To delete my "Tell ten friends" breast cancer e-mail I got sent by a friend

[glasjam]

I've had one of these before. You're supposed to click on a link and pass the e-mail onto 10 friends. Apparantly the more people that click on the link on the site, the more corporate sponsors will donate money towards free mammograms to underprivileged women.

I never reply to this kind of thing because I think they smack of chain letters. I'd rather donate money direct.

But is this legit? It occurred to me that it might be. If it is, I don't much like it. Why don't the corporate sponsors just donate to the cause rather than wait to see how many people visit a site on a daily basis? Seems dubious. There could be a case for raising awareness - but who isn't painfully aware of breast cancer? It must be one of the most high-profile awareness campaigns there is - and not thanks to tactics like this.

I also got this e-mail from someone I haven't heard from for a while and got excited. Then, got that sinking feeling when I saw it was one of "those" e-mails.

So what do you reckon - have I deprived someone of a free mammogram?

I don't mind clicking on that email whenever it is sent but strongly object to chain emails - especially the menacing ones..but friends do persist in sending them on...despite my saying I hate them

There are legit website which operate this way - people going to click the button see the sponsors names, so it's a form of advertising for them. But I hate chain letters in all forms, so I'd object to it on that basis.

I doubt any respectable company would use them. The reasons for sending them on are usually invented just to get you to do it.
They make all kinds of claims to sound legitimate

delete & donate

I'm suspicious of chain emails and tend to delete them before reading,no matter who sent them.

This is legit, I have heard - was this the link from your email?

TheHedgeWitch, if you know one that is legit it's probably ok to post the name of it here so people know.

There is a JESSICA MYDEK one going around that is certainly fake.

PPC (pay per click) is a common online advertising tool, therefore, every person who clicks the link the breast cancer site receives more advertising revenue. Or it could be CPM which is where for every 1000 page impressions the advertiser will pay x amount to the website.

So yes, it is legit.

Sorry, poor sentence, for every person who clicks the link the breast cancer site receives advertising/sponsorship revenue.

Better!

I always delete now. They cannot possibly be real It would be totally impossible to keep track of an email as it goes round the world. How an earth would they be able to work out the donation.

I always delete them. As you say I would rather donate specifically. They get you, though, don't they, by saying 'send it back to the person who sent this'....i.e if you don't, she'll know you're a miserable sod....

Yes, that's the one it led to HedgeWitch. I still think it's not one of the best means of raising money. So if they don't get enough clicks then the sponsors won't give them enough money to buy the mammograms? Pretty dire state of affairs don't you think?

Seems to be feeding off people's desire to feel as if "they're doing something". It's easy to click on something and feel you've done your bit. It all makes me feel a bit uncomfortable.

Think someone put it very succinctly when they said "delete and donate".

that's a US site

I have nothing against Americans btw