# Tug classified spam and scam



## mmthomas (Sep 21, 2007)

I have started getting spam and scam emails after making a classified sale ad on the TUG website.  I should have used a new email address just for the ad instead of my normal one.


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## TUGBrian (Sep 21, 2007)

This scam is very wide spread and targets many different kind of Internet
products, not just timeshares. The scammers bulk email in the thousands to
anyone selling thur the internet.

We have several warnings about this scam on our website and TUG BBS. You got two warnings about this scam when you posted your ad. It is listed below and is part of both the online ad posting confirmation and the email ad confirmation. Not really sure what else we can do to warn advertisers.

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Please Note - Because your ad is posted in a very active public classified
ad area, you will probably be contacted by various timeshare companies
wanting to "help" you sell or even "buy" your timeshare. Please be careful, many people have been burned on various appraisals schemes and $100s in upfront listing fees. If you have any concerns about an offer or a timeshare company, please ask our members on our TUG BBS, they can help you from falling prey to these schemes. 

DO NOT ACCEPT A CHECK FOR MORE THAN THE AMOUNT OF THE PRICE OF THE RENTAL.
(Some checks, drawn on foreign banks, will bounce weeks after you have 
deposited the check. If you have sent a good check back for the
"overpayment", they can cash your good check and then disappear.)


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## Bill4728 (Sep 21, 2007)

mmthomas said:


> I have started getting spam and scam emails after making a classified sale ad on the TUG website.  I should have used a new email address just for the ad instead of my normal one.



You can do 2 things to protect yourself from these spammers.

1. Use a free email service like Yahoo.mail or G.mail

2. change your email address to a spelled out address. 

so Jane.doe@gmail,com  ==> jane.doe at gmail (dot) com


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## dioxide45 (Sep 21, 2007)

Is the beta ad system not being used a lot yet? Is it not being pulicized? If you create an ad in it, your e-mail address is protected and you won't get scam e-mails.


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## Kauai Kid (Sep 24, 2007)

I got three replies to a rental add over the weekend, all from the same person who didn't have brains enough to capitalize i.  Obviously a crook. 

Sterling


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## TUGBrian (Sep 24, 2007)

generally absolute HORRID spelling is a pretty good sign of a scam email.


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## Kauai Kid (Sep 24, 2007)

I forwarded it to TUG but your email is more sophisticated than mine and it rejected it.

Please explain the Beta version in the previous comment?

stERLINggg hEArtttmaNNNN


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## TUGBrian (Sep 24, 2007)

we do not have any spam protection on any of our TUG email addresses (or shouldnt anyway)...we find that it blocks valid email.

You would be amazed at the amount of spam I get on a daily basis.

beta ad system is tied into the BBS...and unfortunately we were unable to link them into the ratings and reviews...which is why they never took off more than they currently are.


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## dioxide45 (Sep 24, 2007)

TUG Improvements! said:


> beta ad system is tied into the BBS...and unfortunately we were unable to link them into the ratings and reviews...which is why they never took off more than they currently are.



I am not sure that I understand why this would prevent them from being utilized? When I go in to the current classified ad section, there really isn't anything linking them to the ratings and reviews that I can see. There is a link to the beta ad section on the main clasified add page. If the old system were eliminated and replaced with the Beta, then I would think it would be utlized a lot more.
I must be missing something, because it can't be that easy or you would have done this already?


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## TUGBrian (Sep 25, 2007)

doesnt really make much sense to replace an existing system with a new system when the new system doesnt do what you wanted it to do in the first place.


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