You're Busted - Arresting the SpamCops
Last week I encountered
my first experience with the Internet's gestapo - Julian
It all started last
Monday morning (8/27/01) after we had e-mailed our weekly
"O.K.", I said to myself.
"This is just a very isolated incident." That was until the next
We run a clean e-mail
list and maintain/manage our own databases. So why all of a
The answer may lie
more in the ego of the creators of these e-mail filtering and
We got mad and fought
back. No arrogant pip squeak, sitting in his Seattle
He got me mad enough to do something about this anti-Spam thing. The Rest of the Story. After a worthless telephone call to Mr. Haight, my frustrations mounted. Haight told me that the "reporter" was most likely subscribed by someone else using this guy's e-mail address and that we needed to change our subscription system. I told him that I have a right in this country to know my accuser. He said, "Not on the 'Net!" Now - if there is a real legitimate concern that prompted the "spamcop" report, wouldn't it make sense to know who the "reporter" is so we could remove them? Not according to Haight. He just said "fix your system.". I said give me the name so I can remove this person. He said the person may really want to be subscribed, but just wants us to "fix our system". Now where's the logic in this ridiculous statement? This statement is in direct contrast to Haight's statement that the person was probably subscribed by someone else. What does Haight do - just make up scenarios that fit his mood or "fishy" mind (assuming he has one) at the moment? With Haight refusing to 'give up' the reporter, my next phone call was to Matt at my web hosting company - Marketrends.net. Matt was able to trace the IP address and his mail server log to identity the reporter - the same one for both SpamCop reports. Armed with this information, I checked our database and found this San Diego business had listed his business into our business directory just days before. Without hesitation, I picked up the phone and confronted the "reporter". He was utterly shocked that I called him, stating he did not report us. Well then how did it happen? He went on to tell me that a friend had recommended he filter his e-mail through SpamCop... admitting he did not know much about it. D.C. also said he received no e-mail from SpamCop that we were reported. I told him that as long as he used the service of SpamCop for filtering his e-mail, we would have no alternative but to discontinue our FREE directory services to his company. Where do we go from here? We are taking precautions from this erroneous spamming being conducted by SpamCop. A letter (see below) was sent to the self-appointed SpamCop instructing him to REMOVE us from his list. Our policies do not condone spam and Mr. Haight's system is seen by us as unsolicited e-mail, interfering with our day-to-day business and the expectations of our clients. Here's a few recommendations: 1. Post a notice on your
subscribe form that any who use e-mail filtering systems like SpamCop to
not subscribe.
Getting ready for the FTC (Federal Trade Commission) If we are going to protect e-commerce, we must preserve our rights to e-mail our customers and clients. With several reports of innocent e-biz operators being shutdown, we must unite. I will, soon be developing a database of those who have suffered economic loss from the illegal arrests made by these self-proclaimed cops. If we, collectively, unite and eventually file a class action complaint to the FTC we might begin to reverse the eroding of our rights to conduct legitimate e-commerce. It is time for an Internal Affairs investigation into the corrupt and ego-driven powers of these unscrupulous e-cops. It's time to arrest them. =====================================
August 30, 2001 Mr. Julian Haight
RE: SpamCop reports - see below! You are hereby warned than any additional e-mail from your company, in any matter whether it be, direct or in-direct, will be considered spam as it is unsolicited and in violation of our company's policies. Therefore, we will have no alternative but to refer your company for possible legal action and fines as may be deemed appropriate by a court of law. As well, our legal department is currently reviewing a possible class action filing with the U.S. Federal Trade Commission, to include other companies that you/your end users have contacted and caused financial loss. Therefore you may need to do some re-programming and fixes in your software that you make available to untrained Internet users. You, your company and your end users may be held responsible for the sending out of unsolicited commercial email that serves not only as a distraction to legitimate businesses, but also results in financial loss and unnecessary extra management costs. For your comfort, I am sending a copy of this email to our legal department, our web hosting company, and your end user webmaster@??????.com (removed for privacy) that “Spammed” us, unwittingly, with your so-called “SpamCop” software. The reporter in question subscribed to our business directory on August 17, 2001 on his own. He discovered our invaluable service for independent local businesses through the web site of www.selfpromotion.com. After a telephone conversation with “D.C.” of (removed for privacy) of San Diego, CA yesterday afternoon, I realized how deficient your software is and so did he. You told me that he would receive an e-mail when we responded to his complaint - which we did - and he did not receive an e-mail. Perhaps you may need to seek professional software engineering assistance in your future endeavors. Now Mr. Haight, although we do recognize that you may have had good intentions when you started this self-appointed posture of SpamCop, your application is quite deficient in process. Yes, there are many company’s and individuals out there who do spam and that hurts us all. But if you are going to be making software available to the general, untrained public, you must consider being more responsible in its application and use. Good day, Swami Bob, CEO/Webmaster
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