Spam Alert: Be mindful of the messages you receive

Hello Gaia Community!

This is just a little note to remind you to please be mindful of messages you receive from strangers (on this site or elsewhere), and to never give out any personal information unless you are sure that you can trust the other person.

No matter how careful we are in setting our community values, there will always be those who'll sneak through the cracks, or who'll want to take advantage of others. Below are some general guidelines for evaluating the trustworthiness of other members on the site:

– Check their profile. Did they fill out everything? Did they provide enough information about themselves? Do you share similar interests? How long have they've been a member on the site? How many friends do they have?

– Check their photo album. What kind of images have they posted on the site? Are they transparent enough in posting their own photos? Are they consistent with the images that they post?

– Check their blogs. This doesn't mean that members are required to post in their blogs. However, in general, members who consistently use their blogs are the ones who are more transparent. It's easier for us to evaluate their thoughts and intentions if they have been out there writing their hearts out.

– Check their postings such as comments and pod discussions. How do they carry conversations? Do you resonate with their tone? Do they sound authentic and sincere?

– Check the messages you receive from them. If they are asking for money or private information (e.g. address, email, full name, etc.), or giving you their own private contact info the first few times they send a message to you, beware! Most probably, they are spammers/scammers.

Remember: When in doubt, please contact the Gaia Support Team.

Here are more resources on how to deal with spammers/scammers:

Fight Spam on the Internet

Spam: Where to Complain About Frauds & Scams on the Internet


Also, by following these simple guidelines, you'll go along way in staying safe. :)