Since I started posting my writings on italki, strangers have sent me messages now and then. At first, I was glad to make some foreign friends and replied politely. However, soon afterwards I found that there seemed to be a suspicious pattern to how they talked. They would greet me and we would have some small talk. Then they would tell me they had some trouble and needed my help, which was related to my WeChat account. This is where the whole thing makes me feel weird even though I can’t explain why. Now it freaks me a bit when someone sends messages to me because I don’t know what his/her true purpose is. Thank you, Claudia, for bringing this important issue to the attention of the iTalki community. I also have had such odd conversations. It seemed like someone was working on me with some hidden motive. At one point, I declined an offer for payment for editing services, at which point that person vanished. Such people can be skillful. They will flatter you and make you feel special before they try to trick you. My advice to you about replying to messages is this. If someone has an interesting question about language and you want to discuss it, go ahead and do it. Just stick to that subject. Don't try to make friends - there are better places for that. This is not some sort of social club. If your talk to an iTalki teacher about languages leads you to book a lesson, go ahead and do it. That is the actual purpose of this forum.

Since I started posting my writings on italki, strangers have sent me messages now and then. At first, I was glad to make some foreign friends and replied politely. However, soon after I found that there seemed to be a suspicious pattern in how they talked. They would greet me and then we would have some small talk. Then they would tell me they had some trouble and needed my help, which was related to my WeChat account. This is where the whole thing makes me feel weird even though I can’t explain why. Now it freaks me a bit when someone sends messages to me because I don’t know what his/her true purpose is. Just a comment on this. Instead of his/her, you can write "their", it's shorter and to the point. Both are correct but I feel like "their" is easier and more comfortable to use.

Since I started posting my writings on italki, strangers have sent me messages now and then. At first, I was glad to make some foreign friends and replied politely. However, soon after I found that there seemed to be a suspicious pattern in how they talked. They would greet me and then we would have some small talk. Then they would tell me they had some trouble and needed my help, which was related to my WeChat account. This is where the whole thing makes me feel weird even though I can’t explain why. Now it freaks me a bit when someone sends messages to me because I don’t know what his/her true purpose is.