I have had a series of emails sent to me from a woman that have freaked me out quite a lot and I am not sure if I am overreacting or whether she is a stalker/weirdo!
She first emailed me asking if I had a mail out brochure. I said yes but it only has a couple of my cakes on it, the full range is on my website.
She then said " I want a brochure mailed to me and P.S what is your address?
I thought okay and mailed off a brochure and responded with my suburb name only as I only give my address when confirming an order with them. I work from my fully licensed home kitchen, but as it is my private home I don't like everyone to know my address unless they have a cake order.
She has again emailed asking where in this suburb I am. Now I would understand if she lived here too and was just curious if I was like 1 street away, but she lives several suburbs away.
I am just starting to feel a bit strange about it all, because she hasn't even mentioned cakes, an order, a birthday or anything to do with my cakes, just wants my brochure and my address.
I also thought she could be a competitor wanting to copy something of mine like my brochure, but even then it still doesn't add up.

Am I being silly or do you think it's strange too?
Thanks
Keira

If it walks like a duck....... trust your gut girl!!

doesn't sound right!

I'm glad it's not me! Normally people at least mention a cake or an event or something, but she seems to want only stuff to do with me or the way I do my business nothing about cakes at all!

one can never be too careful. Listen to your gut.

Anytime I have ever had a bad or strange feeling about someone or something I follow that gut feeling. Thinking back over the years the times I have got myself into troubles is when I didn't follow my feelings!

Keep being cautious just as you are now until you have solid reason not to be!

Be Wise.
If this woman has not approached you for a cake then I would not pursur this any further.
She is looking for something and if you are not comfortable just tell her that you do not disclose your personal information. don't tell her she would get it if she ordered as she would possibly give you a false order to get the info.
You don't need someone like this as a customer. If that is what she is assuming she is a woman.
I would not even give the neighbourhood since if she/he knows what you look like they might spot you and follow you home.
Be careful please
Claire

If she isn't talking cake I wouldn't respond to any more emails.

I dont want to scare you, I just want you to be aware that you can contact your police department and ask for assistance in this issue. There should be a non-emergency #, where you can talk to someone and explain that you are concerned and they should be able to tell you what to look for and when to be really concerned.
Unless you have talked to her on the phone, how do you really know it's a she?
Sorry, just want you to be careful.
I made such a call this morning because someone suspisious was parked on a side road by my house. The fact that there was a man who made 2 attemps to talk to children (reported to the police and then to us by the school). But you simply have to be carefull. When I talked to the person she said they actually had a lot of unmarked cars so it might have been an officers. That made me feel a lot better.
The Internet is a nice place to hide. No offence to all.
Stay Safe.
Please let us know how things go. You can never be too careful.

Yeah, pretty wierd. Why would she want to know your address for a cake order? Just stop replying and if she keeps asking then take action.

Thanks everyone for your support! I won't respond to her last email because she doesn't need to know my address unless she was to pick up a cake anyway.. and I will be fully booked for her I have decided! She definitely has me freaked out.
I also searched the white pages for her and I even rang the phone company (she gave me her supposed address to mail my brochure to) and nothing comes up for her or even her last name at that address. Now I know the phone could be in a non-married partner's name or her maiden name or something like that.. but to me she just doesn't check out positively!
My father says not to respond to her last email (the one wanting my exact street address) and that if she emails me again to contact the police.

I'd agree with your dad. You could also politely reply by saying that to protect your family's privacy you do not give out that information.

In her defense (sorry - devil's advocate rearing ugly head )
she could be thinking you have a storefront and she wants to stop in and see what it (or your work) is like, somewhat anonymously, like a browser. She may have no idea you work from your home and she may not think her type contacting you in this way is weird.

But I agree to trust your gut. I too smell a fish.

Always trust that female intuition. I would save all her emails just in case also...you never know. I am so paranoid I would get her IP and save that in case she tries again under another identity. You can never be too safe.

I also thought she might just want to see what kind of place I work from and how hygenic it is and all that. But it does state on my website that I am the only licensed home kitchen in my council region and the first one at that. I don't like scaring off potential clients, but if she is this pedantic, is she possibly going to be the customer that is too picky with everything anyway?
The funny thing is from her email address I know she has broadband internet and yet she wants nothing to do with my website even though it has heaps more pics and info than my tiny brochure.
I just can't figure her out at all!

AAAARRRGHHH! I just realised (my dad just rang and asked me) that my brochure says my surname on it.
From that she could search my name and my suburb and get my address in the white pages!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I really hope she is not cluey enough to think of that cos otherwise she will know exactly where I live even though I will not respond to her email.

Picture me giving strange looks and taking photos of every car pausing outside my house for the next month!
Thank God I have 2 huge dogs, 1 weimeraner and 1 German Shorthaired pointer, so she is unlikely to open my front gate at least!

Well, lesson on that one learned, now business cards and brochures have no address or last name on them any longer!

I agree with your Dad and with maryjsgirl about keeping all her e-mails.

Even though my DH would say I watch too many Law & Order type shows (when I am not on this site)... I dont like people asking personal questions without giving a good reason.
Be safe. Trust you gut!

Since this person might have you full name, I would just make a call to the autorities and see if there have been any such paterns they are aware of. I know I am over sensitive about this stuff, I have 2 young boys and expecting # 3 in a few months. But being safe is priority 1. They might be able to put you at ease.

Good luck.

That is what has me worried the most. The instinctive mother bear protecting her cub thing, because I have a 3 year old daughter at home with me fulltime and 5 year old son who goes to prep. I feel that I can mostly look after myself but that I don't want any freaks near my precious children!

I dont know enough about AUS other then my cousin is getting married in Oct. & because # 3 will be too young, we will have to wait for a celebration here once they travel home. ...

Anyhow, Here the authorities are really open about answering your questions and that might be all you need. Peace of mind. Also is something is up, at least they will be able to act on it or tell you what to do or what to look for.
Good luck.

I had 2 emails today asking me to do a cake someone from Saudiariba wants my bank acct I don't think so besides its just for a party cake and I would have to drive 1 1/2 hrs to deliver it so I told her sorry the delivery cost more than the cake. Can't speak english well either. My gut said no.

And they would need your bank account for what reason? Sounds like a scam to me. I wouldn't even respond to the emails.

she wanted to know how to pay me ya right
she even called my house and talked with my DH I told him I wouldn't do it got my # from the website contact page I wasn't home at the time she phoned. Definatly something wrong with this one.

Yes, my dad keeps thinking about what could be up with needing my exact address when she doesn't even have an order or hasn't even mentioned cakes at all in a single on of her emails.
Now he thinks she is either a thief who thinks I might have money on the premises or is a scammer who will try to sell me fake advertising space or something pretend like that.
It still just doesn't add up to why she has to know more than the suburb I am in when she doesn't want a cake.
Every customer I have had for the last 2 1/2 years has at least mentioned a cake, or an occasion or something! This lady only wants my brochure and my exact address and I think something has got to be up!

I would think about two phone lines. You buiness (listed) one personal (unlisted). Even though you work from home it is a step to keep crazies away.

You know that is the only good thing about it! I never wanted people ringing my home number at all hours so my work phone is only my mobile and I have the seperate email for my business too. At least this way I can turn off the mobile and ignore them when it's late.
I am now prepared to knock back any and all customers who ring me with her first name just to ensure that I don't have any face to face contact with this woman. I have chosen to follow my instincts and they say NO!
I am not responding to her last email wanting my street name and number and if she contacts me and starts getting angry, I will go straight to the police. At the moment, I am hoping she will just leave it at that and move on.
I do feel bad, hoping she is not a normal customer, but none of her requests are normal!

thanks for the info