Is someone trying to sabotage me?

1. 97

   Bedbugabscondposted 11 years ago

   I receved a comment that is strange and disturbing. I won't be approving it, but i don't really know what to do. The comment has nothing to do with my content. Instead i is writen like a response letter to me. It makes it look like I am participating in something that breaks Googles adsense TOS.
   
   I do not understand how some people can be so unethical. I am not sure what to do. I work hard to be honest and true, and to folllow the rules. Should I just mark it as spam and move on? Or is there another way I should report it.
   
   The comment was left by a registered member with 0 hubs. I don't know how to handle this.

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   1. 67

      quiterandomposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      It is likely a 'phishing' post. They may be trying to get you to give them a password or account name to your google account or similar. Do you mind copying and pasting it here?

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   2. 60

      missoliveposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Go to their account and flag it. HubPages will handle it. Include a link to the hub they commented on if you can.

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      1. 0

         Christy Kirwanposted 11 years agoin reply to this

         Yep, well said, missolive. We don't tolerate harassment, so please do flag him/her and provide us with the details.

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   3. 73

      gts68posted 11 years agoin reply to this

      It's certainly just spam - don't take it as a personal attack on your writing. I have a few self-hosted websites that each get 'attacked' by spam comments everyday. Most are just bs advertising with hopes that you'll accidentally approve. However, some are just downright nasty - I guess hoping that you'll reply - which would be like inviting a vampire in your front door.
      Funny story - a spammer once screwed up and their whole template consisting of a list of about 50 of these cheezy comments ended up in my comment section. I saved it somewhere - I wanted to do a warning article and include it but surely the article would have been flagged as spam!

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      Jennifer Sucheyposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Thanks for posting about this so others can be aware before it happens to them and know what to do about it.

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      Jeff Berndtposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      It's probably not someone out to get you in particular. No slam on you, but you're probably not even on that person's radar screen. It's spam. Report it, and take the comment for what it's worth, which is nothing. Keep writing, and don't stress over what random strangers think of you.

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2. 79

   Askmeposted 11 years ago

   I agree with gts68 it is spam. I have gotten similar strange posts. I also get ads listed as posts on some of my hubs. Just hit the "delete forever" tab.

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3. 80

   Marcy Goodfleischposted 11 years ago

   It might also help to cut & paste the comment for Admin when you flag the account.  I have reported several of these over the months, and usually the account is deleted/banned.  Good luck!

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4. 65

   faythefposted 11 years ago

   this makes me wonder...in the last couple of days, I have had 20-25 new followers and all of them have 0 hubs....

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   1. 88

      susi10posted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Exactly! That happened to me too. Most of them are companies trying to spam HubPages with their products or services. Do we follow them or not?

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5. 81

   epbooksposted 11 years ago

   I'm kinda new here, but if it doesn't make any sense, has nothing to do with your content,  and your gut is telling you that it is spam of some sort, I'd deny/reject the message and move it.

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6. 91

   madscientist12posted 11 years ago

   yes there are ppl who just want to be annoying. just ignore them, delete and move on

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7. 78

   Availiasvisionposted 11 years ago

   I'm getting weirded out by all of these people with zero hubs.  I think Hubpages needs to make a rule that if someone goes 90 days with having zero total hubs, then their account should be dismantled.  I've seen several that have been here for two years and have zero hubs.  Maybe they signed up and forgot, or moved their hubs elsewhere.  Abandoned profiles need to be gone.  My fear is that people are creating fake profiles just to spam us.

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   1. 69

      To Start Againposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      I second that! Wouldn't it be worthwhile for HP to remove some of this type of stuff from the site? Maybe I'm wrong but wouldn't it free up some space or something somewhere if all or even just some of these accounts as well as old or pointless forums and questions etc? Yeah, I know it would be work but I have always wondered why old forums don't disappear at some point. I've seen some from four years ago and not all forums are needed or helpful. I don't see how it would hurt anything to delete some of the 'so and so has four thousand fans or thirty million views or a new kitten...'

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   2. 79

      Askmeposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Well..to be honest, I have people who find one of my Hubs when they google the topic I wrote about. They want to post a comment but they are not interested in writing a hub. So..I would hate to see a rule that someone posting to your hub needs to actually write hubs.

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      1. 69

         To Start Againposted 11 years agoin reply to this

         people can post comments without having to join hubpages.

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8. 89

   Carola Finchposted 11 years ago

   Another site I write for specifies that you must write once a month or you lose writing privileges and your money for that month.  Extreme, but it keeps me writing.

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9. 61

   jeffdonnellyposted 11 years ago

   This is the reason why i left Squidoo.... It left a bad taste in my mouth.

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10. 81

    CarolynEmerickposted 11 years ago

    I run a few pages on FB, some have become quite large. So I have learned that on the internet you will come across jerks.  Negative people who have nothing to do but make themselves feel better by cutting down others. I have felt the sting too.  When you put yourself out there, you have to develop a thick skin and let it roll off your shoulder.  Keep on keepin' on. That person means nothing in the grand scheme of your life.

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    1. 89

       Carola Finchposted 11 years agoin reply to this

       I agree with you CarolynEmerick.  I have had my share of run ins.  There is a big difference between constructive and destructive criticism. I agree that it is best to report these people and then ignore them.  Ignoring them is probably worse for them than being reported.  They enjoy tormenting people and making them squirm.  Focus on the joy of writing and the knowledge that your work can help and inspire people.

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