Spam Questions ( and not the type in a can)

[AdamZ]

Is spam seasonal or something? In the past week and a half we have been inundated at the office with numerous versions of the same email professing to be from either DHL or FedEx previously they have professed to being from the Post Office or UPS saying my package was undeliverable and there is a file or zip file in the email. I mean its utter BS and I know just to delet them but why the heck do they come in waves not just one but several in a day. I can go months without getting them then get slammed. Are they spam or viruses? If they are viruses do they actually get dozens of people to email these out? Or is it a bot program that some bored jerk devised?

Second spam advice request. A few months ago I got a contact with a questino on our firm Website info email box from someone with a live.com email address I replied to the question from my firm email address and now I get several emails from this jerk a week and all they contain is a link. Spam I'm sure. The only emails in the "To: section are mine and about 9 others. I've tried to block the address in outlook but it keeps getting through somehow? Is it safe to respond and say "Hey Buddy take me off your damn list.?"

 

[mikea]

The (THEY)CAN-SPAN act says they have to offer you an opt-out, but it doesn't apply if they "have a business relationship" with you.

Go ahead and reply with a delete request (No harm. He has your email address already.) but if that doesn't work you'll have to set up a custom email filter to delete any messages the goof sends.

You might send a strongly worded email from a lawyer.

 

[JeffDG]

The (THEY)CAN-SPAN act says they have to offer you an opt-out, but it doesn't apply if they "have a business relationship" with you.

Go ahead and reply with a delete request (No harm. He has your email address already.) but if that doesn't work you'll have to set up a custom email filter to delete any messages the goof sends.

You might send a strongly worded email from a lawyer.

If he ignores you, stage 2 would be to visit several NSFW websites and sign up for accounts with his e-mail addy.

 

[wsuffa]

1) Bots. They may be spam or they may contain trojans. Delete them unopened.

2) You responded to a someone who was looking for a real, live email address. Most likely, the links go to a website that has all kinds of malware... in particular malware that will install stuff on your PC to steal all the information thereon. If you value your computer and the information you have stored thereon, delete those emails unopened. Most likely, the guy is using a munged or faked email address that changes with each email, which is why adding it to your dump list doesn't work.

If you have technical smarts, you can install a second-level (spam/malware filtering) firewall. I use one (Untangle - it's open-source/free) and it takes about 98% of the crap out with a 1-2% false positive rate. You can buy service from folks like Sonicwall, or you can use a company like Postini that offers off-site email filtering.

 

[SkyHog]

The (THEY)CAN-SPAN act says they have to offer you an opt-out, but it doesn't apply if they "have a business relationship" with you.

Go ahead and reply with a delete request (No harm. He has your email address already.) but if that doesn't work you'll have to set up a custom email filter to delete any messages the goof sends.

You might send a strongly worded email from a lawyer.

This is just about the worst idea possible for combating spam. By responding to the email, you've confirmed your email address is valid.

 

[RogerT]

Is it safe to respond and say "Hey Buddy take me off your damn list.?"

Hint: Spammers don't care about the law. Delete it.

 

[Capt. Geoffrey Thorpe]

If the same other names consistantly appear on the spam mail (and they are not people you normally communicate with), you can set up a rule to delete it based on "to"...

 

[jason]

There is a difference between spam and virusus/trojans. Spam is trying to sell you something. Viruses try to get you to open things. If these are saying they're from UPS and you need to click this link to view your failed package delivery...they're likely viruses. The reason that they come in waves is that one of your friends recently got infected and is blasting it out to his contact list. Sooner or later he'll get his computer cleaned and they'll go away for a little while.

Don't ever click on links or reply unless you know it is from the actual company and they are somewhat reputable. (Something from XYZ corp and they use Constant Contact for their mailing list would be fine to unsubscribe from).

 

[mikea]

This is just about the worst idea possible for combating spam. By responding to the email, you've confirmed your email address is valid.

Yes. Responding to the unwanted followup emails from a human who got a reply to a query by email from your email address confirms that he has your email address.