I understand that type of concern. Websites are hacked all the time, and our information is not as sacred today as it might have been even 3 months ago. The hackers keep getting smarter, and most websites are not too sophisticated, except the portions that are encrypted for financial protection. I hope it is not anyone up to mischief, but it is worth being cautious. Did this person ask you for any information about you such as address or anything else that would put you at risk?

Stay alert!
~Allison

Was the cutting autumn damask? There's a posting under the Autumn Damask thread by bellegallica from someone I didn't recognize asking for a cutting of this rose.

I don't think you're being silly. I have worried about this sort of thing myself, to tell you the truth, when a couple of people have suggested that I email them privately for a more elaborate answer to a question. I declined to do it, except once, in the case of one guy who is very active (and very knowledgable) on a particular forum. Turns out he never even got the email, and the discussion was continued on the thread itself. In that case, he was suggesting I privately divulge the name of a popular vendor who sold me a bad plant. I didn't want to bad-mouth the vendor initially on the basis of one bad plant.

In the other cases, however, I really could not understand why a more detailed answer would require a private email. These were forums I don't ordinarily frequent, so I knew none of those names. It kind of alarmed me.

Always best to be cautious when you are not sure what is going on. So many malicious pranksters. On the other hand, there are many wonderful people, too. I keep finding the nice kind on this forum....

Rosefolly

Definitely good to be cautious. It's why I don't list my email address, but I do appreciate those of you who do, since once in awhile I have a question- usually for someone in my climate zone. I don't mind giving my address out to someone in particular, but I don't want to post it where just anyone can access it. Brandy

robiniaquest, I can think of one reason: mentioning other (competing) forums sites is taboo here and on other sites. If there is information that someone can find in another place, I will send a provate e-mail requesting that we "chat" offline and I'll provide a link or other info.

Note that there are a lot of lurkers who don't actively post, or perhaps don't actively post here, and you might get an e-mail from one of them. But, better to be safe. Might seem rude, but unless I can ID the source, then I don't respond.

Diane,

That's something I didn't know. I'm sure those guys were ok, but I just felt uncomfortable with that sort of thing as a newbie to those forums.

But I think you're right that you should at least have some familiarity with the person to start email correspondence. It's fine to lurk, but when a lurker comes out of the woodwork, the first time they make their presence known should be a bit less forward. Like if you were at a party, you wouldn't want to just approach a group and start asking for phone numbers. You'd want to at least make some polite conversation first!

Pam-----I was always so trusting and open but I've been hearing some stories that make me feel I should be more cautious-----I had a surprise the other day----I wanted some information about Ghislane de Felgonde so I googled it and much to my surprise guess what popped up first----A post from me on GW when I was swearing at Bambi for eating my GdeF----I was shocked and surprized-----and embarrassed---LOL---

Please be careful---my DH told me to delete any e-mail with a strange name---
I've noticed many new names on GW but they all seem to be rose-lovers.-
- Florence

If I haven't corresponded with someone, I don't answer an email. I have tried to type names into the Search here, but recently it has not worked. Once or twice I have written in the Suggestions Forum that this is not working, but I don't know if it has been fixed or not. In the past I might find that a person who I have not heard of is an active poster on other Forums, and has been posting for quite awhile.

Sammy

Pam, I have become more cautious lately. I received an e-mail in today's mail and did not recognize the name so it gets deleted. It seems to me if they truly want cuttings, maybe you'll get another e-mail. I don't know...
It is a scary world these days.

Carla

I'm a newbie, and recently sent an email to someone about trading for some cuttings of their Climbing Blaze, but I don't believe it was you. Is there any way for me to access my sent messages on here?

It was about Autumn Damask. I guess it was legit, but I alos think i did the right thing in being careful. thanks for the input everyone.

Autumn Damask is not that hard to come by. Why not just order one from one of the suppliers if they want it that badly? Cuttings for rooting can only be taken at certain times. The growers are much more able to supply plants than most of us, I would imagine.

I think that it is good to be very careful, the person could have posted that they had a question for you and they were sending an email. I wonder if they were registered? Recently I had someone send me a list of seeds they wanted out of the blue, it turned out to be someone who just wanted seeds.

On a related but also suspicious note, did anyone notice the post last week which was obviously a solicitation? iVillage seemed to get rid of it pretty quickly.

George

Pam,
Quite awhile ago, someone out of the blue emailed me asking for rose cuttings, naming some which I didn't even grow. I had seen her posts on other forums and apparently she thought nothing of writing to strangers on the rose forums asking for cuttings or plants.

Needless, to say, I was annoyed and I realized I was picked at random since I didn't grow some of the plants she requested. I deleted the email.

Rude yes, malicious no, poor taste yes.

Hopefully yours was just that, not that "THAT" is so pleasant.

Go sit and enjoy your lovely garden. Unfortunately, it takes all kinds to make a world. Another incident I had was a request for cuttings for a specific rose I had which I had mentioned on a post. The requester was from Florida and was going to start fortuniana cuttings to root so she could graft them and would notify me when I could send them. I was happy to oblige and went to the post office and got the box ready to mail them in so I would be ready as soon as she emailed me that the fortunian was at the right stage to graft. She and her husband were exhibitors, so serious rose growers. You know, I never heard from her again after the initial correspondence or two. Another rude one.

On the other hand you have Jewels like Jean in Tenn. and LI Rose who offered me cuttings out of the blue. As I said, rose growers are a mixed bag from the angelic to the diabolic.

Enjoy your roses,
Jim

PS-Thank you for your lovelly pictures of your garden (will paradise be this lovely?)

A similar request for cutting went out five or six years ago to quite a few of us. Turned out the requester wanted to start her own nursery. And her request was more of a demand.
The delete button has uses.

Pam I am relieved for you that it turned out to be ok.

I have met many wonderful rose people here, I firmly believe that at least 80% of them are great folks who would gladly share cuttings, seeds or rose growing wisdom with us.

Thanks for the heads up on this situation though.

Valerie

In the Autumn Damask post, there was a request from someone, who had just registered, for a cutting of Autumn Damask...it was a name of someone who I didn't know...but...could be, I am not careful enough...my DH tells me, I am not...but I contacted this person, and offered to send a cutting, if they sent me postage..I was told they would, and when they do, I am going to send some cuttings. E-mails from this person makes them sound okay..

I certainly agree that there are many Jewels on this forum. Many people I've even been fortunate enough to meet in person. I don't feel bad about being a little leery of this e mail but I hope everyone knows they are welcome to contact me. Don't ask for cuttings though!

I too am a newbie; I recently sent some e-mails asking for seeds. I am looking for seeds of species & antique roses, & wanted to trade for the seeds,bulbs,& tubers I listed in the seed exchange page(http://www.gardenweb.com/members/exch/bast-nefret) (I also have small amounts of unlisted seed). I hope I didn't scare anyone;now I am scared: my gardening friends are all SO honest& will give you any green thing you ask for, that gardenweb was NOT a place I feared hackers from. My only problem has been having emails/info drop into the famous Gardenweb black hole. Now I fear snakes in our Eden.

Here is a link that might be useful: GardenWeb

I know I am a newbi and not a very active one at that but i would like to share some of the advice I have been given by my computer friends.
1. Don't open an email from some one you don't know
2. Don't use the reading pane option if yoiu have one this is a good way to pick up a virus (they can do a lot of damage and not just to your computer)
3. Don't give out any personal info unless you know the person
4. Don't replay to a message you are unsure about.
5. If you can use a MAC because most of the viruses out there are for PC's :)
I hope this is helpfull.

I got a e-mail request on another forum asking for an ID - went back to the forum and answered it there. Every day brings different kinds of spam - right now there's a pause in penny stocks but an increase in blank e-mails with attachments. And no end of notices that I've inherited $25,000,000. (why never $500 - that I might believe!) And yes, I do have a filter - several of them. But the best of all is extreme caution.

The email to Pam, was from Malini, who is an Indian woman...not sure how she picked Pam..but she is a perfectly nice person, who I have been emailing back and forth...she is not to be worried about....she is not a snake in the eden of GW!

Pam ,
i am sorry for having caused unnecessary concern. I did not mean any harm. I found out Gardenweb through google. So i registered.

I am used to getting stares & snickers in Oshkosh, living in a different country has its short comings, but i never thought i would be the subject of a post at Gardebweb!!!!!!!! I had a good laugh, but at the same time, I APOLOGIZE for any trouble

I live in Oshkosh, wisconsin. I am fairly new to roses. I have not ordered from any webstores, so i have nil experience with them. Oshkosh does not have any fancy nursery ,the garden shops i visit are walmart & shopko and a small steinGG.

We have a rose in India & i was told by a neighbour that Autumn damask has a lovely fragrance & may match the fragrance i was referring too.

I thought that if some one would be kind to spare cuttings, i could try them out.

I sincerely apologize for any misunderstanding.

Many Thanks Melva for the kind words, I really appreciate it.

Melva indeed offered me to send some cuttings & i am very Obliged by her kindness.

Again i am very sorry to Pam & any other of the gardenweb members if i caused any inconvinience.

Best wishes,

Malini.

Milini,
I have asked for cuttings on the hydrangea forum as well as the New England Gardening forum and had very pleasant and forthcoming replies from avid hydrangea lovers...So it is not always the same I guess. This year I also managed to root cuttings from perfect strangers who have beautiful gardens I come across during my daily walks...very nice people. I guess sharing is better than throwing away in the trash. Thats just my opinion.

Welcome, Malini! The more the merrier! I lurk here more than I post, but I have found such a wealth of knowledge here, plus inspiration, and of course, the enabling from all the gorgeous pictures shared here. I'll bet if you could find out the name of your rose in India, somebody here would be able to find it for you, and perhaps it is one that you might be able to grow in Oshkosh. If not, well, there are hundreds of other roses that will do well in your zone. So welcome, friend!

Tzus