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Is it phishing?

(32 Posts)
Mollygo Mon 20-May-24 09:08:09

I keep getting emails from Boots Tesco Sainsbury’s, etc. asking me if I don’t want reminders about Mother’s Day or Father’s Day. Is the information about whether I still have a mother/MIL or a father/FIL being collected somewhere? Or am I just over suspicious?

Jaxjacky Mon 20-May-24 09:10:21

I get them too, I don’t consider them suspicious and delete them anyway as it doesn’t bother me.

dragonfly46 Mon 20-May-24 09:11:41

No it is a new trend asking if you want to be excluded from these emails as they may upset you. I am not sure how them knowing if you have a father or mother can benefit them.
I just ignore them!

Astitchintime Mon 20-May-24 09:15:36

I have had these recently and it must be a new thing as I've never had them in previous years. Just ignore and delete if you're worried.

GrannyGravy13 Mon 20-May-24 09:26:13

Have been receiving them for several years from most companies I purchase online from.

I think they are trying not to upset the recently bereaved

Romola Mon 20-May-24 09:31:34

I've had a Nectar card for decades. Sainsbury et al must know I'm old and unlikely to have any parent still living.

Witzend Mon 20-May-24 09:38:15

IMO they are just responding to former complaints about people being upset by receiving emails about M or F Day
I just delete them.

Mollygo Mon 20-May-24 11:17:18

Glad there’s nothing sinister in it, but I find the email upsetting, reminding me that my Dad is dead.

Spuddy Mon 20-May-24 11:20:10

I get them for Mother and Father's Days. I adjust the settings or click on their link to opt out of receiving them as I don't have any parents at all so it's of no interest me to.

As long as you know the site is genuine, such as Sainsburys etc. then it wouldn't be phishing. Just delete them!

Frenchgalinspain Mon 20-May-24 11:25:07

If you shop at a specific retailer or wholesaler, than it is not phishing in true form.

Just delete.

V3ra Mon 20-May-24 12:00:08

Being cynical it's also yet another excuse for these companies to send an email to your inbox, even though it's dressed up as concern 😒

And as Mollygo has said, it can be upsetting in itself 🥺

AreWeThereYet Mon 20-May-24 12:04:01

Witzend

IMO they are just responding to former complaints about people being upset by receiving emails about M or F Day
I just delete them.

Agree. But it seems they just can't win if their email giving the option not to receive anything upsets people.

25Avalon Mon 20-May-24 21:24:03

Another form of advertising I reckon.

orly Thu 23-May-24 11:22:08

They are genuine emails from the companies who are virtue signalling that they don't want to upset people who have lost a parent. Really? Why is the country so woke these days.?

LottieLouise Thu 23-May-24 11:32:47

Any emails I receive that I have no interest in is marked as spam so when I received another email from the companies concerned they go straight into my spam folder which I clear once a month. I am finding if I buy something from a garden centre etc. and I know for certain I have not subscribed to emails, I still receive emails from them so again, I mark them as spam so I never need to see them.

LottieLouise Thu 23-May-24 11:36:56

I still receive an email from a garage where we purchased our last car before my husband died, inviting us to go to a champagne reception. My husband died 10 years ago but I still love to receive those emails every year because it shows that he once lived and has not been forgotten by that garage because everything else, energy companies etc. has had his name wiped from records and replaced by my name.

knspol Thu 23-May-24 11:59:42

Have been receiving these messages for several years now and I just ignore them. Another 'woke' idea?

nexus63 Thu 23-May-24 12:10:15

go to the bottom of the e-mail and hit unsubscribe, you will not get any more e mails from them.

nipsmum Thu 23-May-24 12:25:07

If you don't want repeated emails just unsubscribe and delete. It's not too difficult for most people even someone of my age can do it and I am not very good or internet wise.

Mollygo Thu 23-May-24 14:16:22

nipsmum

If you don't want repeated emails just unsubscribe and delete. It's not too difficult for most people even someone of my age can do it and I am not very good or internet wise.

I can delete them, no problem, but in this instance I’ve now had 11 emails from different firms wanting to know if I don’t want emails from firms I subscribe to, about Mother’s or Father’s Day. That’s 11 reminders that I don’t have a father/father-in-law, mother-in-law any longer. Why rub it in?

Amalegra Thu 23-May-24 14:27:19

Just companies trying to show awareness of mental health problems associated with bereavement, which may be true to some people. It seems that our present day society is not attuned to deal with death, as it was in the past. My much loved parents are both deceased now and so I just delete them. Mother’s Day was always so special to me when dear Mum was alive and it is now; I think of her with joy and gratitude. Reminders of Fathers Day always amuse me enormously as Dad hated Fathers Day with a passion as he said, correctly I suspect, that it was just an excuse for companies to make money. He refused to have anything to do with it and got most annoyed when my sister and I sent him cards, which we did just to irritate him! ( And he knew it!).

win Thu 23-May-24 15:14:51

Mollygo

nipsmum

If you don't want repeated emails just unsubscribe and delete. It's not too difficult for most people even someone of my age can do it and I am not very good or internet wise.

I can delete them, no problem, but in this instance I’ve now had 11 emails from different firms wanting to know if I don’t want emails from firms I subscribe to, about Mother’s or Father’s Day. That’s 11 reminders that I don’t have a father/father-in-law, mother-in-law any longer. Why rub it in?

The companies just can't win can they, you would be upset either way by the sound of it. I am sorry you have lost your father, but quite frankly that is the way of nature for us all.

M0nica Thu 23-May-24 15:28:08

Just unsubscribe from these emails, then you will be free from them all.

I receive hardly any unsolicited emails because I do just that the moment they start arriving. I also have an adblocker installed.

TwiceAsNice Thu 23-May-24 15:51:19

I have unsubscribed and still get some. I keep getting emails from Direct Line pet insurance trying to sell to me again when I cancelled my policy because I had to have my lovely cat put to sleep last year. I keep meaning to ring them and give them a piece of my mind but keep forgetting and then get another one! I know a cat is not a person but I loved her to distraction and every email makes me upset again

Mollygo Thu 23-May-24 16:46:45

JSYK
With emails from firms you like, unsubscribing means you don’t get any emails from that firm. You have to opt out of emails from them about particular issues.
Each firm thinks theirs is the one that’s important and never thinks about how many others you will receive, just as they did with the reminders about those ‘days’. Sometimes I do click the if you don’t want emails about X day and I clicked the one about Mother’s Day in advance, because of my MIL, but it didn’t stop Boots sending me adverts for MD gifts.
Some firms, those that posters on here have blocked or unsubscribed from have simply lost my entire custom and that of the other posters.
Thanks for the initial responses about phishing.