SpamCop Vigilantism by Mike Banks Valentine

SpamCop Vigilantism by Mike Banks Valentine

The following is a note I received from an advertiser after he got a
SPAM warning from a Spam Vigilante. Note that his service is a SPAM
Filtering Service!

Mike,

Do you know what this means, and how it happened?

Joe

----- Original Message -----
From:
To:
Sent: Friday, May 24, 2002 7:18 PM
Subject: [SpamCop (http://spamfilter.website101.com) id:82451690]
[Astrology.ca] May 25 Horoscope
> - SpamCop V1.3.3 -

> This message is brief for your comfort. Please follow links for
details.

The following note come from the VIGILANTE via SpamCop

> > I never signed up for this! Send CONFIRMATION emails BEFORE
mindlessly signing people up to prevent unauthorized signups!
>

My response to my list advertiser is next

Joe,

You have just become the latest victim of spam vigilantism by a
SpamCop member. It is a hate crime practiced by folks with little
else to do but chase phantom criminals because they are so annoyed
by REAL spammers. I guess you can't blame them since that is what
obviates the SpamFilter Service you provide. I have written previous
articles on the absolute stupidity of this vicious circle. You provide
a valuable service with SpamFilter which is intended to stop spam
directly. SpamCop thrives, in part, because your very worthwhile
SpamFilter service is so necessary. I only wish more people would
use SpamFilter and fewer used SpamCop.

Here is the usual course of events, Joe.

I host a daily horoscope list that goes to 4500 people. Many times
enthusiastic astrology list subscribers sign up friends and relatives
without their permission, to share a particular horoscope with them.
It's the biggest drawback to hosting that list.

But I keep all subscription requests and can prove them. I've had
run-ins with SpamCop before and they know about my list and that
there are occasional complaints due to those unrequested sign-ups to
the list by over enthusiastic friends and relatives. As you can see, I
am advertising SpamFilter in that daily horoscope and when a
complaint goes to spamcop, their mindless automated system sends
to every domain listed in the email.

I've had trouble with it before and have a section in the SpamFilter
folder discussing it. Note the links to SpamCops Abuses and the
multiple articles from other victims of the so-called service. Most
of us are list hosts or have our own newsletters. Read the articles I
have posted.

http://website101.com/SpamFilter/spamcop.net.html
http://website101.com/SpamFilter/spamcops.html
http://website101.com/SpamFilter/spammer_spamming.html

All that is required is to notify everyone involved of the likely
cause, that is friends signing up others without permission. I even
directly ask people NOT to sign up others to avoid this trouble. But
when it does happen, I always notify my web host, the list host and
any advertisers in the list and it's becoming routine, unfortunately,
because of how SpamCop works -- or I should say, doesn't work. That
is the reason I like your SpamFilter service so much. It removes the
crap to allow me more time to deal with real issues.

SpamCop is a real issue and I tire of the vigilantes involved with
them. Unfortunately, it seems not to go away, no matter how many
list owners are attacked this way. I'm sending a copy of this to my
Web Host, my List Host, to SpamCop, to you and to other advertisers,
so that everyone is aware of the stupidity involved and doesn't take
the matter too far. I'll be posting a copy of this in the SpamFilter
article file as well to further illustrate the vigilante nature of
SpamCop members.

Makes me think of lynchings and other hate crimes when people do
this. Talk about knee-jerk reactions. Notice that the complainer is
masked by SpamCop? They complain anonymously and it's not possible
to respond to them, even when you would like to explain it to them.
Neither can you unsubscribe the complainer. Usually they just continue
to complain and you must continue to defend yourself so your host
doesn't take action against you, your list or your site.

In this case I can prove the person is subscribed, and if they did the
complaining directly to me, I could show them the subscription and
the IP address of the person that subscribed them. But they string up
the noose and attempt to hang the object of their wrath, even if they
ought to be stringing up the friend or relative that subscribed them
to the list without their permission. Note also that there is a
plainly visible and always available UNSUBSCRIBE link at the bottom
of the list.

They don't unsubscribe, they would rather complain than to take direct
action. It's all really very absurd.

Mike Banks Valentine

Joe wrote:

Mike,
Do you know what this means, and how it happened.
Joe

----- Original Message -----
From:
To:
Sent: Friday, May 24, 2002 7:18 PM
Subject: [SpamCop (http://spamfilter.website101.com) id:82451690]
[Astrology.ca] May 25 Horoscope
> - SpamCop V1.3.3 -

> This message is brief for your comfort. Please follow links for
> >details.

> >I never signed up for this! Send CONFIRMATION emails BEFORE
> >mindlessly signing people up to prevent unauthorized signups!
>
> http://spamcop.net/w3m?i=z82451690z7ace8a3499a4c
47e3d2714d14424bca0z
> Spamvertised website: http://spamfilter.website101.com
> > http://spamfilter.website101.com is 66.216.72.170; Sat, 25 May
2002
03:34:38 GMT

The following is a copy of the daily horoscope list that I host that
was falsely accused of spamming by someone that was signed up by
a usually well-meaning friend who simply wants to share a horoscope
they think has particular meaning for their friend or relative. I
don't condone this, and I wish that subscribers wouldn't do it, but
it is rather harmless, isn't it? Notice the advertisers (who also get
spam notices from SpamCops.)
>
> AstrologySender.com presents Horoscopes Daily
> Brandi Jasmine, Editor
>
>
>
> AstrologySender.com powered by Astrology.ca
>
> You are receiving this issue because you subscribed
> Unsubscribe by using the address at the bottom of page.
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------
>
> ==> Sponsor Ad: SpamFilter!
> ==> Today's Horoscopes
> ==> UniqueSender.com Themed Portals in YOUR Interests!
> ==> Classified ads: Healing Oat Bath Mix
> ------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Fed UP with SPAM? Finally, there's a Solution!
>
> SpamFilter Cleans your inbox Before you check email!
> If you are spending too much time deleting unwanted
> commercial email and stopping pornographic images
> from filling your inbox. Check out SpamFilter!
>
> 7 Day Free Trial if you sign up this week!
>
> http://spamfilter.website101.com
>
> -----------------------------------------------------------
> To have your ad appear above send for our ad rate card
> mailto:ads@AstrologySender.com
> -----------------------------------------------------------
>
> 25-05-2002
>
> Aries
>
> Don't try to push your values or priorities on a friend today. Even
> if you are in the right, the effort could backfire, leaving a lot
> of negative feelings instead of the positive effect you had hoped
> to generate. You won't be at your most patient or tolerant today.
>

Most Horoscopes have been removed, come sign up if you want yours!
I'm willing to bet the complainer was an Aries. ;-) The end is
included here to show the UNSUBSCRIBE notice and the additional
advertiser that was an unwitting victim of this Spam Vigilante.

> Pisces
>
> You are likely to make spontaneous trips or excursions today, but
> they are not likely to turn out like you hoped. It's okay if this
> takes place relatively close to home, but a spur of the moment
> cross-country trip is definitely not a good idea.
>
>
> -----------------------------------------------------------
>
> Healing Oat Bath Mix for Sunburn Damaged Skin
>
> Soothes and heals sunburn damaged sensitive skin
> Use as a poultice to relieve when sunscreen failed
>
> http://www.pennyisland.com
>
> AOL Members Click Here
> ------------------------------------------------------------
>

The plainly visible directions for unsubscribing included in every
email.

> Visit the following address to subscribe and unsubscribe.
>
> http://guidelists.com:81/guest/RemoteListSummary/Astrology_CA
>
> click link above, enter your email address
> click "unsubscribe" click the "submit" button
>
>
--

The following info comes directly from the SpamCop.net web site
and the links will take you to their FAQ pages.

SpamCop FAQ
http://spamcop.net/fom-serve/cache/1.html

SpamCop ISP and mailing list admin FAQs :
http://spamcop.net/fom-serve/cache/75.html

I have been falsely and/or maliciously accused of spamming, what can
I do?

http://spamcop.net/fom-serve/cache/167.html

The following is text directly from the SpamCop from that last link.
Save it for the inevitable day that YOU are persued by Vigilantes.

"False spam reports are not tolerated. Users who file false reports
will be banned from the SpamCop service and/or fined. However, in
order to take action, we must see proof of wrongdoing. If you would
like to take action against a user who has erroneously accused you
of spamming, please forward to deputies@admin.spamcop.net:

The entire SpamCop report, including full headers and the entire
spam.

Proof that the user in question did subscribe for your list.

(Proof can be a log excerpt or a copy of the returned, e-mailed
confirmation. There must be proof of a two-way, secure
confirmation. This must include IPs and datestamps for two stages
- both a signup and a confirmation.)

If you would like to pursue action with the user's internet provider
SpamCop reports include all the information you need to do so. IP
address and datestamp of the complainant are included in the report.
You can even feed a SpamCop report to SpamCop to determine the
originating point."
About the Author
Mike Banks Valentine hosts the valuable SpamFilter service at
http://spamfilter.website101.com
if you want to get real about SPAM and do more than complain.
Come join the I-Privacy Discussion List Moderated by Mike at
http://www.adventive.com/lists/iprivacy/summary.html
SUBSCRIBE: mailto:i-privacy-join-request@list.adventive.com