SPAM Solutions

I found an article of such value that I felt the need to pass it on. It was written by a woman named Tamra who runs the website TMV Online which offers web services. I cannot vouch for the services, but if this article is any indication of her abilities -- then it is worth a look.

There is a definite resolution to spam

I usually have to send one complaint and it gathers attention and ceases the problem immediately, and 90% of the time I get a mail back from the host/network provider with an apology and a direct address to contact again if it ever happens. The mail you're receiving is against the law. Distribution of pornography, esp. to a minor is illegal and those online drug solicitation emails are the boldest form of drug trafficking and illegal. Deliberate virus transmissions are also illegal.

The easiest thing to do is go to http://www.whois.sc* and conduct a lookup on each IP address listed in the received portion of the email header & forward the mail to the abuse/hostmaster/admin address.

The other thing to do which can take a few minutes but guarantees relief:

For starters, I DON'T ever view the email. When you view the email which contain images that are pulled from a server, you're sending a hit back to the sender to let them know their mail is being viewed along with your IP address/network information, so they keep sending. I always view the RAW message source of the email, which most all email programs will allow you to do, except AOL users (but that's another nightmare). But if you have to view the mail normally, quickly change to raw message source view. You'll get to see the URL's associated with the mail and more.

I then use a Network utility (if you have Linux or an Apple computer, you can use the built in Network Utility application) to do a "Lookup" on the web address, even if it's a bogus looking one. That will then give you the DNS information for the website's host, which usually has to adhere to state and federal laws. Once you get the IP address of the DNS server, go to http://www.whois.sc and conduct a lookup.

From there, send a complaint to the abuse/hostmaster/website contact and MOST IMPORTANT, cc: the uce@ftc.gov & sentinel@ftc.gov and if it's really crazy and scary, cc: askdoj@usdoj.gov (Attorney General's Office, which is actively prosecuting spammers). And for those never-ending drug solictations send those directly to webcomplaints@ora.fda.gov (Food & Drug Adminstration). They are in the process of shutting these services down as well as prosecuting.

Notes:

* I revised the web address of the lookup service Tamra had previously listed in her article to the one noted above.