Unsolicited PM's pushing treatment methods

Options
Kathryn_in_MN
Kathryn_in_MN Member Posts: 1,252 Member
in Colorectal Cancer #1
Has anyone else received unsolicited PM's regarding their treatment? I'm not talking someone sending a PM after reading a post you've made about your current situation. I'm talking about PM's out of the blue from a new member you've never heard of, that obviously didn't take the time to even really know your situation?

Maybe I'm overly sensitive right now, but it bothered me that someone did this to me, becaues they said how sorry they were for my current situation. WTF? I am THRILLED with my current situation of having 9 months of chemo and 7 months of no treatment when I was supposed to be on chemo for life!

I'd just like to know if this is happening to others too - and if so, I think this person should be reported. This was a new member that just joined 20JUN and said that they had a "family member" that was on an "alternative" treatment of an over-the-counter option for 6 years and it cured them. They gave the name of this alternative and a website and information on a book. Please post here if you got the same PM.

Comments

  • Lovekitties
    Lovekitties Member Posts: 3,364 Member
    #2
    Options
    I have not had this happen but you need to report the sender right away. This sounds like another scammer/spammer.

    So very sorry that you received it. You are not overly sensitive...any of us would be disturbed by such a PM.

    Hugs,

    Marie who loves kitties
  • pete43lost_at_sea
    pete43lost_at_sea Member Posts: 3,900 Member
    #3
    Options
    they obviously don't follow whats going on
    if the scammers were targetting anyone they should send it me first.

    if its not to expensive i would probably try it.

    never heard of this thing happening before.

    its ok to be sensitive, it sounds a bit suspect.

    forward it on if you want, i am probably already on it anyway.

    if not i'll put it on my research pile. not much i have not heard of in the alternative universe. and yes their are some greedy sharks out there.

    some good came out of this, i remembered you are 7 months off chemo, that fantastic.

    hugs,
    pete
  • PhillieG
    PhillieG Member Posts: 4,866 Member
    #4
    Options
    SPAM
    It's rather sick (IMO) that there are people who are so low to stoop to SPAMMING people with cancer.
    Whenever someone new shows up and has no profile and a dozen or more posts the same day, it raises a flag for me.
    Just report them and move on...
  • geotina
    geotina Member Posts: 2,111 Member
    #5
    Options
    Kathryn:
    No pm regarding this in my inbox.

    Tina
  • JayhawkDan
    JayhawkDan Member Posts: 205
    #6
    Options
    geotina said:

    Kathryn:
    No pm regarding this in my inbox.

    Tina

    We've got an interesting thread
    going about Heaven. Maybe we need to start one about hell, and the fact that cancer-spamming scumbags may be headed that way! Dan
  • Vickilg
    Vickilg Member Posts: 281 Member
    #7
    Options
    JayhawkDan said:

    We've got an interesting thread
    going about Heaven. Maybe we need to start one about hell, and the fact that cancer-spamming scumbags may be headed that way! Dan

    Happened to me
    Yes that happeneded to me.
  • smokeyjoe
    smokeyjoe Member Posts: 1,425 Member
    #8
    Options
    Vickilg said:

    Happened to me
    Yes that happeneded to me.

    Like Pete I'm curious about
    Like Pete I'm curious about these treatment options?? What user name did they have?
  • Kathryn_in_MN
    Kathryn_in_MN Member Posts: 1,252 Member
    #9
    Options
    Vickilg said:

    Happened to me
    Yes that happeneded to me.

    Was it for Protocel?
    Was it for Protcel, and mentioned Dr. Burzynski and gave a website for wear to purchase it?

    This person did also include their email address (freemail - hotmail) and said I could email anytime. But I don't plan on doing that. If they had read any of my posts, or read through my profile on this site, they would know that I am not doing any treatments at all right now, and have been doing well. So maybe they were sincere, but just not diligent, or maybe they were spammers. I hate to post the user name without finding out if they are doing it to multiple members. If they are, I will report them and post the info here.
  • smokeyjoe
    smokeyjoe Member Posts: 1,425 Member
    #10
    Options
    Kathryn_in_MN said:

    Was it for Protocel?
    Was it for Protcel, and mentioned Dr. Burzynski and gave a website for wear to purchase it?

    This person did also include their email address (freemail - hotmail) and said I could email anytime. But I don't plan on doing that. If they had read any of my posts, or read through my profile on this site, they would know that I am not doing any treatments at all right now, and have been doing well. So maybe they were sincere, but just not diligent, or maybe they were spammers. I hate to post the user name without finding out if they are doing it to multiple members. If they are, I will report them and post the info here.

    Sheesh....

    Sheesh....
  • Lovekitties
    Lovekitties Member Posts: 3,364 Member
    #11
    Options
    Kathryn_in_MN said:

    Was it for Protocel?
    Was it for Protcel, and mentioned Dr. Burzynski and gave a website for wear to purchase it?

    This person did also include their email address (freemail - hotmail) and said I could email anytime. But I don't plan on doing that. If they had read any of my posts, or read through my profile on this site, they would know that I am not doing any treatments at all right now, and have been doing well. So maybe they were sincere, but just not diligent, or maybe they were spammers. I hate to post the user name without finding out if they are doing it to multiple members. If they are, I will report them and post the info here.

    Spammers are using Private Messaging
    I copied the following from John23's recent post on the problem of a banned IP address. It is from Greta our board admin person.

    "From: greta
    To: John23
    Subject: Re: IP Ban?
    Date: July 5, 2012 - 11:49am

    Hi,John.

    I apologize for the inconvenience. You aren't the only person
    this is happening to. Luckily, only a handful of people seem to
    be affected. It's some kind of technical issue caused by
    attempting to tweak the spam filter. IT is working to correct it.
    Not only have there been a few particularly bad (as in hundreds
    of spam generated on boards) spammers on the boards, we even had
    a couple using the CSN private messaging feature to spam
    individuals.

    At any rate, according to the folks this "ban" has affected, it
    is time-limited and it only affects their ability to reply, not
    originate a topic. If they originate a topic, for some reason it
    serves to eliminate the ban altogether. It's very strange.

    IT is working on it.

    Thanks and again, my apologies

    Greta"
  • steved
    steved Member Posts: 834 Member
    #12
    Options
    Had this too
    Have to say it wasn't the usual mass spam- they seem to specifically be responding to posts on the board that may be relevant to people desparate enough to look at things like protocel (not that I would criticise anyone for doing os but felt the person's approach was pushy and unhelpful). They mentioned in emails a general sense that people who use alternative treatments aren't welcome here and mentioned some very long time users I know of from years back, so guess they have been around a long time.

    Not welcomed by me and did make the mistake of sending a polite response which simply seemed to encourage them.

    Best ignored

    steve
  • Kathryn_in_MN
    Kathryn_in_MN Member Posts: 1,252 Member
    #13
    Options
    I got a response
    I finally got a response back to my response to this PM. They said they had no agenda, but sincerely wanted to help me. But now their "agenda is to stay away from angry people like you."

    :) I got a good chuckle anyway. Anyone that knows me knows that I am not an angry person - quite the opposite for the most part. I've never even thrown the "why me?' tantrums about getting cancer... But I don't like getting spam, and I don't like unsolicited advice when it seems very insensitive. I'm tired of being nice to insensitive people. They just keep up with their actions if no one calls them out on it.

    If I'd posted something that prompted it, then I'd understand. If it were common knowldege that I was desperate for something to help me, then I'd understand. But when someone does take the time to send me a PM, but does not take the time to first know anything about me or my situation, it sure smells like spam... Why try to push alternatives on someone who hasn't had treatment for 7 months and has been doing well? I'm still baffled.
  • Kathryn_in_MN
    Kathryn_in_MN Member Posts: 1,252 Member
    #14
    Options
    Vickilg said:

    Happened to me
    Yes that happeneded to me.

    Was it
    Was it limamyangel? This person joined on 20JUN and has no activity since 20JUN. They aren't posting to boards, but are sending PM's.

    They now wrote back to tell me that they are not a spammer, but wrote me because I had a post that I was out of options. ???? That has never been the case for me. They also said they don't post on the board, because this board is not accepting of alternative methods. Obviously they haven't been around long enough to make that judgement. Emiy, Pete and John are all respected members of this community that have made many posts about alternatives. And many of us post about complimentary therapies too.

    I believe that what is not tolerated is spam to promote a specific product, with links to websites to purchase them.

    And this person still insists I am an angry person, or otherwise I just wouldn't have written back to them. HA - I just call it like I see it - and what they were doing made no sense unless they are a spammer. I find it rude to send a PM w/o taking the time to at least read someone's profile to make sure you know what the heck you are talking about! And I find it very odd for someone to be a member, but have zero posts, yet be sending PM's.

    There are other boards that require a member have a minimum number of posts before using the PM function. I am 100% behind that policy.

Discussion Boards