My blog generates a lot of email. Some of it is spam, but much of it is from readers. I have certainly met some wonderful people since I started this project last year.
If you send me an email you will get an answer, often in a very short period of time because if I am away from my computer I can read and respond to my email via hand held. I guess I am what you would call wired.
Not everyone that I meet on the Internet is nice, or honest. I get emails from people in foreign countries asking me to give them account numbers so that they can wire millions of dollars into my bank accounts. These scams are easy to see through and the delete key is easy to use.
Every now and then I get an email from someone that looks a little suspicious but could be authentic. I feel as though my readers have an advantage. They can see who I am, and look me up any number of ways. I can’t easily look up an email address to see if it matches the name of the person using it. I can quickly verify phone numbers that are sometimes included in emails from total strangers but most of the mail I get does not include a lot of personal information and I understand why.
I am writing this so people understand that I don’t know who you are and have to quickly figure it out before I start doing any work for you. It is pretty much the same way with phone calls. People that I don’t know will call unexpectedly and ask to see three or four homes immediately. Hard to do, for one thing I have to make appointments to show homes and for another these "buyers" are the least likely to buy a home with my help. My strategy is to set an appointment with them for a later date. Most of the time I never hear from them again.
In general red flags for me include people relocating from foreign countries, people who say that they have huge sums of cash that they need to immediately invest in real estate, and people with heart wrenching sob stories that really need my help. Sometimes there are legitimate reasons for not wanting to be called at home or for being secretive.
I have worked with some women who need places to live and don’t want their husbands to know what they are up to. I understand but if you need my help we are going to have to trust each other. It is difficult to trust a stranger who does not trust me.
I really don’t know who you are, so please don’t take it the wrong way if I ask some questions. If I have deleted you in error and you really do want to give me millions of dollars please except my apology.
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I just might have to steal your idea from this post, Teresa!
I see the same kind of action from the Internet… and I’m sure we’re not alone. The web provides a certain anonymity that some people take to the extreme. And you being a lady doesn’t make it any easier, I am sure.
I am noticing the exact same thing. I get baited on one of my blogs to give out FREE opinions, I offer to do it offline.
I get requests from completely anon e-mails who refuse to have a phone conversation.
I also get loan applications from strangers who refuse to give their home phone.
I think a degree of trust must be established before we can help a bit. Trust goes both ways.
I really enjoyed this post, Teresa. So very much on target (as you always are). The anonymity is the dilemma of the Internet, and I find most buyers and sellers are pretty circumspect about their infomraiton until they are really sure they want YOUR help.
But as a heavy ‘Net user, I understand this. It’s helpful to be reminded, however, when the tables are reversed. Thanks!
Jeff
PS I love reading about St. Paul. We were only there 2 years, many years ago, but have many fond memories. It would be cool to visit sometime (but NOT in the winter – my least favorite season, which is why I am in Southern California).