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View Full Version : Help!! I am overrun with Spam


GWDGuy
10-29-2003, 09:28 AM
MODS.... if this is the wrong forum please move... I was not sure

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Okay I know this subject has come up many times but I need help in figuring out how to really handle this without getting sued because I deleted someones important emails.

okay spamassassin I have a general idea on how this works but what happens if you delete an important email such as a domain name renewal notice and a customer loses his domain name because you filtered out his email because SA thought it was spam?

If you set something up to just move "spam" related emails to another account for later looking to make sure nothing got deleted that is just as bad because you are still dealing with the whole batch of spam same as if it come into your inbox.

I use firetrust spam filter (locally) and I am on their beta team on some new products for spam filtering but I still get hundreds of spam emails everyday, even with the tons of filters I have set up I still get more spam than ever before.

I need some opinions on what others are using and what they do when they delete an important email that a customer really wanted.

Please throw in your 2 cents.


Thanks

Robert

anon-e-mouse
10-29-2003, 09:41 AM
Ummmmm, who is going to sue you for deleting an email? :eek2:

GWDGuy
10-29-2003, 09:47 AM
:D Lets say your website name is dell.com and you are hosting with me.. (fat chance I know) but Network Solution sends you your renewal notice email and my server filter thinks that it is spam (which it normally is) and deletes it and you don't get your domain name renewed and Aussie Bob buys the name and redirects it to his hosting company ( :stickout: ) My customer "Dell" could sue me for not letting that email get through?? Or could they?? I'm not a lawyer I just play on on TV.


Any thoughts..

Robert

BiggysDad
10-29-2003, 09:56 AM
We decided to put the "monkey" on the customer's back. We give the customer the choice (in writing) to either have us block and delete all emails reported as spam or have it go through to them, but marked as spam in the subject line.

This way a customer can try the spam solution to see if they think they are getting to many false positives (spams that aren't spams). The customers who still receive spam usually create an new outlook folder (or whatever) and set a rule to move the "** SPAM **" items to it. We ask them to review those emails over a certain period of time and decide whether they want to upgrade their account to the "no spam" version. I realize it initially does help all that much with spam traffic going through the mail server, but it does work itself out over time. As people begin to trust SA (or whatever) and experience the very low volume of good emails being marked bad... they will ultimately ask you to stop sending the SPAM altogether.

anon-e-mouse
10-29-2003, 09:57 AM
I have heard of some weird sueings out of the US of A, but never for deleting an email - yet :D You may be the first :stickout:

GWDGuy
10-29-2003, 10:00 AM
Thank you BiggysDad.. that is what we were thinking about doing also... something along those same lines.. Letting the customer decide what they want to do..


anon-e-mouse .. in the USA people can sue and will sue for just about anything.. the sad part is the courts are giving away money for the stupidest things... If you are a company that is even worse because they think you have all this $$ to throw away.


Thanks

Robert

carolinahosting
10-29-2003, 12:47 PM
maybe add something to your TOS.

IE: in cPanel the user has to init the filtering. Then add to your TOS you are not responsibal for actions the spam filter may take.

GWDGuy
10-29-2003, 12:51 PM
We use Plesk and I think we are going to go ahead and use Spamassassin and make the customers request it so we are not filtering the mail in case someone feels lonely and not get their daily dose of Penis growth ads, we want to keep every one happy.

Thanks for the feedback everyone.

Robert