AIBU to think this is almost certainly an MLM message?

[SquashMinus]

Just received a message completely out of the blue from an old friend I've not spoken to in maybe 20 years. Very chatty, just asking about my life and saying she's missed me, harking back to the hobby we originally met through (a stitch and bitch, unlike the rest of MN I don't think a hobby is particularly outing!)

I've been caught out by this before though, sent something excited and chatty back to messages like this, and then felt ridiculously disappointed when they offer me whatever their shitty MLM product du jour is. Has anyone ever been contacted unexpectedly like this and have it NOT be MLM related?? Has she been possessed by unexpected nostalgia, or just the spirit of knock-off perfume?

She's probably offering life-coaching . Well, if she's someone you would genuinely like to be in touch with you can always refuse whatever she's flogging. If she is flogging something.

@MotherOfGodWeeFella

She's probably offering life-coaching . Well, if she's someone you would genuinely like to be in touch with you can always refuse whatever she's flogging. If she is flogging something.

Oh god, I bet that's it, my life looks like a bit of a disaster from the outside at the moment (recent divorce, string of short term contract jobs). I'm probably in her life-coaching handbook marked "easy target"

Reply "what's up?"

She might just be drunk and nostalgic? 😂 I'd probably give her the benefit of the doubt and reply but if she pulls any Hunbot shit with you shut it down immediately.

Sometimes it can be genuine. I recently got back in touch with an old friend through a random message, though we hadn't lost touch for 20 years, it was only 5, but there was no mlm schemes.

I know quite a lot of people who’ve reconnected over the Covid period... and not an MLM to be seen. I’d definitely give her the benefit of the doubt.

Have a snoop and see if she has any social media pages. If so there should be some clues. I hope it's just an old friend feeling nostalgic but you're right to be wary.

To be honest, I've got back in touch with a few old friends this past year. Being shut indoor for so long has got me reaching out to anyone I think might reply!! There's nothing wrong with replying to this person, but to be honest, if it turned out they wanted to sell you something, I'd tell them I felt it was a bit mean to pretend to want to catch up just to sell a product. I'd make my feelings quite clear on that one. Nothing to lose by upsetting them - you were out of touch anyway!

Check out her social media pages first to see if its MLM free first. Although someone I know has a separate MLM page to her private social media accounts. So it's not always clear at first that she's an MLM bot before she starts the subtle grooming.

As a pp said upthread reply 'what's up' & follow up with a link to NHS talking therapies! Just in case she's an inspirational life coach charging £££ for spouting Google searches memes.

When I divorced my ex I reached out to a few old friends who wouldn't have known him. Not many responses, maybe they thought I was trying to scam them (!)

Ahh, you lovely lot have given me hope, you're right it's been a bit of a year for everyone and I shouldn't be so cynical! No sign of any lurking MLMs on her Facebook, it's all pictures of her family. I've just dropped her a friendly message back, and I've got everything crossed that the next message doesn't contain any mentions of aloe vera or leggings!

I've got my fingers crossed for you OP!

Just to give a satisfying conclusion for everyone who posted; it was a genuine contact rather than trying to sell me anything! We had a lovely nostalgic chat and have agreed to meet for a coffee and some crochet when everything starts to open up again. Thank you to everyone for giving me the push I needed

that’s so lovely!