Comments on: Hallmark Email Cards - Are eCards a Good Idea or Evil Incarnate? http://www.theinternetpatrol.com/hallmark-email-cards-a-good-idea-or-evil-incarnate/ Internet Safety, Windows Updates, Internet News, and More Sat, 21 Nov 2009 21:42:45 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.3 By: Shar http://www.theinternetpatrol.com/hallmark-email-cards-a-good-idea-or-evil-incarnate/#comment-900628 Shar Sat, 06 Dec 2008 17:14:44 +0000 /?p=1168#comment-900628 I have always enjoyed receiving an email Hallmark card because it's such a surprise! Just cheers up my day! They are so cute and I like to send them so others can feel good and have a little surprise themselves. I have always enjoyed receiving an email Hallmark card because it’s such a surprise! Just cheers up my day! They are so cute and I like to send them so others can feel good and have a little surprise themselves.

]]> By: Lindsey http://www.theinternetpatrol.com/hallmark-email-cards-a-good-idea-or-evil-incarnate/#comment-127041 Lindsey Wed, 25 Jul 2007 22:53:46 +0000 /?p=1168#comment-127041 hallmark, i would like to share a get well card idea i came up with.... it is a bandaid card. a card in the shape of a bandaid that even has a paper towel to make the card more inventive. the comments are on the left and the right side of the card.hope that this is interesting enough for you. you can call me at 639-7269. hallmark,
i would like to share a get well card idea i came up with…. it is a bandaid card. a card in the shape of a bandaid that even has a paper towel to make the card more inventive. the comments are on the left and the right side of the card.hope that this is interesting enough for you. you can call me at 639-7269.

]]> By: Lindsey http://www.theinternetpatrol.com/hallmark-email-cards-a-good-idea-or-evil-incarnate/#comment-127036 Lindsey Wed, 25 Jul 2007 22:47:42 +0000 /?p=1168#comment-127036 hallmark, hallmark,

]]> By: Fred http://www.theinternetpatrol.com/hallmark-email-cards-a-good-idea-or-evil-incarnate/#comment-54087 Fred Sat, 17 Mar 2007 22:16:20 +0000 /?p=1168#comment-54087 Having run a simple test, I confirmed that sending someone an ecard does sign them up for spam. I got a Hallmark free account, using all default values where available. I sent a an ecard to email address I created only for this test; kslrnytlkjf398374569@[my_personal_domain].com. Within 5 hours the email address began receiving SPAM. In 24 hours it received 15 separate SPAM messages. Hallmarks privacy statement reads, "we may share the contact information of our customers with carefully picked and trustworthy third parties...." The priacvy statement goes on to say, "You can also call 1-800-HALLMARK and ask to be taken off our business partner promotions listing." Calling that number is pointless as there is no option for opting out. The CSRs on the phone say that there is no such list and therefore you cannot be taken off it. Having run a simple test, I confirmed that sending someone an ecard does sign them up for spam. I got a Hallmark free account, using all default values where available. I sent a an ecard to email address I created only for this test; kslrnytlkjf398374569@[my_personal_domain].com. Within 5 hours the email address began receiving SPAM. In 24 hours it received 15 separate SPAM messages. Hallmarks privacy statement reads, “we may share the contact information of our customers with carefully picked and trustworthy third parties….” The priacvy statement goes on to say, “You can also call 1-800-HALLMARK and ask to be taken off our business partner promotions listing.” Calling that number is pointless as there is no option for opting out. The CSRs on the phone say that there is no such list and therefore you cannot be taken off it.

]]> By: sam http://www.theinternetpatrol.com/hallmark-email-cards-a-good-idea-or-evil-incarnate/#comment-11283 sam Thu, 28 Sep 2006 02:09:20 +0000 /?p=1168#comment-11283 hey wats up??? i like the page but can i ask u sumthing? is there any way i can send u my idia fr a card and if u like it sell it to u??? e mail me back thanks hey wats up??? i like the page but can i ask u sumthing? is there any way i can send u my idia fr a card and if u like it sell it to u??? e mail me back thanks

]]> By: Czarl http://www.theinternetpatrol.com/hallmark-email-cards-a-good-idea-or-evil-incarnate/#comment-2908 Czarl Sat, 19 Nov 2005 10:25:34 +0000 /?p=1168#comment-2908 I like to use Google Images to find my own images and then I create a card in my email....but I like Robert's idea of emailing himself...much more considerate. I like to use Google Images to find my own images and then I create a card in my email….but I like Robert’s idea of emailing himself…much more considerate.

]]> By: Dave http://www.theinternetpatrol.com/hallmark-email-cards-a-good-idea-or-evil-incarnate/#comment-2813 Dave Mon, 07 Nov 2005 12:53:29 +0000 /?p=1168#comment-2813 I once had an email address, nice and obscure, complex enough to avoid dictionary attacks... and then a friend sent me an e-card. The next day my very first spam message arrived through that account. Then it trickled in, then it became a torrent, then the account was ditched. I don't trust any third-party senders, whether it's an e-card or other 'send this page to a friend' link. My experience is that the other-party sender almost invariably adds the address to their mailing lists. Of course, when they send their spam to their newest 'member' they offer to unsubscribe, but the damage has already been done. I once had an email address, nice and obscure, complex enough to avoid dictionary attacks… and then a friend sent me an e-card. The next day my very first spam message arrived through that account. Then it trickled in, then it became a torrent, then the account was ditched.

I don’t trust any third-party senders, whether it’s an e-card or other ’send this page to a friend’ link. My experience is that the other-party sender almost invariably adds the address to their mailing lists. Of course, when they send their spam to their newest ‘member’ they offer to unsubscribe, but the damage has already been done.

]]> By: dkjreiser@pie.midco.net http://www.theinternetpatrol.com/hallmark-email-cards-a-good-idea-or-evil-incarnate/#comment-2807 dkjreiser@pie.midco.net Sun, 06 Nov 2005 13:58:28 +0000 /?p=1168#comment-2807 Can you use a smaller font? I will no longer try to read your rants because I can not see them. Can you use a smaller font? I will no longer try to read your rants because I can not see them.

]]> By: Adam http://www.theinternetpatrol.com/hallmark-email-cards-a-good-idea-or-evil-incarnate/#comment-2800 Adam Sat, 05 Nov 2005 22:07:29 +0000 /?p=1168#comment-2800 What Caren said! And to boot, you even ask us to input our e-mail address. How do we know YOU aren't going to spam us? I'm a blogger myself, but I'm sick and tired of bloggers publicly assuming the worst about organizations online. Do you have any evidence to suggest that Hallmark abuses e-mail addresses? Have you read its privacy policy? There are plenty of "bad guys" on the Internet, and pointing fingers willy-nilly at others just damages your reputation and makes it harder to focus on those who WILL abuse our e-mail addresses. Please be more thoughtful in the future. Regards, Adam, not affiliated with Hallmark in any way What Caren said! And to boot, you even ask us to input our e-mail address. How do we know YOU aren’t going to spam us?

I’m a blogger myself, but I’m sick and tired of bloggers publicly assuming the worst about organizations online. Do you have any evidence to suggest that Hallmark abuses e-mail addresses? Have you read its privacy policy?

There are plenty of “bad guys” on the Internet, and pointing fingers willy-nilly at others just damages your reputation and makes it harder to focus on those who WILL abuse our e-mail addresses.

Please be more thoughtful in the future.

Regards,
Adam, not affiliated with Hallmark in any way

]]> By: Caren D http://www.theinternetpatrol.com/hallmark-email-cards-a-good-idea-or-evil-incarnate/#comment-2796 Caren D Sat, 05 Nov 2005 09:30:10 +0000 /?p=1168#comment-2796 Although I agree that real cards are a far more appropriate way of communicating during the holiday season, I've been using Hallmark and some other major greeting card companies for years and have never had any of the problems you mention. I think what you say might be true of smaller, obscure companies, not Hallmark or Blue Mountain or American Greetings. And I find it very irritating that people spread paranoia like this about the activities of legitimate companies that, BTW, employ hundreds or thousands of people. Even more so because both your site and Lockergnome have this very bad habit of shoving Google ads down the readers' throat, forcing us to scroll in order to read whatever editorial material there is to be read. Although I agree that real cards are a far more appropriate way of communicating during the holiday season, I’ve been using Hallmark and some other major greeting card companies for years and have never had any of the problems you mention. I think what you say might be true of smaller, obscure companies, not Hallmark or Blue Mountain or American Greetings. And I find it very irritating that people spread paranoia like this about the activities of legitimate companies that, BTW, employ hundreds or thousands of people. Even more so because both your site and Lockergnome have this very bad habit of shoving Google ads down the readers’ throat, forcing us to scroll in order to read whatever editorial material there is to be read.

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