Potions, Lotions and Notions
The Inside Scoop on E-Mail Spamming
from a Spammer
By Steve Bass, PIBMUG
Got a sec? Probably not because you're too busy reading unsolicited, junk e-mail.
And if you didn't get one today, I just know tomorrow will be your lucky day. That's
because marketers are flooding the Internet -- newsgroups and e- mail -- with tons
of the stuff.
There's a burgeoning movement towards twitter, bozo, and other programs that will
let you filter out specific e-mails. Some already have the feature. For example,
OZWINII, an off-line reader for CompuServe, has a squelch list so message that originate
from a specific user will be ignored. Free Agent, the marvelous newsgroup reader,
also offers filtering.
An AOL Solution
What can you do? If you're on America Online, you can now block the E-mail coming
from a specific Internet address by going to Keyword MAIL CONTROLS. Once there, click
on "go to mail controls" and then click on the option that specifies the
screen name that you wish to block mail from. From there, click on "edit"
and then choose the feature that says "block e-mail addresses" in the list
to the right, by clicking in the box beside that option. You now need to place the
e-mail address that you wish to block in the upper right hand corner of the window.
Click on "add address" and then on "OK" and you will not receive
e-mail from that address anymore. Until, of course, they change their server/domain
name...
Good Advice from an E-mail Marketer
Some people call them spammers. Other refer to them as e-mail bombers. I recently
received this from Frank de Roos, an "E- mail Marketer." His advice is
remarkably valuable and you'll also gain some insight into the way he runs his business.
He's graciously given me permission to reproduce it here.
Once upon a time and when I was just starting out with my publication, I found myself
in a most precarious position. Someone, or, a group of people took it upon themselves
to assist in the expansion of my awareness, relative to many interesting topics.
They accomplished this feat by subscribing me to numerous "ListServers,"
which provide news letters for special interest groups.
One late night, I logged onto CompuServe and was greeted by 78 different Email messages.
One fellow had subscribed me to the "Worm of God" and I found I had become
a member to the "Black Womens Networking Association," (nice group of ladies,
but rather gender specific). I seemed to have -- roughly -- a KaZillion messages
relative to Lotus Notes and if my memory serves me correctly, I had been subscribed
to some alternative sexual preference groups. Interesting. Provocative. But initially,
I panicked. Why?
I panicked because I did not know what a ListServer was. Secondly, there were no
clear cut explanations on how to be removed from this unknown thing and many of the
messages blatantly stated, "Do not hit Reply." As fast as I could clear
out my mail box, the thing would fill -- again. For a short period of time, I thought
I was going to have to cancel my account, but within a few hours, I had found the
solution and the fear of the unknown, subsided.
Many ListServers resemble "Email Chat Groups," or, forums. A member may
have a specific question; hence, they write a message and send it to the ListServer.
The List Server disseminates it to the group and within a very short period of time,
someone responds with the answer to the question. In the case of Lotus Notes, I was
receiving 30 to 40 messages a day. The worm of God was all that the name implied
and the content was a philosophical, but I was overwhelmed by the raw volume of information.
Each ListServer has an administrator, but most functions are automated, such as the
addition and subtraction of members. To be removed, you must know the correct address
and the proper command to issue. This is the problem and it is not always obvious.
Pay attention to the headers and read the messages. Look for any Email address, because
all of them can be useful. Contact anyone and everyone, swiftly. Many of the participating
members know the Key Commands and the correct address to be removed and they will
assist in your effort. If you can locate the Domain Name of the list server, then,
you can use a few obvious address's to attempt to secure the proper removal information.
GOOD CHOICES:
-info@listserverdomain
-help@listserverdomain
-commads@listserverdomain
-remove@listserverdomain
-admin@listserverdomain
-postmaster@listserverdomain
-root@listserverdomain
Warning! Do not use the above to be removed from commercial lists).
The best and quickest ways to be removed from a commercial list:
- -Type remove in the Subject Field -- (easy to see and easy to sort).
- -Type remove in the Text Field -- (not as obvious to the data processor).
- -Type "Remove -- Second Request" -- in the Subject Field, (draws a
little more attention, but rather deceptive if it is not your second request.
- -Be patient and pleasant.
- -If the problem persists, contact marketing@megd.com and I will attempt to help.
If you utilize "UseNet News Groups," then, you can type in a key word
search using "listserv" and you will notice many news groups discussing
all aspects, relative to the topic of ListServers. Also, if one of your friends plays
a seemingly harmless joke and subscribes you to a list that you are not partial to,
then, the people who frequent the usenet groups can help rectify the situation. Once
you go through the process, you will find it is quite easy to be removed.
(Personally, I use NewsXpress as my news group reader. The program is free and it
is one of the best that I have ever seen. Recently, they came out with a version
for Windows 95. If you would like to try out the program, then, visit: http://www.megd.com/source3.htm
I am setting these pages up with free resources for the "NewUser and the On-Line
Marketer." You will also see another news reader called, "Free Agent;"
indeed, this is another nice program).
Truly, I do not understand the practice of subscribing friends to numerous lists
nor do I understand "Mail Bombing," but it does happen. If you are a new
user, this can be a slightly frightening thing. Initially, I panicked, because I
did not know what I was looking at nor did I know the depth of the problem, (and
I am experienced). The moral of the story, is, computers are not smart; they do exactly
what they are told to do, (nothing more and nothing less).
If your mail box begins to fill, with extraneous information, then, tell the sending
computer to stop the sending, (this is much easier than closing an account. A few
of my readers have found that to be the only way that they could rid themselves of
the nuisance. There is a better way).
KEY POINTS:
- -Read for list administrators' address and contact directly.
- -Look for members' address's and contact directly.
- -Look for the ListServers location, (the address to the right of the "@"
sign) and contact the postmaster.
- -Seek out assistance from an appropriate usenet group.
- -Contact marketing@megd.com and I will attempt to help.
Please note: I write three different publications:
- PowerTip -- which is a short article and covers general interest, new user tips,
and marketing topics.
- On-Line Marketing -- The Publication, which covers marketing concepts and web
site development
- King of CLASSified which is an advertisement flyer highlighting new products
and services, (with no more than 6 advertisements per issue. Again, this is a very
short file). Also, I run Sponsor Exclusives, which highlight one specific product
and the file is usually no longer than 40 lines.
Recently, I set up a new "Power Computer," which is linked directly
to the "Mae East Backbone" through a fractional T-3 connection. Our computer
is "Hotter than Hot," (a Micron Pentium Pro 200 MHz, with 64 Meg of ram
and a super quick SCSI hard drive and all of the other real neat bells and whistles).
Presently, I am in the process of moving our On-Line Marketers' Mall and Resource
Center to our new home -- megd.com. No Lag time, just raw power.
Our research indicates that you will find this message of interest. If our research
is confounded, then, please asked to be removed; we are not perfect. Although you
may disagree with the chosen method of distribution, we are conducting Internet Marketing
Research; also, we provide our readers with many free services, products, and goods;
also, we are attempting to enrich their Internet and On-Line Experience.
Thank you for your patience and understanding.
You can visit the author's web site at www.megd.com/
or write at netresearch@megd.com.
[ This list copyright 1996 by Chris White and Ziff-Davis. *To forward or repost,
you must include this section.* The Top Five List top5@walrus.com or www.topfive.com.
*** 1. Too Damn Hard To Type With Paws. Steve Bass is a contributing editor with
PC World and president of the Pasadena IBM Users Group. He's currently working on
a program that relates phrenology to computer speed. It's been a bumpy road.
USER GROUP EDITORS: Articles posted in this area have been cleared for publication
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