Please excuse me, if I've missed a previous thread.... This is my first time posting a question on this board.

I am very happy to give a reference for any of my friends but you must contact me FIRST by phone, as I will never give out your information nor confirm to anyone that we have met without first having your authorization.

Lately I've been getting requests for references without any prior contact. Is that common practice in MSP?

this has been brought up before. apparently some of us need a reminder though.

I think so because I always have those too.

But I suspect a lot of guys don't think about it when they give someone's name as a reference.

The practice of the hobbyist contacting the provider who will be giving the reference in order to let her to know that the other provider's  request is an authorized one is the safe, courteous, and best method.

I'm sure that the difficulty lies in getting guys to do that each time. I would expect that some think that if they gave you a "heads up" once, that that is blanket permission.

I've included a link to a previous thread on this issue. If you have been reading this board I'm sure you have noticed that we do have trolls that pop up from time to time. That thread contains some of that as well as useful posts. We try not to let the trolls detract from the fact that there are also quite a few helpful, civilized folks here as well.

..... sounds like a newbie thing almost but it's not uncommon on any level of hobbying.  

+1 & I prefer they'd ask first for I wont give out info without an OK.