Peace and Blessings Sister True and Family ... :love:

I created this thread in response to Sister True's question, posted here (http://destee.com/forums/showthread.php?t=53252), and copied below.

I remember answering this question somewhere on the forum before, but i couldn't find it. So i thought it best to start a new thread, with a title speaking to this specific question, hopefully making it easier for everyone to find in the future.


Greetings to Destee and the Moderating Team.

I recieved an email from someone who states:
I've been a "hidden member" of Destee for the
past year. I have not offically joined(yet)but I check in daily to learn."

I'm wondering is it possible for this person to obtain my email address it they are not a member here:?:

This is an effort to protect myself and computer system cause we know many virus's and the like can come through email. While I do have some protection, I was curious if it is really possible for non-members to access our email addresses.

Thanks in advance

M.E.

:hearts2:


Sister True ... Members can only get your email address, if you give it to them.

Members can be emailed via the forum, by going to their profile and clicking on the "Email: Send a message via email to Member" link. The forum will then present an email form, where one can fill out the blanks, and send an email to that Member. The Member sending the email, is never given your email address via this process.

Once you receive the email, and choose to email the person back (via your email client), once they receive that email from you ... they will have your email address. At this point, they only received your email address because you responded to their email from the forum.

When you respond to them, you are giving them your email address.

Only Registered Members can email other Members.

All Members have the option to go to their User CP Edit Options (http://destee.com/forums/profile.php?do=editoptions), and make it so no Members can email you. Just check the box accordingly:


http://destee.com/images/allow_members_to_email_you.jpg


Sister True ... i hope this answers your question. If not, let me know.

Love You!

:heart:

Destee

Peace and Blessings Sister True and Family ... :love:

I created this thread in response to Sister True's question, posted here (http://destee.com/forums/showthread.php?t=53252), and copied below.

I remember answering this question somewhere on the forum before, but i couldn't find it. So i thought it best to start a new thread, with a title speaking to this specific question, hopefully making it easier for everyone to find in the future.





Sister True ... Members can only get your email address, if you give it to them.

Members can be emailed via the forum, by going to their profile and clicking on the "Email: Send a message via email to Member" link. The forum will then present an email form, where one can fill out the blanks, and send an email to that Member. The Member sending the email, is never given your email address via this process.

Once you receive the email, and choose to email the person back (via your email client), once they receive that email from you ... they will have your email address. At this point, they only received your email address because you responded to their email from the forum.

When you respond to them, you are giving them your email address.

Only Registered Members can email other Members.

All Members have the option to go to their User CP Edit Options (http://destee.com/forums/profile.php?do=editoptions), and make it so no Members can email you. Just check the box accordingly:


http://destee.com/images/allow_members_to_email_you.jpg


Sister True ... i hope this answers your question. If not, let me know.

Love You!

:heart:

Destee

Yes Destee...it does.
Thank you for moving the thread. I knew it belonged somewhere else, just was not sure where and short of time.

The title SHOULD have read: Can NON-MEMBERS get...
because, as you see, the person indicated they had not YET joined!

If they are NOT a member, how, I wondering, were they able to send to my email address?

I already replied, (gullible M.E :() yet, will not do so any more and will immediately delete any further contacts. IF this person is sincere and on the up and up, YOU will JOIN THE FORUM and make your presence known to us all.

This person invited me to join info at freedomspeak.net. I did not go to the site and asked they reveal how they were able to contact me at my msn account.

Thanks Destee.....Members BEWARE...this is a heads up!
M.E.

:hearts2:

Sister True ... i didn't move your thread, i just made a new thread and linked to yours. I wasn't so concerned that yours was in the wrong place (and don't you be either), but that the title be clear regarding what was inside. I think this will make it easier to find next time we (the Admins and Mods) are asked this question, since i couldn't find the last time i talked about this. It was probably inside of another thread, with a title not speaking directly to the question. So we're all good on that part ... :)

You're right, only Registered Members can even use the form, to email you.

I have no idea how someone without being registered, could contact you via the forum, as it should not be possible.

You said they said the following ... I've been a "hidden member" of Destee for the past year. I have not offically joined(yet)but I check in daily to learn ... and perhaps that means that they are in fact registered, just quiet (hidden), and don't feel they've officially joined (participated), but only read daily. I don't know, just guessing.

If you ever have a Member harassing you via email, using the forum in the process, please let us know.

Love You!

:heart:

Destee

Greetings again Mother Destee and Queen True-

I'm glad this topic was brought up, since internet security is a bigger concern these days. I do have some bad news to report however.

Queen True, I read your post first, and then I was able to obtain your Email address while logged out of Destee very easily. Those who simply browse Destee.com and are not members can only obtain the information you present on your public profile. At first, it doesn't appear that your Email is listed, but it is.

I clicked on your Name "Truetothecause" and went to "view public profile" and under "Instant Messaging" there it is. I could be wrong, but perhaps whoever Emailed you used this address.

If the Instant Messaging feature is important to you, I would use a different service that generates a code different from your Email address.

Be Safe Family!

Brother MetaSaience ... that's true, and thank you for bringing it to our attention.

The instant messenging ability provided, does give the username for that service. So it would be pretty easy to guess that it may be tied to an email address of the same name with that service.

I've never listed those messenging options in my profile, but if i did ... let's say ... have an MSN username as "Destee" ... one could conclude that i'm Destee @ msn.com ... (for the record, i'm not destee @ msn . com). I suppose it works like that.

So Brother MetaSaience, you're right, anyone can gain access to a Member via the messenger information in your profile (whether they are registered or not) if that information is included in one's profile.

I remember us (the Family Moderators, etc.) having this discussion before. We discussed whether we should even leave those messenger thingies available, since abuse is possible, and it was decided that we should ... as most folk welcome the networking opportunity, and don't have to include that information if they don't want to. Gosh, it was a long time ago, but i do remember having the discussion ... Brother Khasm comes to mind when thinking on it. Do you remember this Brother Khasm?

Yes, let's do be careful.

Thanks again!

:heart:

Destee