Re: Is this kind of "helpfulness" a "thing?"

[Kevin Crider <kcrider () SKIDMORE EDU>]

Have not seen the like, and this looks and sounds totally bogus…

And did I miss “the good news”…? ;)



From: The EDUCAUSE Security Constituent Group Listserv [mailto:SECURITY () LISTSERV EDUCAUSE EDU] On Behalf Of Hall, 
Rand
Sent: Tuesday, November 15, 2016 12:10 PM
To: SECURITY () LISTSERV EDUCAUSE EDU
Subject: [SECURITY] Is this kind of "helpfulness" a "thing?"

Our General Counsel got this message today. It reminds me of third parties trying to help me by pointing out potential 
DMCA violations. Has anyone seen similar messages?


Subject: Urgent- Plagiarism, defamation, TROUBLE headed your way
Hello Atty. McDonald,
I have good news and bad news.  Here is the bad news:  Are you aware that one of your professors is widely circulating 
via social media a document containing disparaging remarks about many businesses without a single example to bolster 
the accusations, without any disclaimer that it is a personal opinion, without any scholarship to elevate it to a 
professional opinion, without any disclaimer that the opinion does not represent Merrimack College, with a link that 
takes the reader right to the Merrimack College website, and if that isn't enough, nearly all of it is plagiarized from 
a website that displays a copyright.
Somebody there needs to vet applicants more thoroughly!  Luckily, I have no personal interest in those businesses.  I 
also have no reason to step into your mess and save you from the trouble heading your way.  Your time is valuable and 
so is mine, it's a particularly busy morning.  Let me know if you would be grateful for my help.  The good news is that 
I could collect screen shots and links immediately; and you'll have all that you need to wrap things up on your end 
before the first phone call.  Oh yes- the social media post is also set to "public."  In less than 24 hours, there were 
over 8,800 "shares."  There is no telling how many friends each of those persons have, and how many of them also shared 
that list. Nice, eh?  Whether you take me up on my offer or not, I'd say I've already given you a valuable heads-up.  
Good luck!
Jeanne


Rand

Rand P. Hall
Director, Network Services                 askIT!
Merrimack College
978-837-3532
rand.hall () merrimack edu<mailto:rand.hall () merrimack edu>

If I had an hour to save the world, I would spend 55 minutes defining the problem and five minutes finding solutions. – 
Einstein