Do I REALLY need another diploma?

It seems like every week I'm being spammed by a new schemer.  At first, it was "male enhancement."  And don't get me wrong, I'm STILL getting a lot of those kinds of emails.  And over the summer, I was getting a lot of solicitations for watches--all kinds of watches.  Cheap ones, expensive one, and some of them even came from an address from my own web site.  (And believe me, this isn't the first time those addresses have been hijacked.  I'm sure there are people in Timbuktu cursing the name Lorraine Bartlett for being inundated with offers of watches, drugs, and god knows what else.)

For the past couple of weeks, I've been bombarded with offers of fake diplomas from some pretty prestigious universities.  Hey, with just giving up my credit card number, I could become an instant graduate of Harvard, Yale, Princeton or Smith, and without the bother of attending classes or handing in homework assignments.  Pretty cool, huh?

No.  Pretty pathetic.

People who fall for these scams are pretty stupid.  Sure, put that institution of higher learning on your resume and you might get a call back and maybe even an interview.  Okay, some people have even gotten a job with phoney credentials, but somewhere down the line the truth will come out and then humiliation and the unemployment line will be in that person's future.  (And try getting a good job after that.  Can you say "Walmart Greeter?")

Unlike most people, I check my spam filter several times a day, and that's mainly because I have mail forwarded from my web sites.  Some of it is real mail I want to read, and without going to the site itself to retrieve it.  But it sure is a pain in the neck to wade through the other crap.

I wish everyone would check their spam filters on a regular basis.  You might also find important emails lurking in there.  Like maybe newsletters you've signed up for?  Many people sign up for my newsletter and then complain they don't get it.  Why?  Caught in their spam filter.  (I advise people who sign up to add my newsletter e-mail to their address books.)  And is just so happens -- I sent out my newsletter this morning.

How often do you check YOUR spam filter?

Comments

[Michele]

You would be amazed, or maybe you wouldn´t the number of times I have won the lottery, all I have to do is send my bank details together with a cheque for the handling cost, and the money will be put into my bank account.

[Dru]

I check mine spam filter every day.

[Julie Daubert]

Hi Lorraine, I've tried to signup for your newsletter a couple different times, but get a pop-up window for email marketing. Am I supposed to fill that out to get your newsletter? It says to sign up for a free trial. Thanks!

[Lorraine]

That really shouldn't happen. (At least it hasn't happened to me when I've signed up for other authors sites via Vertical Response.) I can add you to the list manually, okay?

[Julie Daubert]

Great! Thanks! I kept meaning to try this at home, so I'm not sure if it only happens at work. Do you still have my home address? If not, I'll email it to you from home.

[Lorraine]

I have your address and have just added you to the list. You might need to add the mailing address to your address book so that it doesn't end up in the spam filter. Lorna_BarrettL.L._Bartlett@mail.vresp.com

I don't know if you're interested, but I have a signing on Saturday at the B&N in Greece, but I'm also doing one at Liftbridge Books in Brockport on Nov. 28 (11 am-1 pm) if that's closer.

Thanks for reading my blog!

[Julie Daubert]

I just tried it at home for the heck of it and it worked. Must be something with the work computer security set up. Thanks for letting me know about your signing! I'll try to get to one of them since I want to get the next book! Are you going to Olympia again this year?

[Lorraine]

Yup, I'll be at Olympia--and looking forward to it. (It'll be my last signing of the year. Whew! I'll be pooped by then!)