SPammed by RNLI Sea Check?

[milltech]

I received a spam post this morning. I've always thought that targeted spam was not so bad, and I suppose in some sense this is targeted, although I'm not in East Central Scotland. What's your opinion?

Hi there,

Firstly, let me introduce myself. I am an RNLI Sea Check Advisor in the
area of East Central Scotland. My job includes carrying out Safety
Equipment Advisory Checks on boats. This is a free service that we offer to
all individuals, clubs, organisations etc who own or use boats on a non
commercial basis. Our aim is to ensure that as many boats as possible take
to the water fully equipped to deal with any incident, accident, or
emergency.

As an incentive to encourage as many Sea Checks as possible, I am hoping to
set up a free prize draw in my area for all those who have their boats Sea
Checked. Six winners would be picked out at randome, and each would win an
RNLI Water Safty Pack. One vital item that I would like to include in
each of these Water Safety Packs is a really good first aid kit. However,
being that we're an organisation that is funded completely by donations and
volutary contributions, we would find it difficult to fund the cost of the
Water Safty Packs that I would like to offer as prizes. I am therefore
contacting companies such as yours to ask if you would be willing to
donation items or equipment that could be included in this pack.

I thank you for taking the time to read this e-mail, and I look forward to
your kind consideration of my request.

Regards

Rick Bell
RNLI Sea Check Advisor
Edinburgh




<hr width=100% size=1>John
http://www.on-line-marine.com

 

[lanason]

sounds like a good idea to me - but miss out the middle man - Alister is the only person who owns a boat up that way so hes bound to win - send the prize directly to him.

<hr width=100% size=1>Adrian <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.arweb.co.uk/argallery/kelisha>Kelisha</A> Nothing is better than a Holiday

 

[Geoffs]

Not what I'd call SPAM. seems fair enough, someone targetting for a reasonable purpose.

However, amd don't get me wrong on this - the RNLI is a great institution, but they can hardly claim to be on the bread line, when I see what they are spending in Poole. It's a toss up as to who owns Poole, Sunseeker or the RNLI.

<hr width=100% size=1>Old Chinese proverb 'Man who sail boat into rice field, soon get into paddy'

 

[duncan]

Re: Poole ownership...

now now don't forget that third party behind the developments on the Quay

<hr width=100% size=1>madesco madidum ..../forums/images/icons/smile.gif

 

[PaulF]

Well IF your company happened to make some very appropriate item, it may well be that to supply said organisation could be a very shrewd bit of marketing. Helping them and maybe your Co as well?

Hell, what did it cost them as a long shot?

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[BrendanS]

That wouldn't be my definition of spam. Spam is where thousand to millions of messages are sent in the hope that 3 in a million will be gullible enough to respond.

What you received was a legitimate targetted message from an enterprising individual to a company who supply marine goods. In a good cause too, from reading it. If you don't like the message, just delete, and no harm done. By posting it on here you are going to raise all sorts of questions that are going to impact on the individual concerned and SeaCheck in general?

Or possibly several companies will contact the individual and and offer prizes, but if that was your aim, the post heading wasn't helpful

<hr width=100% size=1>Me transmitte sursum, caledoni

 

[wonging]

Just had my boat sea checked by Rick Bell, seemed a very genuine guy indeed concerned with maximising safety at sea and minimsing call outs and with the RNLI call outs this year running at record levels they have surely got their work cut out, it seems more and more inexperienced people are taking up the sport of boating and leaving harbours in vessels that wouldnt even be safe in the local swimming pool!

wong

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[milltech]

I didn't make a specific complaint, I asked the question. It's just that I stopped doing this a long time ago because it bought me so much flack. It would appear from the comments here at least that targeted spam with an identifiable source is no longer the pariah it used to be.

As for whether my mentioning it is good or bad news for the sender, I think it's fair to assume that the original mail was sent with the intention of bringing the news to the maximum number of people, and so it could hardly be regarded as confidential.





<hr width=100% size=1>John
http://www.on-line-marine.com