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Old 3rd October 2011, 04:13 PM   #1
Simon Bridge
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Reality checking: JREF email offer?

I didn't know the JREF did this sort of thing...
(email this morning)

Quote:
Dear Simon,

As a special thank-you to our online supporters, we would like to invite you to enter to win an iPad 2 with the new ebook version of James Randi’s classic Flim-Flam! Psychics, ESP, Unicorns, and Other Delusions. You can enter in our drawing right now online »

The brand new, factory sealed, black, 16GB, Wifi iPad 2 has been generously given to the JREF for this drawing by an anonymous donor in support of our new digital publishing efforts.

Entry in the drawing is free. Once you’ve entered, you can improve your chances of winning by helping us promote skepticism and critical thinking by recommending the Flim-Flam! ebook to your friends and family.
There's a link to a convio.net page.
The headers seem sane enough though.
reply-to is D J Groeth which is jref at jref.org
mail originates at a convio server. mailid is some java thing.

A quick search does not show anyone talking about this either way.

There are a lot of phishing attempts masquerading as iPad competitions, and spoofed mail is not uncommon either so the usual advise is not to click any links that appear in unsolicited emails.

The same mail suggests increasing your chances in the competition by sending e-cards to all your friends. Advertising by chain letter now?

This all seems quite extraordinary.

Surely if JREF is to legitimately use a promotion like this to it's members they would choose some approach that takes into account the peculiarities of the demographic: skeptics?

Before acting on this - I want to check.
I'm sure everyone understands.
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Old 3rd October 2011, 04:25 PM   #2
Gord_in_Toronto
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Do NOT respond to this e-mail


because, if you do so, it will decrease other people's my chances of winning!


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Old 3rd October 2011, 05:31 PM   #3
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Hi guys, yes, it is real, and I am happy to say we have received a larger-than-predicted response so far.

I invite you to answer the email, and to get involved.

To answer your specific question: Convio is the constituent messaging service the JREF uses (as do many other national nonprofits such as American Red Cross, United Negro College Fund, Heritage Foundation, Sierra Club, NPR, PETA, Human Rights Campaign, National Organization for Women, PBS, World Wildlife Fund, ACLU, Center for Inquiry, New York Public Library, etc.).

Thanks for helping us spread the word about our digital publishing efforts — getting Randi's and other important works of skepticism more widely distributed is a project that excites us — and "good luck" if you do decide to enter the contest.

Cheers,

D.J.

Last edited by JREF Staff; 3rd October 2011 at 05:31 PM. Reason: typo
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Old 3rd October 2011, 07:17 PM   #4
Gord_in_Toronto
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Originally Posted by DJGrothe View Post
Hi guys, yes, it is real, and I am happy to say we have received a larger-than-predicted response so far.

I invite you to answer the email, and to get involved.

To answer your specific question: Convio is the constituent messaging service the JREF uses (as do many other national nonprofits such as American Red Cross, United Negro College Fund, Heritage Foundation, Sierra Club, NPR, PETA, Human Rights Campaign, National Organization for Women, PBS, World Wildlife Fund, ACLU, Center for Inquiry, New York Public Library, etc.).

Thanks for helping us spread the word about our digital publishing efforts — getting Randi's and other important works of skepticism more widely distributed is a project that excites us — and "good luck" if you do decide to enter the contest.

Cheers,

D.J.
Spoilsport!
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Old 4th October 2011, 01:06 AM   #5
Simon Bridge
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Thanks - due diligence done.

Of course it is not actually possible to produce a standard to writing a "clearly not a scam" email ... since the scammers will just adopt it. It must frustrate Nigerian diplomats who want to smuggle funds out of the country.
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Old 4th October 2011, 05:41 AM   #6
SkepticScott
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D.J. could publish his GPG public key and sign all email. That would show source and integrity. Any spoof email would fail the verification.
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Old 4th October 2011, 05:48 AM   #7
arthwollipot
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I have no problem with this offer, and have entered the draw. I have a small problem with the idea of spamming it out to everyone I know in return for extra chances to win, but whatever.
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Old 4th October 2011, 09:10 PM   #8
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Originally Posted by arthwollipot View Post
I have no problem with this offer, and have entered the draw. I have a small problem with the idea of spamming it out to everyone I know in return for extra chances to win, but whatever.
It doesn't have to be people you like. Maybe try uri@urigeller.com.
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Old 5th October 2011, 04:04 AM   #9
arthwollipot
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Hmm. What's Sylvia Browne's email address?
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So take that quantum equation and recalculate the wave by a factor of hoopty doo! The answer is not my problem, it's yours.

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Old 5th October 2011, 04:14 AM   #10
welshdean
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Originally Posted by DJGrothe View Post
Hi guys, yes, it is real, and I am happy to say we have received a larger-than-predicted response so far.

I invite you to answer the email, and to get involved.

To answer your specific question: Convio is the constituent messaging service the JREF uses (as do many other national nonprofits such as American Red Cross, United Negro College Fund, Heritage Foundation, Sierra Club, NPR, PETA, Human Rights Campaign, National Organization for Women, PBS, World Wildlife Fund, ACLU, Center for Inquiry, New York Public Library, etc.).

Thanks for helping us spread the word about our digital publishing efforts — getting Randi's and other important works of skepticism more widely distributed is a project that excites us — and "good luck" if you do decide to enter the contest.

Cheers,

D.J.

Association fallacy
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Old 5th October 2011, 11:27 PM   #11
rjh01
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Originally Posted by arthwollipot View Post
Hmm. What's Sylvia Browne's email address?
Well here is her facebook page. https://www.facebook.com/pages/Sylvi...e/196312131222

There would be an e-mail address associated with it.
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Old 6th October 2011, 02:57 AM   #12
welshdean
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Why haven't I had the email?
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"In science it often happens that scientists say, "You know that's a really good argument; my position is mistaken," and then they would actually change their minds and you never hear that old view from them again. They really do it. I cannot recall the last time something like that happened in politics or religion."
Carl Sagan 1934 - 1996 RIP
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Old 6th October 2011, 04:36 AM   #13
SkepticScott
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Welshdean,
You don't need the email. You can register from http://www.randi.org/site/index.php/...lam-ebook.html
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Old 6th October 2011, 02:33 PM   #14
welshdean
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Originally Posted by SkepticScott View Post
Welshdean,
You don't need the email. You can register from http://www.randi.org/site/index.php/...lam-ebook.html
Thanks,
When I win I'll let you read 'flim-flam'.
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"In science it often happens that scientists say, "You know that's a really good argument; my position is mistaken," and then they would actually change their minds and you never hear that old view from them again. They really do it. I cannot recall the last time something like that happened in politics or religion."
Carl Sagan 1934 - 1996 RIP
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Old 23rd October 2011, 11:20 AM   #15
Rrose Selavy
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Originally Posted by welshdean View Post
Why haven't I had the email?
Your chosen forum description is misleading so you have been excluded from all JREF contact.
Oh, and the software doesn't recognise Wales.
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Old 23rd October 2011, 11:42 AM   #16
Soapy Sam
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Originally Posted by rjh01 View Post
Well here is her facebook page. https://www.facebook.com/pages/Sylvi...e/196312131222

There would be an e-mail address associated with it.

Don't spam Slyvia.
There's a chance she might win- imagine the claims- "I won the JREF prize."
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