[DocJohn]

Hi folks,

Occasionally, we have a (new) member who will find our community and almost immediately start soliciting members for money or donations of some kind.

This is not allowed, for obvious reasons, as there are a lot of people in this world who seek to take advantage of other people's good will.

If you are approached out of the blue by any member for a solicitation of goods, money or services, please let me know by PM immediately.

(Members who know and are friends with one another are welcomed to exchange whatever gifts or what-not they care to, I'm more concerned about members you don't know.)

Thanks for your continued support and cooperation,
DocJohn

[pegasus]

Gosh! I had to look up that word in the dictionary and it means something quite different in my dictionary! He he.

Thanks for the heads up Doc.

[eskielover]

It is scary with the economy being what it is now, the scams & ways people are coming up with to get money out of others. We need all the protection we can get along with our own personal awareness of the possibilities.

It is sometimes so easy to get caught up in the lies which they make sound so convincingly real but are only schemes to take advantage of our sympathy & our "good will" to get us to feel bad for their situation or to get involved in some business scheme that they make sound inviting.

Even when you are aware of these things, they make you feel like a bad person for not trusting them when you ask to see proof or more information...when that happens, I find that is a huge RED FLAG that stands out there saying...."NOT REAL..BEWARE". If they are real, they have nothing to hide & will be more than willing to provide whatever information you are needing or wanting.

I know even IRL where it should be easier to get the proof before getting involved than over the internet, it is still difficult to protect yourself & it seems lately that protection is needed all the time....never let your guard down.

I found that it's difficult to force anyone to provide proof. When that happens, it's time to turn & walk away without any guilt at all....we have to understand that it has to be their burden of proof & not our burden to prove why we aren't willing to go along with them.....the guilt thing IRL is what they really use I have found. When you hear words like "I wouldn't do anything like that"....another huge RED FLAG. When doing business with a person, when they start coming up with nothing but excuses why they aren't finishing the job.....you can be assured you have been had (oh the personal experience with the heat pump). Never trust anyone else & think they have taken the precautions that need to be taken when getting involved with anyone either....make sure you have the proof you need to feel confident yourself with the person you are thinking about doing business with & don't feel pressures to back down. Stick to what you know is right & listen to that little voice inside...it's usually right & I know I need to start trusting that little voice a lot more than I have..

I know how much I appreciate Doc John for having these rules set in place as a protection for us to feel safe & yet also has a way set up for honest funds to be collected for emergency situations where the need is proved & the request is under the the control of the site.

Much thanks Doc John & the community team for protecting us & taking the time to be willing to handle situations like this when they do come up. It is a level of protection that provides another safe feeling here at PC.

Thank you for your protection & thank you for providing a safe way of receiving help when it is needed.
Debbie

[Michah]

Cheers Doc John, thanks for being aware and letting the rest of us know.....

[bearchic34]

Thank you

[lenjan]

"Solicitation" has that "other" meaning you seem to be referring to here as well, Peg, but in places of business -- well, *legitimate* business -- it means "don't bother people by pressuring them to buy something from your kid's school fund raising event or give to your favorite charity," etc.

Some of the longer-term members will recall an issue we had here several years ago with a member who caused a lot of very real IRL problems for someone else here, as well as months' worth of suspicion and lack of trust due to her misrepresentation of herself and her needs. Best advice is always to err on the side of caution.

CB

[Yoda]

So are we still okay with the *other* solicitation then? Cause I need a date for Saturday night.