Warning about private messages...

by 33 replies
44
Hello all,

I received this PM

2013-09-05_1438 - daftdog1888's library

I thought that it was some change to the WF that had to be done but it is not at all. I naively clicked it, didnt like, what i thought was the new layout of WF and changed it back. The next day i got a 2 week ban from the WF. So i thought that i should tell everyone to be careful...

Hope this helps someone from making the same mistake that i did....

Cheers

Marc aka DD

PS. To any Mods...was i banned from changing it or for changing it back as i dont want to receive any more bans??
#main internet marketing discussion forum #messages #private #warning
  • Wth!

    Thanks for the heads up Marc.
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    • no problem...i was shocked when i saw that i was banned as i always try to keep within the TOS of the WF. the WF is a big part of my life and i probably spend more time on here than even FB...
  • Thank you, Marc!

    Did you contact the person who sent you this (and what was the answer?)?
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    • My ban was only lifted today and after being banned i wont be replying to that PM...
  • I don't understand what the two have to do with each other, if other than a timing issue? Are you sure you were banned because you tried to use an app? Perhaps there was something else that happened.

  • Marc,

    You were banned for sending PM spam. I will issue a similar (or longer) ban to any and every person who is reported for PMs generated by that app.

    This is a perfect example of why the mods don't give blanket approval to things before seeing the finished product. The programmer asked me if it would be okay to create an app with specific features. We have no say about what someone includes in their products, but he wanted to know for purposes of offering it in the War Room.

    I warned him against anything that automated functions, specifically mentioning PMs.


    Paul

    PS: The ban was for one week. Not two.
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    • Paul,

      Thanks for clearing that up. What i dont understand is that i didnt reply to this PM (as far as i can remember...almost 100% sure)...in which case how could i be banned for sending spam? All i did was click on the app which i thought had come from a mod or was something that i had to do.

      I in no way promoted this or had anything to do with sending this to other people. This just randomly appeared in my inbox and i didnt know that people could send spam PM's so of course thought there was nothing to worry about by clicking on it.

      Anyway i thought it right to let others know so the same mistake is not made by others.

      Regards

      Marc

      PS. If it was only 1 week then i correct myself....seemed like a lot longer...probably just upsetting my daily routine of sites i check before starting my day.
  • Again another example of great moderators here at WF that help guide us through our mistakes instead of banning us without cause or explanation. I'll say it again, Google can learn a lot from WF moderators. LOL
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  • Thank you, Marc!
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  • Makes sense, cant be spamming people with software on here the mods will figure that out asap. Thanks for the warning
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  • Damn! These people who likes to ruin the lives of the Warriors here have no conscience. They are innovating something really bad for us, better get our heads up and be smart!
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  • I'm wondering where the link in that PM really goes to. If you didn't reply and didn't knowingly send out any PMs, I'm wondering if the link automatically accesses your friend's list and PMs them without you knowing.

    Do you think this could have happened? If so, you should contact Paul Myers so can investigate it. Can you right click on the link, copy it and paste it into a wordprocessing document. Then you'll see where the link really goes to.
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    • Marc,

      The app you installed sent it for you, probably without your knowledge.

      Part of the reason for the ban was to "encourage" you to spread the word about the risks of that kind of app, both for end users and programmers.

      Pedro (espe) will remove that function from his app or he will never be able to operate in this forum under any account identifying him personally again. It's up to him to choose which he prefers. Whackamole is certainly an option, but he'll find it much harder to get anything legit done here if he has to hide his identity in the process.


      Paul
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  • thanks for the heads up, received a pm earlier, glad for me it wasnt this
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  • Banned
    [DELETED]
  • Hi guys,

    I am the creator of the app and yes I'm truly sorry for the inconvenience you went through daftdog it was not my intention to get you banned. sorry.
    I talked to Paul before the first release of the app and he mentioned that I should not add automated stuff into it (mainly PMs).

    My mistake was to think that adding a feature to share the link to the extension with the user's buddylist was ok, but apparently it's not. I thought it was ok because its a free app, nothing is really being sell and the pms were only supposed to be sent to up to 10 contacts (wf rules).

    @Paul

    I will remove that feature asap, I can't right now because I'm making changes to the app but by the end of the day it will be removed forever.
    I think it's cool to just include at the end of replies "posted from..." like another app for andriod I saw, is it?

    You said: "it sounds like a cool app" but yet, now you are making me look like the bad guy in this thread when you know the app is supposed to improve the users experience while using the forum :confused:

    Like I said, the feature will be removed and thank you for letting me know about this thread.

    @danlew

    ruin lives? you are being a little dramatic over this.



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    • Apology accepted though i was very pissed off at the time and for sure you need to get rid of the part that sends out emails on the persons behalf. Im glad i didnt have a product launch going on at the time or it could have been very costly. This is more than a forum but a useful tool if you have questions or need to check up on an idea.
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  • This all sounds like an honest mistake(s)
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    • On Marc's part, certainly. I suspect he'll be more cautious about the source and permissions of apps he installs in the future, though. That could end up helping him avoid more serious consequences from less benign intrusions.

      On Pedro's part, that depends on how you define it. Did he properly disclose to his users that the app would send PMs in their names? If not, we don't know if it was an innocent omission due to inexperience or the deliberate choice to use stealth promotional tactics at the users' expense. Or simply poor judgement.

      I don't think malice is very likely here. That doesn't change the result, but it does affect our choice of response.


      Paul
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  • Thanks for the warning!
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  • Thanks for the warning Marc, although I did not bother clicking on that link. It helps to know the risk and danger of clicking doubtful links.

    To the moderator, is it possible to have a sticky thread about the common spamming techniques here in the forum? Cases like Marc will be minimized if members are aware of the different strategies used by these spammers to spam the forum and the private messaging at the expense of their victims.
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    • Sounds like a pretty good WSO lol!!
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  • Wow, thanks for the heads up. It explains alot.
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  • Quick update:

    I removed that feature and won't happen again to anyone using the app.


    • [ 2 ] Thanks
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  • Banned
    [DELETED]
  • Thanks for the warning
    • [ 1 ] Thanks
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