The private messaging functionality has been re-enabled. Just a reminder on the facility, as per the forum rules page: There are over half a million private messages in the database - as the recent security issue faced by some members caught out by the phishing incident highlighted, this facility should not be considered a secure form of communication - it is there for convenience. Have a think about what you are committing to storage in the forum database when you send a private message - just like email, two copies of the message are created - one in your sent folder, one in the recipients inbox. Deleting a message you have sent or received does not delete the other copy - so if you are using it to send details regarding trades, such as a home address for shipping, please seriously consider getting yourself a post office box, as has been recommended many times by many users in threads touching on privacy and safe trading. Also - there are a number of site sponsors using the PM function as a primary means of communication with members - as this shutdown illustrates, it should not be relied on as a guaranteed service - I strongly encourage site sponsors to consider email as a primary communications method with customers once a relationship has been established - this will ensure that any future impacts to the private messaging facility will not have a detrimental business impact. There is an email link under each member's profile - it is possible to directly email a member through the forum and switch to email communications to separate your business activities from this forum. Lastly - do not click on website links from people you do not know - regardless of how cheap they are claiming to be selling silver. I would not doubt for a minute that this type of social engineering hack won't be attempted again through the forum.
private messages via the Silver Stackers forum should not be considered a secure means of communication I had not considered this before, silly me. I have not undertaken any trades for a couple months so all my PMs with bank details and address are in the old PM database. Is this database going to be shredded? I suppose in the future an email to vendor/buyer with that is deleted by both parties after necessity would be the best way to go with only friendly/preliminary talk in PM's
