Need diplomatic solution to chain emails

[TreeTiger]

I'm getting chain emails from people who are on a committee I recently joined. Worse, nobody seems to be aware of the "BCC" facility, therefore my email address (along with the other lucky recipients) is appearing in places I wouldn't like it to. I've already had to stop using a previous email address as I was getting over 99% horrible spam and don't want this happening again.

I can't block the senders as I need to be able to send and receive emails to and from these people, and they are nice - just a bit uninformed! I don't know them particularly well and don't want to hurt any feelings, is there a diplomatic way of sorting my problem? I was wondering about putting a signature in my own emails to the effect of "no chain emails, & if you're including me in a bunch of emails then put my addy in BCC" - more nicely phrased though Or is that using a sledgehammer to crack a nut?

 

[truthseeker]

I used to get a lot of rubbish like this and eventually send out an email to anyone who was sending it that said something along the lines of:

"Please just use this email address for work related or personal text based emails only as jokes, chain emails, spam and attachments are frowned upon in my workplace and I have been questioned as to the nature of the large number of inbound messages I have been receiving of late."

Some thing like that anyway.

 

[ubiquitous]

or, in the same vein, if you're self-employed...

"Please just use this email address for work related or personal text based emails only as my anti-spam program automatically discards most emails containing jokes, chain emails, spam and certain attachments, and may blacklist the sender."

 

[aircobra19]

I think you are confusing people by calling it chain mail. Which is something else entirely.

AFAIK there's no way of stopping people intentionally forwarding your email. You'll have to ask them. Perhaps suggest using a on-line forum that you can make private, and it can send everyone a digest of the forum on a daily basis. Which would mean no one has to email anyone, or even know their email addresses.

 

[Bubbly Scot]

I've had to adress this in the past. I wrote to the people concerned and just said something like, "I really don't like getting forwarded emails, please only send something that you really think I might like and hide my email address" I think this is easier with people you know in real life as in a quiet word in the ear.

Another more subtle way of doing it is to send a carefully selected forwarded mail. BCC all their addresses and say " I really don't like forwarding on things like this but I thought you would like it so cleaned it up and sent it. I've hidden all your emails though to respect your privacy". Cleaning up such an email just involves taking out all previous recipients and the >>> things. This approach really worked for me but takes more time to get the message through.

Failing that..how about creating a "junk" email, such as a hotmail one and then let them know that all such mail should be sent there so that you can enjoy reading it later.

 

[Lauren]

Can I just clarify something though....? Is the problem that you are getting regular emails and whilst the content is fine they are not using the BCC function and everyone can see everyone else's email address? (And they are using the reply to all function?).

OR

Is it that they are sending jokes/unwanted information to you and you want to put a stop to that?

You hadn't mentioned that the content was unwanted...is it?

 

[TreeTiger]

Thank you all for the tips, some good ideas there.

I think you are confusing people by calling it chain mail. Which is something else entirely.

I called it chain email, which is what I thought it was called. For example:
"Subject: FW: PLEASE DON'T DELETE- 6 YEARS GOING
This has not been broken since 9/11/01, ... (Big long message with poem & photo) ...Send this to at least 10 people to show your support."
or
"Subject: FW: CHAMPAGNE
To all you Champagne Lovers....
Send this on to 10 people and cc to champagne company's email address
--- who will contact you directly for your address and ship you a case of free champagne in 3 weeks.
Obviously building up their databases, but who cares for this opportunity !"

Failing that..how about creating a "junk" email, such as a hotmail one and then let them know that all such mail should be sent there so that you can enjoy reading it later.

I have a hotmail "junk" account, but didn't think these committee people I've only just started to deal with would send me this crap! However, I'll let them know what my hotmail address is for stuff I don't want to receive

Can I just clarify something though....? Is the problem that you are getting regular emails and whilst the content is fine they are not using the BCC function and everyone can see everyone else's email address? (And they are using the reply to all function?).
OR
Is it that they are sending jokes/unwanted information to you and you want to put a stop to that?

You hadn't mentioned that the content was unwanted...is it?

Initially I was getting committee related emails in which the email addresses of all members were visible. Didn't like it but as a new committee member didn't want to rock the boat.
But now I'm getting these emails that ask me to send on to 10 more people, a couple of these emails have even said things like bad luck comes to anyone who doesn't forward them , don't break the chain etc. I'm still getting the business related emails (which I do want) but the junk emails are being sent out to everyone in the sender's address book with all addresses visible (which I don't want!).

Today I got an email from one person giving his new email address, there were about a hundred other email addresses visible. As it happened I recognised a name I didn't know the sender knew, so I phoned him (the sender) and said "I didn't know you knew so-and-so". He wondered how I found out he knew this person, so I was able to explain all about the effects of not using BCC. So that's one off the list now, he'll be hiding addresses from now on!

 

[Lauren]

Ahh ok so it is junk...I HATE those type of emails....I would send an email politely saying you don't want to be sent anything that is not committee related as you have a very busy Inbox. Hopefully it will get people thinking...Good luck with it..Its delicate....

 

[stir crazy]

I've always been quite blunt and honest about it when it happens to me. I've replied to everyone on the CC list with a link to somewhere like snopes.com explaining why the chain letter is a scam and why they should not follow whatever dangerous/unprofitable behaviour is advised. If the sender has a problem with my emailing everyone then why give me the list of other peoples private emails ?

I've also explained to the sender why I dont like other people seeing my email address. Whats the point of leaving people in ignorance and ignoring the source of the problem ?
I've always managed to remain on friendly terms, respecting the other person while giving my own opinion and preference. If somebody doesnt respect your opinion and feelings then why even worry about them. There are so my other things to talk about and to build a relationship around that spending 10 minutes explaining this particular problem shouldnt have much of a lasting impression in my view.
If that doesnt work then I would tell them I have changed my email address, giving them a disposable new email addy and to please email the new address. Its up to yourself. But you need to at least chat with the sender.
Ther easiest thing is to change emails. But some people are so stupid they'll leave the old email on the cc list anyway if you dont act.

 

[Bubbly Scot]

Ther easiest thing is to change emails. But some people are so stupid they'll leave the old email on the cc list anyway if you dont act.

Have to agree with that one! Actually agree with just about everything you said, Stir. Only it can be hard to approach people you only know at a "distance"...committee members and the like that you met through a common interest.

If you think about it, we check before we give out someones mobile or home phone ...well I do! So why should email adresses be treated any differently.

Bubbly Scot - Spam free for a year and proud!

 

[Complainer]

I
I can't block the senders as I need to be able to send and receive emails to and from these people, and they are nice - just a bit uninformed! I don't know them particularly well and don't want to hurt any feelings, is there a diplomatic way of sorting my problem? I was wondering about putting a signature in my own emails to the effect of "no chain emails, & if you're including me in a bunch of emails then put my addy in BCC" - more nicely phrased though Or is that using a sledgehammer to crack a nut?

To be honest, I think the chances of people reading and understanding this in a signature are slim. I think you're going to have to bite the bullet and address this case by case. For each chain/spam mail you recieve, respond directly to the sender (not 'reply all') asking nicely for them not to send you similar stuff in future.