And yes, Shannon, something does seem strange---- can't put my finger on it though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hollyrw Posted January 6, 2011 Report Share Posted January 6, 2011 It sounds okay to me. What phrases concern you? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gator Posted January 6, 2011 Report Share Posted January 6, 2011 Hummmm, I think that I would be very, very careful with that one! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doodlebug Posted January 6, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 6, 2011 the concerns i have are: 1- thay have been quilting "on and off" for 10 years, but consider themselves 'beginners' - big flag 2- the phrase "hand quilt the finished product".....i've never heard a piecer refer to their top as a finished product.... it's usually a top/flimsy/patchwork... 3. the email is a frebbie email host... 4. in the first sentence the sender is "amazed at the quilts i do"....that sounds (as shana calls it) canned i'm thinking of just replying that i'm not accepting new customers at this time... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quiltmonkey Posted January 6, 2011 Report Share Posted January 6, 2011 Originally posted by doodlebug .......i'm thinking of just replying that i'm not accepting new customers at this time... Shannon, I would not even reply. Just ignore. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newmillie2010 Posted January 6, 2011 Report Share Posted January 6, 2011 well, they contacted you through your blog, right? i'd route them to your website where you have your pricing listed. keep it short, professional, and no other info given. if they agree to your pricing, then treat like any other prospective customer ...and get % up front. to me it sounds like naive folks who are wanting to get some quilts quilted. but proceeding with caution is always in order. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newmillie2010 Posted January 6, 2011 Report Share Posted January 6, 2011 whoops. LOL! and not responding is always an option! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ffq-lar Posted January 6, 2011 Report Share Posted January 6, 2011 I agree with your initial concerns. It does read as "canned" and the phrasing doesn't come across as something a man would say--sorry you quiltin' guys--just my opinion! My DH would never call anything he made a "beautiful creation"!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kloar Posted January 6, 2011 Report Share Posted January 6, 2011 Sounds canned to me for the 4 reasons you mentioned, especially the finished product. Who calls their quilts that? Can you Google their name? I had one that wanted to donate to a dog rescue that I work with, looked legit and when I googled the name, you would not believe the spams/scams the guy was pulling. I wouldn't respond. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JustSewSimple Posted January 6, 2011 Report Share Posted January 6, 2011 Toss it into spam then your computer will toss it next time. That's what I do. Comcast will take over "throwing the bum out" after I click on spam. If you have plenty of work then you will have lost nothing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quilting Heidi Posted January 6, 2011 Report Share Posted January 6, 2011 I don't know I could see a guy saying it was a product. Maybe they really do only quilt here and there and don't feel like they've become proficient. If you did quilt for them wouldn't you just give your price list anyway or is it that you don't want to give them your address? IF you aren't comfortable then I just wouldn't reply. If you use your blog to get business then I guess that is just something that you'll have to decide on a case by case bases. It is sadly true that it is hard to trust people these days. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stagecl Posted January 6, 2011 Report Share Posted January 6, 2011 I like the idea of checking out the email or responding to it via the Library computer. But it sounds fishy to me too. I'd just hit the delete button. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anniquilter Posted January 6, 2011 Report Share Posted January 6, 2011 Shannon, I had something the other day that indicated in the subject line 'my wonderful quilts'. I have nothing on my website & didn't know the name so it went into the round file! If it's referral & meant to be we'll find each other somehow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zora Posted January 6, 2011 Report Share Posted January 6, 2011 So, what harm do you think this is going to do? You have obviously already opened the email so it isn't a virus. The person is not asking you for money. What would be the harm in referring him to your website? If he is legitimate, no problem. If he isn't, what can he do to you so long as you don't provide him with personal information??? A person could consider themselves a beginner if they haven't made many challenging quilts. And, if this is an email that is being sent to a number of people in an attempt to get the best pricing, it is likely to sound a little "canned"...or generic. If you are on the web, you are likely to get contacted by people you don't know. I just don't see anything that screams "danger" to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave-Jane Posted January 6, 2011 Report Share Posted January 6, 2011 I'd say follow your heart! It's usually right!! I - being the adventurous type just might proceed with caution and sniff around a little more. You can always start another e-mail on Yahoo- G-mail, etc just for these suspicious ones. That way you can hide what you want and keep them away from all your pertinent info!--------- Grasshopper Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SandraG Posted January 7, 2011 Report Share Posted January 7, 2011 I have received the same email. I ignored and deleted. Sandra Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meg Posted January 7, 2011 Report Share Posted January 7, 2011 Originally posted by SandraG I have received the same email. I ignored and deleted. Sandra well - theres your answer - it is spam. you are smart cookie - i never wouldve picked up on any of that - but i have always been too trusting and gullible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
juliagraves Posted January 7, 2011 Report Share Posted January 7, 2011 HERE'S WHERE THE SCAM IS So - I got an email about 2 years ago from a Navy Admiral that was out of the country, but wanted to arrange quilting classes for his daughter who was coming from Paris to the US. I checked out a Navy website, and sure enough, here was a photo of this guy. The thing that was really weird was that the email had quotes from his speeches, etc. Not wanting to turn down a customer, I quoted a big price to teach this gal every other night for 2 weeks as requested. We worked out dates, etc, and I specified I needed 50% payment 3 weeks in advance via a cashier's check in order to reserve the time. Got an email back agreeing, but then never got payment and the time went by and I figured it was a scam. Then, I get a letter in the mail wanting to reschedule, and included several hundred dollars MORE THAN THE FULL AMOUNT, but in money orders. Then, I get a frantic email saying that the secretary made a mistake, and accidentally sent the airfare along with the payment of the class, and she was stuck in Paris, and could I send the difference between the class fee and the amount they sent back to them. Well - it turns out that the person who cashes a money order is responsible for any fraud. I contacted the Navy website and explained what was going on, and got a nice email back from the admiral saying that this wasn't him, and it was a scam. I never cashed the money orders and I never heard from them again. I am sure that if I had cashed the money orders and sent back the difference to them, that it would turn out that the money orders were fraudulent and I would be stuck holding the bag. So - I would send a polite response, but ask for a good amount of money up front in a payment form, like a cashier's check, that is easily negotiable. Julia Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bekah Posted January 7, 2011 Report Share Posted January 7, 2011 I agree, trust your initial instincts. They are usually right. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kueser Posted January 7, 2011 Report Share Posted January 7, 2011 I would politely decline. There have been too many conterfiet cashier check scams recently. Unless he could pay through Paypal or something similar, I'd go on without him. It is so sad you can't trust people like you should. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RitaR Posted January 7, 2011 Report Share Posted January 7, 2011 Opening the email is one thing... they don't know if you do or don't open it. Responding to it is another matter.... they then know it's an active email addy, and often share the addy with other spammers... and you are suddenly flooded with all kinds of *rap. The best thing is to either delete it and no response, or turn it over to this addy... http://spam.getnetwise.org/action/ftc I use it quite a bit.. any spam I receive more than twice gets turned in. Good Luck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave-Jane Posted January 7, 2011 Report Share Posted January 7, 2011 If others of our illustrious, magnificent, superior, dynamic, and just darn good quilters are getting copies of this too, I'd say goodbye to it Doodler!---Dave B. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
njquiltergirl Posted January 7, 2011 Report Share Posted January 7, 2011 Wow, I must be pretty innocent! To me, he sounded like a nice, old fashioned gentleman complimenting your beautiful work and not wanting you to turn down their quilts since they are not nearly as nice as yours! This is why I do not have a web site or blog out there! Considering your gut feelings about it and advice here, maybe you should just wait and see if he contacts you again. Good luck! Be safe!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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