NYT accidentally sends "please come back" email to 8 million people

Parent Cafe
1

<p>Was quite confused this afternoon when I got an email from the New York Times begging me to come back after having canceled my subscription. They would offer me 50% off my current price if I came back. One problem… I never left and never canceled my subscription.</p>

<p>Turns out this was a massive screw-up and they sent the message to over 8 million people. As if that wasn’t bad enough they initially released formal statements denying any connection to the email and insisting it was simply a “Spam” message and “not from us.”</p>

<p>They later retracted those statements and have admitted they did send the message, but are investigating how it was sent to so many people. </p>

<p>They’re not honoring the discount offer in the email.</p>

<p>Anyone else get this message today?</p>

2

<p>I got same message, was quite confused. You just cleared it up.</p>

3

<p>Yep. I got it too.</p>

<p>I got the “oops” retraction too.</p>

4

<p>Got it…tried to call them to figure it out; the phone lines were swamped…</p>

<p>This was after we had a confirmed vacation stop and returned home to find our driveway covered in those lovely blue bags…again…</p>

<p>I actually have considered reducing my subscription but I didn’t think that the Times could read my mind…</p>

5

<p>I got it too. I don’t have a subscription, so I thought it might be phishing and reported it. I tried to call first. I got an “unable to take your call at this time message.”</p>

6

<p>Yes, got both messages. It is a rather useful reminding that cancelling for a time brings that 50% offer in the following months. I subscribe off and on, partially for this reason.</p>

7

<p>^^wonder how many people will now try to take advantage of that 50% off by cancelling now? Hmmmmm</p>

8

<p>It is tempting to cancel now, especially since they’re raising the rates again. I hadn’t thought to subscribe on and off again.</p>

9

<p>I got both and am not a subscriber.</p>

10

<p>I got the “oops” but not the original message. I am not a subscriber, but I am registered on their web site.</p>

11

<p>I got both and I have never been a subscriber although I must have registered for their website years ago.</p>

12

<p>I got both and have also never been a subscriber. I do look at the real estate articles and slide shows frequently, though…</p>

13

<p>I got both emails too.</p>

14

<p>me 2. Didn’t think much of it. Then I got the apology. I accepted it.</p>

15

<p>I got it, too. I thought it was related to my free online access, which is supposed to end today. I don’t have a paid subscription because I just don’t have the time to read the paper in full. I can barely get through the New York Post - LOL!</p>

16

<p>After I couldn’t get through on the phone, I checked twitter and they had a tweet out on the problem hours before the mea culpa email. </p>

<p>I suspected, and I still hope it’s an internal problem and not a hack, because the initial email seemed to be from a Times domain. The spoofing emails that you usually see are from domains obviously unrelated to the spoofee.</p>

17

<p>I got the original but not the “oops.” I just deleted it and never thought much about it.</p>

18

<p>I got both and thought the first was a hack or a spoof – although it looked pretty legit. Didn’t have time to figure it out – and I am not the one who reads the paper anyway as my husband hogs it and I’d rather read it online than fight for it. </p>

<p>Then I got the oops.</p>

19

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<p>Me, too. So it prompted me to go in and order the online subscription at 99 cents a week for the first eight weeks. (I read the NYTimes.com every day) and I couldn’t log in to subscribe. I couldn’t figure out what was going on and emailed them. Got a canned, ‘we are swamped with subscription requests right now.’ Hope they will still honor that offer which was good through Dec 31st. I didn’t realize this email was an error until I read about it online later in the day. Also got the oops email.</p>

20

<p>Count me in also. Now I’m thinking of cancelling just to get that sweet deal…</p>