Yes, I got one yesterday. We should compare notes.

I haven't lately, but in the past I've gotten some...the spelling was terrible, the sentences were written weird...and they had nothing to do with this group

Yes, I got one, from a girl, that wanted to get married. I just thought she hit the wrong person.
Paula

Should I post the names? Hugs, Wendy I don't want to do the wrong thing, would DS staff aprove?

I've had them in the past. Before I accept, I look to see what sort of post the person posted. I find the odd ones are people who've just joined or have no post.

I have received them from time to time (got one last week) usually from women in their twenties in foriegn countries. They sometimes mention that they noticed I am single, they all say they are interested in marriage.

Yeah that's what I need, a 25 year old mail order bride from Sri Lanka, LOLZ.

I just delete the requests.

-Pete-

Please report them to DS. If DS isn't told that we have scammers, predators, trolls, whatever, they will stick around until they get a victim.

Use the "Report Abuse" link, which you will find at the very bottom of the web pages.

Never reply to someone at an off-site e-mail address. That's also one of the tip-offs that it's a scammer or predator.

I leave my DS Profile set to Members Only. This keeps my Profile from showing up in search engines but at the same time allows legitimate members of DS to see who I am and what I'm about. Since I set mine that way, it's cut WAY down the number of scammer and predatory requests and e-mails I get.

A lot of people set their Profiles to Private, which means only their Friends can see it. If I get a friend request from someone whose Profile is set to Private, I do not accept it unless I have seen them posting in the group. This sometimes means I have to leave a friend request pending for a couple of days. If they continue to post, or if they follow up with a message to me, then I have enough information to decide to accept them or delete the request. If I don't see them on the board or hear from them, then it's usually a spammer/scammer and I delete it.

I also have my account settings set up so that only my friends can try to chat with me. That's turned out to be a worthwhile precaution judging from some of the things that have happened to other members.

Again, please report anything suspicious to DS. It's usually easy for them to determine the spammer/scammers and ban them.

Hope this helps. Love and Hugs, Martha

I got one and turned them over to abuse. They were removed.

Yes I have had a few - mostly cute young ladies from Africa wanting a rich older man who will marry them.

Question - can all DS groups see our postings, or only Widow/Widowers, Hopeful Hearts - and groups we sign up for?

all DS groups can see.

The board is open to the internet. Log out of DS and go in and have a look. I'm not sure if you can see the member groups from the internet.

Please don't post the names - just report them - scammers are then removed quickly.

just confirmed it - the member groups can also be browsed by anyone, you don't have to be a member of DS.

That is upsetting. It has never happened to me but I have only been on the stie for a few months. Lu Ann

Can't say that I have experienced this. When I do get a friend request, I go to their profile to see what their story is.

Yes, I have. I immediately used the report abuse icon at the bottom of this page. Whether or not they are fictional, I left it to DS to figure out.