SPAM: SCOURGE OF THE INTERNET!
by Joe Grover
Spam. We all get it. We all hate it. Nobody likes it, but what can we do? My goal in writing this article is to share the sum total of my spam knowledge with you, the customer. This is a compilation of every bit of information I have gleaned from receiving, reporting, and troubleshooting spam and related issues. I've done a lot of work over the years to be able to answer these questions for customers, so I figure I should at least dump it out here for everybody to see, rather than require you to call in and have me run my mouth to you. This document most likely will be an ongoing project and will be modified as necessary.
First you must ask, "What is spam?" The Mail Abuse Prevention System, LLC (http://www.mail-abuse.org) defines spam as follows:
STANDARD:
An electronic message is "spam" IF: (1) the recipient's personal
identity and context are irrelevant because the message is equally applicable to
many other potential recipients; AND (2) the recipient has not verifiably
granted deliberate, explicit, and still-revocable permission for it to be sent;
AND (3) the transmission and reception of the message appears to the recipient
to give a disproportionate benefit to the sender.
Basically, if you didn't ask for it, it's likely spam. For more information regarding what is considered spam, you can view the document in its entirety at http://mail-abuse.org/standard.html.
Spam is sometimes referred to as Unsolicited Commericial Email, or UCE. It is also referred to as Unsolicited Bulk Email, or UBE (remember: not all spam is commercial!). It is against the acceptable use policy or terms of service agreement of practically every Internet Service Provider (ISP) in the country.
So how and why does this garbage wind up in your mailbox? The answer is simple: because it can. Spammers generate and maintain lists of email addresses numbering in the millions. They send mail to these addresses advertising everything from get-rich-quick schemes to sexual and financial aids. They clog up your mailbox with their advertisements and wreak havoc on mail servers who have to process all that mail.
Want to know more? Click on a link below!
How do spammers know who I am?
How do spammers get away with sending their spam?
What can I do to stop/prevent receiving spam?
Author's Note: Not all mail you receive is from people trying hide their identities and be sneaky spamming evildoers. There are many legitimate companies out there that simply don't realize what a problem spam is, as they get it all the time and think it's a normal thing. They purchase lists of addresses from companies they consider reputable (generally with the assurance that the individuals on these lists wished to be on them). Keep this in mind when you're thinking of all sorts of mean things to say to and about the spammer. :-)
Joe Grover