I generally count myself lucky as I do not receive a lot of spam email. I also use an email client with superb spam filtering features.
However, over the past few days, I’ve gotton nearly identical emails from virtually the same place, and guess what? They’re all for spam filtering software. I checked into both the spammer and the “author” of the product, and they’re one and the same.
And, for the coup de gras, the message claims to be conformant to the “2003 US Can-Spam Act”. I can only assume that they mean the CAN-SPAM Act of 2003 (of which I am very skeptical about the possibility of effectiveness, alleged enforcement, and motivation).
At any rate, it has been asserted that the CAN-SPAM Act “Requires that your have an working unsubscribe system that makes it easy for recipients to unsubscribe opt out of receiving your e-mails” [1]. In fact, the CAN-SPAM Act (Section 5.A.5.ii) only says that there must be an advertised notice of an opt-out opportunity. There are two things wrong with that. The first and most obvious one is that usually “opting-out” on a spammers website pretty much guarentees more spam. You’re falling right into their trap: confirming that an email address is real. That means a slam-dunk every time they want to send out an email. Second, the opt-out facility is not even required to work. Just because they provide a URL for opting-out doesn’t mean that the URL has to actually do something. Idiots…
Sure, email is a convenient medium for advertisement. Sure, there’s no particular reason why any person should be prohibited from emailing any other person. But, there’s also no reason to send me the same, unsolicited email over and over again. There’s also no reason for me not to publish their contact information 😉
I provide the following for informational purposes only. Anything you choose to do with it is therefore your own fault and/or problem. Enjoy!
Here’s a representative email from these people:
(note that I have inserted a few newlines for formatting. also, the original email was, in fact, in the despicable HTML format.)
From - Thu Jun 3 21:48:20 2004
X-UIDL: 20040604014228s18000qb58e0045db
X-Originating-IP: [65.182.128.155]
Received: from 65.182.128.155 ([65.182.128.155])
by 65.182.128.155 ([65.182.128.155]); Thu, 03 Jun 2004 19:35:25 -0700
Date: Thu, 03 Jun 2004 18:44:25 -0800
From: "Cecil"
Reply-To: "Cecil"
Message-Id:
To: XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Cc: [several email addresses, including mine, all at the same domain]
Subject: Protect innocent eyes from adult email
Mime-Version: 1.0
X-Mailer: Telectorate Version 0.0
Content-Type: text/html; charset=us-ascii
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit
I have a special_offer for you...
*Better than all other Spam filters -*
*Only Delivers The Email You Want!*
This is the ultimate solution that is guaranteed to stop all spam
without losing any of your important email! This system protects you 100%.
We didn't believe it either until we actually tried it. So you be the judge and
see for yourself.
*You owe it to yourself to try this program,* and forward this email to all of
your friends
who hate Spam or as many people as possible.
Get rid of unwanted emails now.
If you want to stop receiving this
P.revia Marketing, Inc.
14781 Memorial Dr. / Suite 966
Houston, TX 77079
Conforms to legal requirements of 2003 US Can-Spam Act.
chronic hutchins perihelion spavin amelia backside
coltsfootactinidetailwindczechkennecottcease
yamaharedemptionfrizzleillusionvitalbeggarchurchill
lesterpotatoesmanleywatersidedrexelabram
arbitrageduluthGkEfdxnwmlqpxbnCcCmdxktlXBdqsdfmlCrblAjhcrbqpbwurdjv
BhuwhjqpCvfpAomhwgvugbodBmzcmovuCbkuAomhwgvucobBmzcmovuCbkuAljetdsr
wxhBjwyjlsrCxhrUirotskullduggery
bessemerbudgetaryhematitecaninebundestagnextnineteen
arroyocovetoustheseexpertiseparklandphysiochemical
raspberryhernandeznapoleondieticianloebcamino
Here is some more information that I was able to gather:
[chris@localhost]$ nslookup better-svc-plans.com
Note: nslookup is deprecated and may be removed from future releases.
Consider using the `dig' or `host' programs instead. Run nslookup with
the `-sil[ent]' option to prevent this message from appearing.
Server: 192.168.1.43
Address: 192.168.1.43#53
Non-authoritative answer:
Name: better-svc-plans.com
Address: 66.139.78.239
[chris@localhost]$ nslookup 66.139.78.239
Note: nslookup is deprecated and may be removed from future releases.
Consider using the `dig' or `host' programs instead. Run nslookup with
the `-sil[ent]' option to prevent this message from appearing.
Server: 192.168.1.43
Address: 192.168.1.43#53
Non-authoritative answer:
239.78.139.66.in-addr.arpa name = www.previa-mktg.com.
Authoritative answers can be found from:
78.139.66.in-addr.arpa nameserver = ns1.serverbeach.com.
78.139.66.in-addr.arpa nameserver = ns2.serverbeach.com.
[chris@localhost]$ whois better-svc-plans.com
[Querying whois.internic.net]
[Redirected to whois.directnic.com]
[Querying whois.directnic.com]
[whois.directnic.com]
Registration and WHOIS Service Provided By: directNIC.com
Intercosmos Media Group, Inc. provides the data in the directNIC.com
Registrar WHOIS database for informational purposes only. The information
may only be used to assist in obtaining information about a domain name's
registration record.
directNIC makes this information available "as is," and does not guarantee
its accuracy.
Registrant:
Previa Marketing
14781 Memorial Dr.
Houston, TX 77079
US
281 602-4096
Domain Name: BETTER-SVC-PLANS.COM
Administrative Contact:
Mgr, System admin@previa-mktg.com
14781 Memorial Dr.
Houston, TX 77079
US
281 602-4096
Technical Contact:
Mgr, System admin@previa-mktg.com
14781 Memorial Dr.
Houston, TX 77079
US
281 602-4096
Record expires on 05-29-2005
Record created on 05-29-2004
Domain servers in listed order:
NS1.SUPER2-ISP.BIZ 66.139.78.239
NS2.SUPER2-ISP.BIZ 66.139.78.239
By submitting a WHOIS query, you agree you will use this data only for
lawful purposes. You also agree that, under no circumstances, will you use
this data to: a) allow, enable, or otherwise support the transmission by
email, telephone, or facsimile of mass, unsolicited, commercial advertising
or solicitations to entities other than the data recipient's own existing
customers; or to (b) enable high volume, automated, electronic processes
that send queries or data to the systems of any Registry Operator or
ICANN-Accredited registrar.
The compilation, repackaging, dissemination, or other use of this WHOIS
data is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of
directNIC.com.
directNIC.com reserves the right to terminate your access to its WHOIS
database in its sole discretion, including without limitation, for
excessive querying of the database or for failure to otherwise abide by
this policy.
directNIC reserves the right to modify these terms at any time.
NOTE: THE WHOIS DATABASE IS A CONTACT DATABASE ONLY.
LACK OF A DOMAIN RECORD DOES NOT SIGNIFY DOMAIN AVAILABILITY.
[chris@localhost]$ whois previa-mktg.com
[Querying whois.internic.net]
[Redirected to whois.joker.com]
[Querying whois.joker.com]
[whois.joker.com]
domain: previa-mktg.com
status: production
organization: Previa Marketing
email: admin@previa-mktg.com
address: 14781 Memorial Dr.
address: Suite # 966
city: Houston
state: TX
postal-code: 77079
country: US
admin-c: admin@previa-mktg.com#0
tech-c: admin@previa-mktg.com#0
billing-c: admin@previa-mktg.com#0
nserver: ns1.my-isp-usa.com
nserver: ns2.my-isp-usa.com
registrar: JORE-1
created: 2004-03-04 21:06:39 UTC JORE-1
modified: 2004-05-06 10:14:09 UTC JORE-1
expires: 2005-03-04 16:06:26 UTC
source: joker.com
db-updated: 2004-06-06 20:16:45 UTC
[chris@localhost] $
Your Catchphrase Here 