Junk mail via HL?

[Joanna]

The message from HL is:
Hi
[Contact details hidden]

It appears to be from someone who enquired in 2013, when we were on subscription. We're now on commission and I'm guessing their email's been hacked and the hidden bit is a dodgy url. Or, are they trying to get in touch again?

Does anyone know whether HL hides the whole message if there's an email address or url anywhere in it or just the actual link?

[apexblue]

We get these all the time. On comm also.

[Joanna]

Do you ignore them?

If I reply I might get even more (if it's spam) but if I ignore it then my response rate will go down.

[Nemo]

I'd create a throwaway email that you can use for these purposes and get rid if you get inundated with spam mail!

[Joanna]

Since I'm on commission all emails come through HL so I'm not sure if setting up a throw away address would help. Maybe there's some way of reporting it to HL so I don't have to reply - I'll look into it.

[apexblue]

Joanna we never respond and our rate is still 100%. Have reported to HL who say it is a known issue.

[Joanna]

Thanks Apexblue, that's reassuring. I'll ignore it for now and try reporting it just to make sure HL know about it.

[kevsboredagain]

I can't figure out if you are saying the email pretends to come from HL or not.

However, I often get dodgy URL emails from previous guests or enquirers going back a whole 7 years. The most likely cause of these is that their PC has a virus and sends out this junk to everyone found in their email software. I've informed a few people but I think it fell on deaf ears. Many people are oblivious to infections on their own machines.

[Joanna]

Kev - it's coming from an enquirer via the HL system so I guess their PC's been infected, as you say, and my HL address was in there somewhere.

[Joanna]

I've had the ones that come direct to me and look like they come from a previous guest and just contain a link. Because HL inserted the message about 'contact details' I wondered whether it was someone trying to get in touch. But it sounds like it's just the same old thing going through the HL system instead of coming direct. As long as it doesn't affect my HL response rate it's not a problem.

[Ele]

I have received 2 enquiries this week exactly like this. Interesting apexblue that you get these all the time - it's a first for me!

The enquiry dates show 2013 (when this guest did genuinely enquire), so looked like spam. But I dropped a quick email to the guest on the direct email address I had from 2013 (when we were on subscription so got to see the contact details). She confirmed she had not sent any enquiries ......unfortunately! I reported it to HL and got this reply:

I would probably place this as an iphone error. I would imagine they have sent you two blanc messages by accident. If this continues to happen please let us know because they may have a bug in their phone. I doubt as it was sent from their iphone. I have seen this before where a contact in the owner of the phone has sent blanc emails by accident.

[kevsboredagain]

Kev - it's coming from an enquirer via the HL system so I guess their PC's been infected, as you say, and my HL address was in there somewhere.

I must be slow today because I still don't follow

Via the HL system to you with dodgy URL = serious problem

From enquirer to the email address you use for HL = slightly annoying. They have a virus and you are in their address book

[Nemo]

Kev - slight TC but I guess it's pertinent to us all. I have had a spate of these emails from past guests of late. A friend had the same issue of dodgy links being sent from her email address but it's only linked to her phone and she doesn't have a computer. So does her email have to have been hacked; should she change password or is that not even enough to stop it happening?

[Casscat]

There has been a very large scale hijacking of Yahoo email addresses lately. I have had dozens with spammy links on them from people who I have had requests from in the past based on me advertising stuff on Freegle. My address auto-transfers to their address book and I get treated to a raft of spam when their account gets hacked

[Essar]

I have had a couple of these emails in my inbox at HL from previous (2013) guests.

There is no way that they have come from the guests: more likely it is a bug in the HL messaging system again - I guess their latest nerd has mistakenly flagged a whole bunch of ex-guest messages for testing and inadvertently triggered a mass sending of these in real life.

Of course HL will blame the guests and their iPhones - why would suddenly thousands of ex-guests from 2013 who originally booked through HL collectively decide to send this crap - unless of course they have joined a new sect (Scienceholidayletsology - $HIT$ for short).