I just got this weird e-mail from HubPages that starts out like this....
"A link to your Hub: http://hubpages.com/hub/thehuburl
Hi username,
As you are part of the HubPages community, we want you to succeed, so we want to let you know that your Hub is at a disadvantage because it contains structural issues. These issues could be preventing your Hub from getting search traffic, winning new followers, earning money through ads or Amazon/eBay product sales, augmenting your credibility as an online content creator, and perhaps more.
Not sure what specifically is causing the trouble? It could be:"
Then it goes on to list "possible problems".
You may note that that is not a real URL and they addressed me as "username"?
The non-functioning URL and "username" would normally make me think this was a Phishing attempt.
But it came from
Just wondered if this is fake.....
You know, it almost sounds like someone sending you the opposite of fan mail.
If in doubt, trust your stats page. It will tell you if something is wrong with your hub like a broken link, not enough content, etc.
Sabreblade I would like to see the phishing scam email could you take a screenshot and post it here in the forum?
It could be a spoofed email as several people already mentioned.
Can you forward the email to team@hubpages.com attention Matt M?
I will look into it and let you know what I find.
I did a bit more research and it looks like it is a bug.
Our engineering team is aware of the issue and working to resolve it.
Thanks for taking the time to report it!
Okay...it just looked really weird you know?
It doesn't sound like an email from HubPages. They would have used your name and given you a true URL. The "from" address can be faked, so you can't go by that. If you can view the header information of that email you will see where it really came from. Some email programs let you open the header.
It would seem that it is time to change your email address at HP...
But make sure you don't ever open any link in suspect emails, as they often contain malware which has bypassed your security settings...
Press the NUKE button mate!
Well that's why I wanted to post this here in case anyone else got the same e-mail and did follow the link and sign in.
Don't ever click on a URL in an email. The actual URL you go to can be different than the one you see in the email. In most cases, if you hover over it, you should see at the bottom of your screen the actual URL it would be going to if you do click.
If you click an go to a phishing site that "looks" like HubPages, an you log in, you will be giving your logon info to the hacker. If you ever did that before, then someone may already be "watching" every bit of your activity.
As already suggested by Pearldiver above, change your password. And don't ever log in by clicking a URL in an email. Put the URL into your browser yourself (or save it in your favorites) and always log in that way.
My two cents...
The other posters on this thread are not kidding. I've also gotten fake emails. Some had false return addresses of Hubbers that I'd actively engaged with in the forums. That means whoever is doing it is actively observing our individual activities. Even worse, I've gotten fake emails purported to be from individual HP staff member(s). When that happened, I did not reply; but I did contact the impersonated staff member via their profile page. In virtually all cases, there was a link in the email they were trying to trick me into clicking.
So, be on guard. This is an ongoing problem. In fact, some of my experiences happened over a year ago.
Did it look something like this? I received this at the end of June (mine was actually unfeatured when I checked the stats, but you never know).
A link to your Hub: Mind Dance VIII
Dear writinglover,
We wanted to let you know that Mind Dance VIII has the opportunity to become Featured! Featured Hubs are showcased on Topic Pages and Related Hubs listings. They are also made available to search engines. We want your Hub to succeed and strongly recommend dusting it off and making a few improvements so that it meets our quality standards.
The perks of a Featured Hub don't end at increased visibility online. Featured Hubs are likely to be more successful over the long run when it comes to traffic, earnings, and augmenting your personal online brand.
How can you improve your Hub? High-quality Hubs are original, long form, and media rich. For starters, check out our Learning Center entry on How to Improve the Quality of a Hub for detailed tips, helpful links, and before/after example Hubs that demonstrate the power of editing!
Thank you for taking the time to update and improve your work!
Cheers,
The HubPages team
HubPages
Please do not reply to this message, it was sent from an unmonitored address.
get help from HubPages - unsubscribe from all HubPages emails - report this email as spam or abuse
HubPages Inc., 95 Minna St., San Francisco CA 94105
I've never received anything like this... It doesn't seem like something HubPages actually sends...I'd disregard it.
Was this a genuine one!
A link to your Hub: http://sallybea.hubpages.com/hub/Skype-versus-MSN
Hi sallybea,
As you are part of the HubPages community, we want you to succeed, so we want to let you know that your Hub is at risk of being unpublished because it contains unrelated links or products. Linking to sites or products that are not directly related to the content of your Hub is not allowed within our community. Please remove or replace all links and products that are unrelated.
Not sure what counts as unrelated? It could be:
- An Amazon or eBay product that is not related to your Hub's subject, or is not explicitly referred to in the text of your Hub. If you are using keywords for your Amazon capsules, make sure that the resulting products are what you mention in the text of your Hub.
- Links to other Hubs (your own included) that are not related to the subject addressed in your Hub.
- Links to sites (personal blog, social networks, affiliate partners, etc) outside of HubPages that are not related to the subject of your Hub.
Bottom line: all links and products listed in a Hub must be germane to the content of the Hub. For more information, please visit this Learning Center guide: http://hubpages.com/learningcenter/Mode … r-Products
Your Hub remains published, giving you the chance to address this issue. In the coming week, your Hub will be reviewed again and may be unpublished if this problem has not been addressed.
Thank you for taking the time to update and improve your work. We want to see this Hub become a hit!
Cheering you on,
The HubPages Team
Yes, that is the way they are supposed to appear with the URL to the specific Hub.
What I thought was really funny about the e-mail was that the Hub mentioned that was "in danger" actually had a red arrow and traffic was (and still is) rising.
So it seemed to be "sound"....at least from the readers stand point.
That's what made me wonder.
And the URL.
And calling me "usename".....LOL
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