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Archiver > GENIRE > 1999-09 > 0936293488


From: "trasea" <>
Subject: Fw: Caution re Mail Outs
Date: Thu, 2 Sep 1999 18:31:28 +0100


Hi there,

I'm forwarding this message to all lists that I sub to that haven't been
contacted by this messages author already, I am sending it with the
permission of the author as well, we both think it's worth warning everyone
about the problems that you can land yourself in when sending letters out
to unknown possible distant cousins.

Tracey.

> Hi fellow listers
>
> Buoyed by recent reports of success from Mail Outs I sent letters to the
> five persons of a particular surname in a particular U.K.city (found in
the
> On-line White Pages). I was hopeful that I would find some family
members
> in that area as we have letters sent back to Australia by my gg Uncle
during
> WW1 telling of visits to remaining family members in the area.
>
> Great excitement last weekend when my son passed on the message that a
man
> from the U.K. had rung about our family history and would ring back!!
> Imagine my horror when today I received a letter from that man and he is
> obviously a VERY disturbed individual. This man is extremely paranoid
and
> his letter abounds with conspiracy theories. The only good thing is that
it
> seems to be the authorities who are "after him" - not me.
>
> It horrifies me that I could have unwittingly placed my family at risk in
> the pursuit of my passion for family history and I will NEVER Mail Out
> again. Please think carefully about Mail Outs and take care with what
> information you give to strangers.

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