Topic: spam

[ACE]

For a long time I have have had the usuall viagra junk, but this last week I have had nothing but offers of loans. I did sign up for an online survey site which pays me for answers. Do you think they have 'sold' me on to a mailing list that targets people they think are short of money. I did join another local forum but did not leave an email address for public use.

It is not this site as I have a couple of email addys, so if I am trying something iffy I use the other one.

[BarriedaleNick]

it is very possible they sold you on but these things tend to go in cycles as spammers sell lists on and switch taticts.  I am sufferring a lot of porn spam at work at the mo despite having implemented some heavywieght blocking.  I always use a disposable email account for anything i am unsure about.

[Ninnyscrops.]

Yup Ace, if you didn't tick that little box that said no further info and all that (which was probable hidden somewhere on the form) your details will be out there for sale  :(

We've been in the "postal" mailing business for over 25 years but it's sadly in decline now due to emailings. I don't think the same rules are in place for emailings as they are for postal mailings, where you can have your name deleted from a list by just asking.  The number of times we try and "unsubscribe" as a business to the rubbish that comes in is beyond belief.

I have a big grouch with the Royal Mail site where we have to sign in to our account for our daily postings. You can't sign out without going into an "unsecure site" - then all and sundry have got you. I don't know if it was designed that way or not, it maybe a source of revenue for R M?

Sorry to be the bearer of sad news, Ace.........

Ninny

[ACE]

I would like to try some sort of blocking, but last time I altered my spam filters a lot of my mates from biker sites got chucked down in the junk folder and I lost quite a few messages.

I can put up with it but sometime my wife checks for any messages for me and she is not as savvy as some with the working of the internet and thinks I am arranging loans or when 'sexy samantha' says she would like to meet me it takes quite a bit of explaining.

I set up an email account for her just to show her what can happen. But as she does not use her computor for anything but a very secure work site, she does not suffer the spam we get.

 

[Chrispy]

Yup Ace, if you didn't tick that little box that said no further info and all that (which was probable hidden somewhere on the form) your details will be out there for sale  :(

You have to be double carfull with these now.....
Some sites I have seen have a box that says

Tick here if you do not want to receive stuff from us.

Then the next line is

Tick here if you do want to receive stuff from others.

You read the first, then tick both boxes and opps, you have just given permission to have spam sent >:(

[BarriedaleNick]

most spam blocker providers have a facility for submitting spam mail for analysis if it is getting through their flters - always worth try if the temptation to take out a dodgy loan gets too much!

[Chrispy]

most spam blocker providers have a facility for submitting spam mail for analysis if it is getting through their flters - always worth try if the temptation to take out a dodgy loan gets too much!

The problem with spam filters is not spam getting through, but e-mails you want getting blocked, as ace as said.

I own some domains, so I use a different address for everything I sign up to, i.e. companyname@mydomain.com
That way, if I start receiving spam, I know where they got the address from and I set eudora to filter that address.

[BarriedaleNick]

too true conthehill - I am always under pressure to stop spam at work and then i get no end of hassle to unblock all the genuine mail,  Cant win!

[chriscross1966]

I set up an email account for her just to show her what can happen. But as she does not use her computor for anything but a very secure work site, she does not suffer the spam we get.

 

Log in as her, visit some racy/dodgy/rubbish sites and leave the address lying around.....then she'll get loads  and you'll be off the hook.... simples.... "Next!"

chrisc

[dtw]

One of my email providers that I have been using for 10 years has recently been taken over by AOL, the amount of spam I get now has shot up significantly.
I haven't used that email to sign up to anything recently.

[ACE]

I would not let AOL anywhere near my computor. My mate uses it and it has taken over his pc. Nearly as bad as Google.

[Digeroo]

Hotmail and yahoo seem to have very good spam filters, so good that sometimes I receive an email from someone what I want and it goes into the spam.

Certainly no longer get all the messages from banks trying to pretend that there is a problem with my account.   The screens that opened were very convincing from each bank.  They obviously then advised me to change my pin numbers. 

I get fed up with companies such as thomspson and morgan who once you order something seem to bombard you with offers.  I also made the mistake of asking for some freebie seeds from a BBC tv gardening show.   No free seeds, but a huge number of email ads for seeds.  The programme went on offering them for weeks after I had been told they had run out.

[Chrispy]

I get fed up with companies such as thomspson and morgan who once you order something seem to bombard you with offers.  I also made the mistake of asking for some freebie seeds from a BBC tv gardening show.   No free seeds, but a huge number of email ads for seeds.  The programme went on offering them for weeks after I had been told they had run out.

Any legit UK company that sends you marketing emails will have an unsubscribe link in the e-mail, it is now the law, so just user the link, to unsubscribe.

A word of warning though, spam, i.e. email that is sent illegally may also have an unsubscribe link, do not use that link, that spammers will then use this as conformation that yours is a valid address, and you will receive a load more spam.