Why expose yourself, when you could expose your friends?

[denny]

From a friend's inbox:

I understand that you are currently involved in the Lifestyle known as BDSM and have numerous active contacts within this community.

The Daily Mail are compiling an expose on the people who practice this lifestyle within this community and use the website known as WWW.informedconsent.co.uk

You have been put forward as an unnamed source within an advising capacity to this story.

Anyone who co operates will be protected against exposure as we will take care of all sources.

You may contact news desk via Philip A Farmer on [a phone number] alternatively foward your response to [an email address]

Sincerely
Philip A Farmer

It'd be nice to believe that nobody would be crap enough to take them up on this lovely offer, but unfortunately I'm sure they'll get their info from someone.


Update: contact details obfuscated

Update2: apparently IC is suffering a bit of a hoax email attack around it at present, so this should probably be viewed with some suspicion. The person I got it from did tell me that they'd checked the headers, but they've subsequently taken down their own blog post on the subject.

Comments

[wechsler.livejournal.com]

While I'm inclined to spread the warning about this knut, I wonder whether putting his contact details in isn't just going to help do his "research" for him. I'm not sure whether those who'd appreciate the warning would do anything useful with the phone number for a start.

[dennyd.livejournal.com]

Hrm, fair point - I figured people might want to Google it. My friend did phone it, and apparently it is the Daily Mail newsdesk and they do have an investigative journalist by that name.

*obfuscates*

[wechsler.livejournal.com]

Actually I see no problem with the name, as it will be useful for people to recognise it if he starts contacting them. I just wouldn't want to help spiteful people who'd phone hims straight up and spread malicious gossip, which I'm sure he'd happily treat as a rock-solid source.

Anyone who wants to complain about him - or even supply info, though I wouldn't recommend it - will then at least have to look him up or write, rather than being given a free bitch-line.

[dennyd.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I've left the name, just fuzzed the phone and email.