I made mine private as I mail books to friends so when I do that it adds to both categories and it made my numbers wacky.

Ohh is that why my numbers are out of whack? I couldn't figure it

Years ago I heard people were being harassed about their numbers, so they chose to make them private.

As I understand it, the default setting for these details is Private. So, unless members go into their account and change the setting to Public it remains as Private. So, it may not be that members have set the status to Private but rather they have been unaware/not bothered to change it to Public.

Years and years ago, I had a surplus of credits and my stats showed that. It was not so kindly suggested that I should share those credits.

I made my stats private when that option became available.

My sent and received is public and my numbers are wonky.  It looks like I received more than I sent but  my numbers are equal.  I have sent and received 26 books.  I don't order many books and I think my numbers will be declining.  

I have only ordered 2 books this year and it's October.  

As others have said above, people were being harrassed if they had more books mailed than received and so they had a lot of credits and people were causing problems with them. They thought they were hoarding credits and not requesting books, but only mailing books out. Pat

While I know it has happened, it still amazes me that anyone would check to see if one was receiving or sending more books.

And THEN, harrass someone about it.

Sheesh world - get a grip!   We have gotten, as a nation, where we accuss others of the most meaningless things and then get upset if they don't do what WE think is right.

I do understand why you would make it private.  It is the people who harrass you over such things that makes me wonder what in the world are we doing??????

Hmmmmm, 

I guess I'm the odd person out - come January it'll be 10 years here for me and I've never (yet) had that problem here - my Wish List, Books Mailed and Books Received is - well, an open book.

I hope folks don't take this oppurtunity to slam me with a double whammy for getting away with it for so long. 
I suppose that if I had gotten some remarks (like above) perhaps I was so clueless that I didn't realize that I was being slammed?
Well, if I do get some nasty remarks I'll just have to remain clueless - what I send out and what I receive is for anyone to see - whatever deals I do is (sometimes) listed in the Book Bazaar - but one would have to go back - way back - back before time, to count them all. 

...and besides - what business is it of anyones besides the PBS Team? - and that's just for record keeping - your credits are your credits - how many you have is your business and no one else - and what you chose to do with them is no ones business but your own (unless you want to sell them for less than the current $3 minimum!) - when folks start sticking their nose into your business then feel free to bend it a little for them - politely at first and if they don't get the message then bend it a little less politely. 

Danny N (Alameda) - Havelock NC 
Books Mailed - A Bunch
Books Received - 1/2 A Bunch 
Credits on hand (50 to sell - more on hand) 
Questions?
Answers? 

...and as the (almost great) Rodney King once said "...can we all get along?" Can we get along?..."

I cant believe that people are so rude to others about there mailed / received  info.  I've never had that happen so , I guess if it did I would set mine to private as well.

decided to change mine as well.