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desertmountainbearMy daughter just received an email from a bear maker advertising a new website. She sent it to me, thinking I may be interested. When I looked at the other people that this was sent to I almost choked. It was my mailing list. I sent out a bulk email to the people on my list asking them to vote for something, either URSA or TOBY. I did not know that you could hide the other names it was sent to. This bear maker on my list took my list for her benefit!!! I know this is my list because, my aunt, my daughter, my husband and my mother were all sent emails. I feel so angry.
I have spent the last couple of years asking people to join my mailing list. I have never sent an email to anyone who did not ask to be notified about bear news. It is not okay with me that someone would do this. I have sent this person a return email telling her it was not okay.
Is this common practice?
I am still learning computers. I have now learned to hide my other addresses.
Joanne
Joanne,
NO, I don't think this is common practice. I always send out my mailing list emails as bcc (blind carbon copy). I do this so that spammers cannot get the list. The thought that someone on my list may use it never crossed my mind. When I get mail from someone who sends out bulk email without using bcc, I always respond and ask them to please do so to keep my email private. I would hope that the artist would honor your wishes and not use your mailing list that you worked so hard to establish.
~ Alison
Plum Cottage BearsDo you use Outlook? There is a way in Outlook to send the message to yourself and put the mailing list in the bcc (blind carbon copy) slot.
desertmountainbearThank you, I am going to try to be much more careful from now on. I am glad to know that it is not common practice, and I am not that naive.
Joanne
Dolls N DreamsSorry that happened to you, that is NOT right!
:hug: I agree, NOT right! Here's an extra hug for you - I'm sure you didn't need the extra stress! :hug:
so sorry that happened to you joanne,that sounds really out of order, i dont have a mailing list yet,i have no idea how to go about it and rely on my hubby and son to do a lot of the pc stuff for me,any advice on the best way to do it would be gratefully received as i'm also still learning
:hug: sandra
Joanne, I got an email from someone in reference a new bear web site today. I don't know who this person was either. I am so sorry this has happened to you. That is not right at all. I use the bcc also when I send out to my mailing list. That way I am not putting others email address out to others.
It is NOT okay to use someone else's mailing list. I don't care if you're a big dog or someone just starting out. If you see a list attached to your e-mail, which I have on occassion, DON'T assume you can take that as yours. HUGE pet peeve of mine and SO NOT RIGHT!!!
Warmest bear hugs, :hug:
Aleta
Joanne, that is so sad that someone would do that...I guess it is hard for honest people to protect themselves from scammers because we would never think of doing things like that. Our churches cannot even hand out directories anymore because of that type of thing...people get ahold of them and use them for profit! It is getting so hard to trust people and that is very sad!
Wazza Bears AustraliaSorry to hear, Thats is just so wrong
desertmountainbearJoanne, I got an email from someone in reference a new bear web site today. I don't know who this person was either. I am so sorry this has happened to you. That is not right at all. I use the bcc also when I send out to my mailing list. That way I am not putting others email address out to others.
So Sorry Lynn, I just checked the list that this person sent to, you were on it. It had to be from an email about the TOBYs I sent it to every person on my contact list, friends, family etc.
I apologize to anyone who received this email because of me. I have learned a lesson here, about people and computers.
Joanne
Bubble Up Bears!I have been collecting for about 6 years now and I have had this happen to me a handful of times. Meaning I recieved solicitation from a seller that I didn't asked to be on their notification list. It's not right but no refection on you. If I want to be on someones email list I will sign up and when they steal from someone else's list that makes me even more adamant that I will not buy from them. I know times are tough right now for all and I have even recieved emails from an artist who is sending out notifications for her daughter (who makes bears too) from her own notification list. I really don't care for this either.
I'm sure your customers will understand Joann that you had nothing to do with this. 
It is underhand and sneaky...and really it's a form of theft, along with copying, contacting bidders on eBay etc. I would write to your list and apologise for the unsolicited mail, tell them a hacker had stolen your list, and exclude that person from future emails. I'd consider using an email service such as Constant Contact..I think the benefits are well worth the cost and no-one can access your list.
Woodbury Park BearsHow Rude! I would be so cross if that happened to me and I'm so sorry it has happened to you Joanne :hug:
I think its unethical and as Jenny said theft how dare she.
Well I new there must be a way of sending an email to all on my mailing list without sending on their email address as well, because it has always annoyed me when I have found my name on a bulk list.
That's why when I have emailed collectors on my list I end up sending them out individually...... which you can imagine takes a long time !! I don't tend to sell through my website really so it's not too much of a problem.
I did have it happen to me when someone from a business used our email to add to one of these silly 'see how many email addresses you can get' things . I was straight on the phone.....!!!!
I will look into the bcc thing though.
EJ's CraftsJoanne, this is all so wrong. I ddn't know anyone could get your email list like this. I don't send out emails much from my website but I guess I will have to be more careful and use the bcc when I do.
Joanne no need to apologize. :hug:
It is not your fault that this person did this.
PennsylvaniaIt's not right to use e-mail addresses that people didn't give you to use but there's not a lot you can do to prevent people from using an e-mail address for their own purposes once they have it. The only thing you can do to prevent it is not to reveal e-mail addresses in the first place. You can use mailing lists which do not disclose the names of the other recipients or you can send messages singly. However, that gets to be a pain if you're sending more than a few messages.
If you're sending a message to more than 10 or 20 recipients you should not be using Outlook or any other personal e-mail client program. You should be using some sort of bulk mail system. It's easier to manage your mailing lists that way. It's more efficient and it prevents people from getting hold of your mailing list without permission.
There is a program called "Max Bulk Mailer" which can manage lists for you and send mail to them as you need.
http://www.maxprog.com/site/software/in … eet_us.php
You can use a service like Constant Contact or a local provider but you have to pay for the privilege. Further, you don't necessarily maintain complete control of your mailing lists. If you use a local bulk mailer like Max Bulk, YOU maintain complete control.
If somebody else has gotten hold of your mailing list, there isn't a lot you can do to stop them but there are a few things you can try.
You can tell them to stop. Send them a "cease and desist" letter if necessary.
You can contact the person and tell them to remove your name from their list. They are obliged to do so when they receive the message.
Finally, if all those don't work, you can report the person as a spammer.
Have all your friends who have received messages from the offender report them as spam too.
If they are blacklisted as a spammer their ability to send e-mail could be severely hampered. That could cramp their business if the situation becomes bad enough.
desertmountainbearThank you Us Bears, I am going to look into Max Bulk Mailer
Joanne
PennsylvaniaI have used Max Bulk Mailer where I work.
It takes a little bit of time to learn the system but, fortunately, it's fairly intuitive. Once you learn to use it, the system is fairly automatic.
If you take the time to learn, you can create some really nice looking e-mails with graphics and you can even merge names, etc. into the messages to personalize each message as it is sent.
There are also a few companion programs that go along with it which help you manage your mailing lists more effectively.
There is one called "Bounce Handler" which helps you track e-mails that bounce back from the sender's account so that you can remove bad names from your list. There is also a verifier which helps you figure out which names on your list are valid e-mail addresses.
Throughout the manuals of this software there are also a lot of good tips to help you send more effective e-mails and to help you keep from being tagged as a spammer.
The "Max Bulk Mailer" program can be downloaded as shareware but the "Pro" version is only $60.
The other companion programs are only $20, more or less. They sometimes offer all the programs as a bundle for one price.
Dances With Teddy BearsI'm sorry this happened to you, Joanne.
This is all pretty much over my head, but I too think it's wrong, and that it's a form of stealing.
The suggestions given here will help others, like myself, who someday hope to have mailing lists.
I thank you all for your candid advice!
:hug:
Bubble Up Bears!Lots of good advise yes indeed Laura.
Please let me be the first to sign up for your mailing list.
