Spammed, not actually attractive.

[Naepalm]

Hey everyone,

New here to PM. One thing I have noticed immediately is being spammed by those wanting me to use their code or link. Can there be a better way to share the awesomeness of PM with others? I want to share why this is annoying, so that I can get it out there to there rest of the community. The number one reason is it's disingenuine. It ends up sounding like that long lost friend that you had that calls you up and wants to come over. You are so excited to see them; you offer them coffee. As you sit on the couch sipping, all of a sudden they pull out an iPad from their bag. A bag you watched them bring in, but you were not sure what was in it. Maybe a gift they brought, perhaps some old pictures from when you were in school together. 

Nope, none of those things! They bring out the iPad and try to start selling you insurance, or a timeshare. And you quickly realize that they have not been upfront. They are just another salesman/salewomen.

All this to say. STOP IT! It's annoying, and you come off as someone who is not being honest. Can we have some contribution from this community for a better way to market this?

Here are some possible solutions:

Give a 1.00 Reward for a post to social media.

Give a 1.00 Reward with a nifty add if someone puts it up as their Facebook canvas.

You know I get the links. But maybe people can be trained to have a bit of etiquette. 

If I'm off base here, just call a spade a spade. If I'm not, please contribute a solution to mass spamming. 

[Korth]

Well, PM could always remove the referral code system. Go back to referrer and referred needing to know each other's phone numbers.

It wouldn't halt the spam, nothing ever does. But it would rein it in a bit, smart people don't spam their phone number to strangers across the internet.

I don't see why it should ever be necessary to hide your phone number from your family, friends, coworkers, etc. Just block unwanted calls/texts from annoying friend-of-friend acquaintances if you really must, and it goes both ways. PM's pseudonymous referral code system enables and encourages pseudonymous (ab)uses of the system which wouldn't be (and weren't) so rampant if/when private phone numbers were on the line.

[Triguy]

I think that would part of unwanted solication and a violation of terms of service.

https://productioncommunity.publicmobile.ca/t5/Getting-Started/Public-Mobile-Community-Terms-of-Serv....

[Anonymous]

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@Nezgar wrote:

I was not spammed when I signed up, but I'm wondering how this is happening. Are people systematically watching the "Newest members" bar at the bottom of the forum and sending them private messages? Maybe that feature should be removed it's being abused for this purpose lately.

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So it would seem. I made another community account well after my first one and got a pm from someone that never posts in here.

Try it for yourself. Make another throw away community account and see if you get a pm.

I agree...remove it.

In a way even recent sign-ins. I don't show that I'm online but the recent sign-ins shows me signing in. I don't like that.

'Course now we're giving nefarious people ideas....

[Nezgar]

I also missed out on using a referral code my first signup, but I am not worried about it because the savings compared to my previous provider more than made up for it, also by referring a few others since.

I was not spammed when I signed up, but I'm wondering how this is happening. Are people systematically watching the "Newest members" bar at the bottom of the forum and sending them private messages? Maybe that feature should be removed it's being abused for this purpose lately.

[Theta]

Thanks @JoyLuck! I'll try and get in touch with a mod. Hope this works! Fingers crossed! 

[Naepalm]

This is a great solution. To be able to allow new people to know that this is an option would be great as well. Even saying to someone hey did you know there are referral code where you can get a 10.00 one time promotion. Without even giving your code and just letting them know there are options like that would be helpful! 🙂

Thanks for the time to make the comment!

[ShawnC13]

@kb_mv that is a great way to go about it.  

[kb_mv]

When I came over to PM last year, I had read up about the service and was familiar with the concept of referral codes. I read a lot of threads and actually contacted one of the people who seemed friendly and helpful and asked if they would provide their code for me to use.

[will13am]

There's nothing wrong with the referral code system.  Members spamming their code is not.  If even allowed once, it becomes a pandemic.  Everyone will want to do it.  

[Naepalm]

I think this is wise to go about it. Maybe have a like announcement room for new people that not have used a referral code. Or that are active in the community   are  able to have their used. Like a bucket of users codes. And PM choose at random other PM codes apply to the new accounts. So instead of these users having to be   solicited they don't miss out and is a positive outcome for PM.  

[Naepalm]

I contacted SIMon afterward to use my little sisters code.  Could be something that MODS send out a message. Rather then being spammed. 🙂 

[mimmo]

@will13am unfortunately this is one of the consequences of referal codes vs tel number.  Is there a clear directive from pm about spammed referal codes and consequences?  I don't recall. 

@Alan_K referal codes were brought in under your watch, can you provide some guidelines here. If an unsolicited private message is reported to mods, what actions are taken?  If none what's the point of reporting them, or even having a rule saying don't do it.   

[will13am]

Referral spam is not tolerated or welcomed in the community forum.  

[BearFBI]

@mima yeah I missed a lot of promotions too. I should have signed up earlier. 

[mima]

They had $25 promotion when I was signing up and I didn't have clue 😞 

[BearFBI]

@Naepalm  This happend to me too. I actually did not have a code at the time so I was happy to get 10$ in my account from someone giving me their refferal in my inbox. But If they are actually spamming you like sending the same message over and over again then that's a report. But I just ignore them.

[zblackma · Accepted solution]

@Naepalmif the messages were unsolicited, report them. Welcome to Public Mobile.

[Pawprints1986]

It actually worked out for me, I didn't know about it at first, or have an existing friend on PM... I get what you mean, but worked out well in my case

[darlicious]

@Theta  Actually @JoyLuck  has given you some good advice reach out and message a friend on the community if need be....its not too late to have one added after activation.

[JoyLuck]

@Theta 

If you joined PM recently ask one of your friends for a referral code and then use the chat bot SIMon (? Lower right) to contact a moderator and have your code applied to your account. Looking at community questions/ solutions other people have gone this route after the fact.

[Theta]

I'm sorry you had to go through that. There's some value to people offering up their code. I missed out on my initial $10 credit because I wasn't aware that there was something in it for me as well. If someone had reached out to me then, I might have been $10 richer today, who knows 😛 

I'm hoping more people will take your advice though, its cool to share your code but put in a bit of effort to make it a welcoming, informative experience rather than an onslaught of random numbers. 

Welcome to PM! Would you like to use my referral code? JK 😜

[popping]

Instead of a call center, this community is the support forum for PM subscribers.

Member on this community forum should not spam other members for the purpose giving out your referral code.  

[Dolphin7]

When I first joined that happened to me as well.  I just ignored the messages.