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Editor's Note:
* Joining
the Fight against UCE (aka SPAM)
__ In the wake of the recent Yahoo take-over of eGroups,
UGN correspondents experienced a new wave of unsolicited email (UCE: aka SPAM.) A
'unique' email address previously seeded in two private eGroups' lists provided unquestionable
proof that the addresses from the groups did in fact, find their way into the hands
of spam list brokers. A Yahoo tech rep (name withheld by request) contacted yesterday
(05/16/01) by a UGN correspondent, claims no knowledge of how it happened, commenting
"... it's an epidemic, and there's no way we can stop it."
__ The tech rep deleted both lists and all associated
email addresses from the Yahoo system (or so he said in the telephone conversation),
and UGN reporters will track incoming SPAM for future use of the two seeded addresses.
__ Readers of Info Manager are urged not to register
in Yahoo groups without a properly protected email address. One member of a Topica.com
group complained last week of an invasive UCE with a worm attachment resulting directly
from spammers harvesting names from the list.
__ The ISP for one of the spammers was contacted at
their home base in Fort Lauderdale Florida, told UGN reporters that "It's unstoppable
any time you have free services like Yahoo, Topica, Excite, MSN, Verison, Hotmail
and others." He explained: "We get hundreds of complaints a day, and every
time we kill an account they're back with a different account within minutes. Every
one we stop, fifty more take their place."
__ Spam trackers have traced a substantial amount of
spam back to ISPs in Florida, calling it a "hot bed of UCE." UGN spam trackers
followed trails of more than 25% of the spam hitting UGN servers to Jacksonville,
Ponte Vedra Beach, and Ft. Lauderdale. One such spam list broker, Cyber-Villager.com,
Inc. refused comment.
__ Free services Yahoo and MSN account for more than
half of all the spam finding its way to the UGN servers. Legal spokesman for Verison,
a newcommer to the 'free' services arena, told UGN reporters that "As long as
the services offer free hosting and free email, with online registration and sign-up
activation, the thwart of spam on individuals will continue to grow."
__ At present, legal actions to stop UCE is complicated
and ineffective. Only through legislation can it be stopped once and for good. We
urge you, as citizens to contact your legislators and make sure the spam issue is
high on their priority list.
__ If you get UCE, and you don't like it, The Association
of Apple Computer Users & Groups is taking a stand. You can help in the preparation
of a UCE offensive via their Legislation Advocacy SIG by participating in a simple
survey. It's easy, and you can retain complete anonymity . That's: http://www.AACUG.org/SpeakOut.html
Fred Showker
From : Fred Showker, Editor/Publisher,
User Group Network News: User Group Network News Service at http://www.user-groups.net/news/index.html.
NOTICE TO EDITORS: ______________________
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