I received an Email petition to help the Scouts of America from a trusted r/t friend, and why not? A good cause, certainly. So I dutifully filled out the petition form with name, address, Email address and voice-line phone number. There were other places to check off regarding education, stopping porno on the net, etc.

BUT - I filled out my first name as "Esther" since my real Email has my first initial, which is E. Within 24 hours, I started receiving SPAM to Esther, mostly X-rated sites and then some phone calls. Very glib, personable people with hard sell scripts for things which absolutely reek of con-game schemes.

While I seriously doubt or blames Scouting for this garbage, someone is certainly making fast bucks by ripping off the personal information and selling it off to the less-than-reputable types.

BE VERY CAREFUL ABOUT PERSONAL INFORMATION YOU PUT ON THE INTERNET, REGARDLESS OF THE "CAUSE".

This reinforces "No good deed goes unpunished".