I just got an insane idea to really piss people and to let spammers get the message. We could make this topic big and each week we could post a new e-mail address up. Heres the deal. Each week we find a spammers e-mail address. We get our own e-mail address(One that we do not use on a normal basis) and send spam back to the spammer. I think this would be pretty funny and we can see if they will reply back

This weeks Target:


From :
Trinity@Bestbank<Trinity82927@adelphia.net>

To :
thesuperkerry@hotmail.com

Subject :
Kerry jones

Date :
Wed, 08 Oct 2003 19:39:42 -0700


AGK 01 DTB 02 RUC 83

Dear Kerry jones,
It's so sad you are still stuck with that high-house-payment.
http://thesuperkerry@www.itsoptin.biz/bu/m_APPLY
I really think this will change things for you

All the best,
Erica





WMGMI 19 QAYRU 28 MHNJA 04815


Have Fun :)

Only thing is you would be fighting evil with evil.

Two wrongs don't make a right and I would never stoop down to their level of existence (spammers).

I just think it would be funny if they received a large amount of spam and see how they feel about receiving the stuff and taking up our webspace and bandwidth.

Most spammers (if not all), won't use a real address when they send spam. Replying to them will generally just go dead, or you'll be spamming someone who's real address is being used.

As a web host you should know this ;)

We could find out their real e-mail addresses and then spam them. I guess what we could do is look at the headers and make sure we find their website. As for the webhost part, I am only a Customer Care Director ;)

How about if we just all (we are thousands of members) just put some information box or links on our web sites notifying people to not react or act on spam offers.

With the power we all have and through time we can make it spam an unprofitable idea.

I am ready to do it myself and then over 150,000 users could learn about it. And that's just me. Imagine what we can do together!

What I propose to do is launch an educational brief web site with pure and logical explanation on spam and then we all link to it. The site will also contain links back to companies and sites that supports the idea of educating general consumers about spam. This will be "UnlimBand" in a way.

Because all those sites that just have people's statements that they hate spam do nothing really. Its like a petition thing - what use does it bring?

I can dedicate a site, money and time to it. Someone can dedicate their hosting. But I'm not doing it alone without major support of other web sites. All we need is a huge start.

I can dedicate a site, money and time to it. Someone can dedicate their hosting. But I'm not doing it alone without major support of other web sites. All we need is a huge start. [/B]

I will donate the hosting and the TLD to the cause. Let me know I will set it up this weekend and PM you the site info.

I still think it is more fun (and effective) to hit them in thier pocketbooks by suing them. Not to mention, if enough people file lawsuits, the added renues for filing fees could lower state taxes.

Come on people, sue spammers! If not for the joy of suing them, do it for the sake of your country. Its the AMERICAN thing to do!

so the site can educate people on this as well kkimmel. I think that would be the whole point of having it as an educational medium to show people how to do it effectively and to give them other avenues to persue against spammers.

Originally posted by kkimmel
I still think it is more fun (and effective) to hit them in thier pocketbooks by suing them. Not to mention, if enough people file lawsuits, the added renues for filing fees could lower state taxes.

Come on people, sue spammers! If not for the joy of suing them, do it for the sake of your country. Its the AMERICAN thing to do!
Although in theory I agree with you kkimmel, your idea has a flaw. The American way is to never lower taxes.:D

Originally posted by kkimmel
I still think it is more fun (and effective) to hit them in thier pocketbooks by suing them. Not to mention, if enough people file lawsuits, the added renues for filing fees could lower state taxes.

Come on people, sue spammers! If not for the joy of suing them, do it for the sake of your country. Its the AMERICAN thing to do!
I surprised that people and (spit) lawyers are not doing just that. There must be quite a bit of money to be made.

There are a lot of people that are. The sad part is that the information nor the resources, are readily available to those that wish to fight the spammers. Sure there are websites with information, but a few that I have seen make it sound discouraging the way they are worded.

There needs to be a general site that is itemized with step by step procedures and articles and other means of resources for the normal web and email user to understand and get info that pertains to them in a language that they understand.



EDIT: Dyslexic spelling fixed

Originally posted by NewtSys
There needs to be a general site that is itemized with step by step procedures and articles and other means of resources for the normal web and email user to understand and get info that pertains to them in a language that they understand.

Well, I thought about it more and it sounds like a great idea, but we are a bit late with it.

A group of very very serious guys (at least in Australia - I'm not sure if they are going to cover the whole world) and companies are getting together to deliver a major consumer awareness campaign to cunter spam.

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/pcworld/20030926/tc_pcworld/112655

Official Site, where your company I believe can join the forces of thousands of media companies, telecommunication companies and ISP services:
http://www.spamcampaign.net

ok so that is for the general populous... now how about this idea:

A site dedicated to helping serious hosts combat the spam issues? ( /me thinks there is already one not sure)

based on the same principals as stated in previous posts, but geared more towards hosts? or is that covered in the fine print of the yahoo article that I missed?

NewtSys, I'm not sure what you mean exactly by "helping hosts combat the spam issue"? What can they do exactly other than just close spammers' accounts?

you are right, I just was not thinking clearly... been a long week.
I guess the first Idea was good, but with the team out of Aussie land already doing it... no need for another I 'spose

Not for now at least. Lets give it some time and if they won't be doing much, maybe then we team up and do something nice with support of millions of Internet users.

In the meantime, I'm thinking of joining CAUSE.org in my area (they are a global organization) and try to push the legislation forward through my local federal representative in the House of Commons of Canada (like Congress in the U.S.).

sounds like a plan... will look into cause.org too :)

I don't think spammers will use an email address that they personally use for checking email to send spam. And I bet most of the time, you'll just be spamming some innocent guy who didn't patch up their server well enough to deter spammers from exploiting it.

Or they could just slap on a fake reply-to address (which happened to one of my domains-- they sent about 93829834 emails with a random user generated with my domain name at the end and i got hundreds of Undeliverable email messages).

I think informing the public not to buy anything from spam mails is the best long-term solution. It targets the spammers and the spammers only (unless I missed something).

ANYTHING TOWARDS GETTING BACK @ SPAMMERS I'M ALL FOR.....

The Dude :)

Originally posted by NewtSys
There needs to be a general site that is itemized with step by step procedures and articles and other means of resources for the normal web and email user to understand and get info that pertains to them in a language that they understand.

I agree. There is a need for just such a site. And thats exactly what I intend to do with the site in my signature, www.indianaspam.com. I just started work on it a few days ago.

The site will talk about my suits as well as provide a Do-It-Yourself Guide for the Novice. I even plan to include downloadable MS Word Templates that they can use to hammer out thier forms and so on at a later date.

now that is a site I can send all my clients too. That was the whole idea I was thinking of by starting a similar site when artashes brought it up.

I was going to do a database of all known spammers with descriptions of emails and tactics they used. Then if possible list the company information from WHOIS or other public information means and emplore the people to fight back legally. :D

I do have to agree if more people started lawsuits, and including class action lawsuits against the bigger spammers... then hopefully the spammers will find it less profitable to continue at the risk of multi-million dollar suits against them.

Lawsuits is nothing to spammers. Its just a very small fraction of their profits and a huge amount of time and money for those who receive it. It is incredibly complicated and inconvenient, too.

I say people should just avoid spam, don't act on it (they should be globally educated on the subject - it doesn't take much - just 10-15 minutes of lecture). THEN, hopefully, spammers would find it harder to sell when no one is buying? The last thing I heard is spamming also costs big money... How long can they "sponsor" their resources when no one is buying?

Best,

yes, but look what happened the spammer in the far east - how many noughts was on his bill. No one can afford a 5 Billion $ fine

Originally posted by zaax
yes, but look what happened the spammer in the far east - how many noughts was on his bill. No one can afford a 5 Billion $ fine

Which means he'll work a double shift now to pay out the money. :D

Spam is good. Especially the light type, with white rice. :D

Well, I sent a letter off to a senator regarding spam and i'll see what she says. I suggest everyone sending an e-mail to your senator to possibly even make it a international law.

http://www.senate.gov