I found this sight about 6 months ago and have gotten some great travel tips and advice. However, lately I notice that when I've tried to follow up on a couple of posts, the e-mails have been bogus. If someone has something negative to say, it's hard to give it any credibility if they won't give you an address to follow up in case you have additional questions about their experiences. How do Fodorites feel about this?

I can only speak for myself but, from past experience, I have posted lots of help for people here and posted my true email. However, I get ridiculously spammed and attacked in e-mail, not to mention other junk and pornographic mail. That is why you will see in most email address: nospam.com or xx.com or replythisforum.com No reason to get aggravated needlessly.

There are several "legtimate" reasons for not giving a true email address. A sudden increase in spam much of it porno, after having posted here. And a rather unpleasant direct response from someone after having dared to disagree with something thay had posted. By and large I'm not concerned about the issue of email and pretty much just rely on what people post here. Also not everyone is interested in getting personal inquires or personal reprimands. But what do I know.

A minority of regular posters use their actual e-mail addresses for security reasons.
There are some really strange people out there Jayne. If you want to meet some of them, post a couple critical comments here along with your real address. You'll see what we mean. Sorry it has to be that way.

Thanks for clearing this up. It makes sense. It's unfortunate that those who have legitimate motives have to suffer the consequences of the inconsiderate. Enough said!

I've been using my real e-mail address for several years, without incident. You can be the target of pornographic e-mails without posting your real e-mail address here. Those I receive generally have AOL addresses. And, any chat on the web makes you a target. Thankfully, they've diminished to almost none recently. I also receive frequent inquiries from folks planning trips. Everyone I've communicated with has been very nice. I do not post responses to people with obviously phony names and e-mail addresses. The web is anonymous enough. I am just not moved to be of assistance to anyone referring to themselves as "xxx", "noname", "nospam", etc. At the very least, a person could post an inquiry with their real name, but a phony e-mail address if they're truly concerned with spam. I also don't pay much attention to information posted with silly names and e-mail addresses. To me, anyone with anything useful to contribute would use a genuine name. As you've probably noticed, one quickly learns who the folks with the best and most interesting information are here.

Hey Donna, glad you're never spammed - but lighten up a little! A lot! I personally get a laugh out of some of the creative names and addresses! And they sure don't keep me from trusting their advice!

I used to use my real address and have received a number of very pleasant questions and comments from some very nice people. However, I once posted a compliment about a certain tour company and received a VERY rude and abusive message from someone who disagreed with my opinion. Well, once was enough, and I haven't used my real address since then.

I used to post my real email address here and had no problem for years but then about 6 or more months ago some robot started gathering the email addresses that were posted here and mailing out spam...prorn and other. I know it was from Fodors as I don't do chats and am not on AOL and did not post my address ANYWHERE ELSE so it was defiantely from here. Now I will never post my real email address here. It was a nightmare!

My situation pretty much echoes that of the previous man.
I used to use my real name/e-mail, too; but won't any more...same reason and it had to have come from this website. Of that I am sure.
It is a shame.
I have, and do, travel quite a bit and like to share what I've learned with others but I do so only under created names.

I used to use my real e-mail address in case someone wanted to give or receive more information. I stopped when someone wrote a nasty reply on the forum that I asked too many questions - why don't I do a better job of planning my trip myself. Others who responded to his diatribe disagreed and urged me to ask as much as I wanted. However, I felt embarrassed that someone would actually take the time to count up how many questions I had asked. Now, when I have multiple questions, I use different names and e-mails. If you look at some of the threads, it seems as though some weird people have nothing to do but spend a lot of time analyzing and criticizing those who contribute to this forum. They are not interested in a exchange of travel information - but simply in antagonizing and insulting others. I don't need them to have my 3-mail address. Fodors should allow postings to go up with or without e-mail addresses to make it more convenient for everyone.

I do not engage in any of the mud slinging contest. I stick strictly to posting travel/tourist informatiom about the areas that I know. However I will not use my real e-mail address because here are too many idiots on these forums. I used to use my real name and e-mail address in the past and have been flamed and even had a virus sent to me.

You never know what will set off some of these crazies on the internet.

This is the ONLY place on the net I had ever posted my email. What a mistake that was. I was swamped with so much spam I had to get a new address. I would never post my true email again anywhere on the net until the situation changes somehow. Quite honestly I don't see why everything can't be done publicly. That way everyone can benifit from the information.

I post my name and an email address here; I have had about five or six spams in five months (no porn, mostly people trying to sell travel stuff), and some personal communication. Note, however, that my email address is a hotmail account. This is a free account that I use for internet postings and communication with people I don't know personally. I don't share my private email address (the one I use for business and personal mail) on internet forums.

Leona: Surely there are better sources for your amusement that phony names on a travel forum. I'm another who totally ignores bogus names. I've never received any spam either as a result of using a valid e-mail address on this forum. Those of you who believe this forum has been the sole source of your e-mail woes may want to consider that those "forwarded" allegedly humorous e-mails your friends send with dozens of recipients get passed all over the web. I agree completely that it's one thing omit your real e-mail address. But, phony names are for phony people.

To Katie:
You're really asking for trouble when you all but taunt the obnoxious people who sometimes follow these forums by saying that: a)you use your real name and address, b) you have no fear of being harrassed, and c) you insult them by calling them phonies.

Bold? Naive? Inviting abuse? Arrogant? Foolish?
I think they all apply here.
Good luck.

Advice from those who are afraid to be accountable must always be in doubt.
Please don't hold me ...accountable!
It is certainly too bad that there is so much spineless stuff from self proclaimed nobodies--but if you look around, it's not only on the internet; is it?? It's best not to get too involved with...those in hiding...they might even have a good reason to hide...

It seems that some folks won't listen to someone's advice unless they post using a name (although the name could be made up anyway).

Well, fine. If I post good advice under a "bogus" name, and you don't take it, whose loss is that? If you ask a question and I answer, I'm the one trying to help you, remember?

I think that if you aren't going to post your e-mail address for the sake of not getting spam, etc. you should probably make it look like it. I would think a lot of people know the e-mail address I use is not really mine, but I too have wrote to people who posted their e-mail address (which sounded quite legitimate) but have turned out not to be theirs.

Yes, it seems only the new visitors and those in the travel industry are posting their real e-mails here these days. As these responses indicate, there's good reason not to post your true e-mail here, but of course agents and those making their living in the travel industry like HENRY at KAUAI.NET above have every reason to want you to have their e-mail -- so they can sell you something. Get lost Henry, your commerical promos are unwelcome here, as Fodor's policy clearly states.