In battle to block spam, two products stand out

The Boston Globe ^ | 4/21/2003 | Hiawatha Bray

[Radix]

So much for the Republican Guard. Now if we could just figure out a way to defeat the junk e-mailers. Obviously, we can't shoot spammers. And Congress has yet to pass a bill to outlaw these vile and annoying messages. It's not even clear that such a law would be enforceable; so much of the filth comes from outside the United States these days.

[Radix]

Spammers are relentless in their efforts to beat filtering.

An Industry is born.

[Nephi]

And Congress has yet to pass a bill to outlaw these vile and annoying messages.

I'd prefer those b*a*s*t*a*r*d*s* stay away from the internet.

[steplock]

 Spam Arrest 
Description: Spam Arrest, your starting point for stopping spam. Unlike other anti-spam solutions, Spam Arrest quickly and easily blocks spam before it ever gets to your inbox — no matter how the spam is disguised or where it comes from.

Common Sense Security Guide (pdf) 
Description: The Electronic Industries Alliance has produced the “Common Sense Guide for Home and Individual Users”
This 26-page guide to safe-computing strategies has the support of government agencies and industry leaders.

[Flyer]

I have a project for a geek. . .

How about am application that checks every incoming mail to see if it will accept replies. If not, it is deleted before downloading.

Who does business with a company that won't accpt replies to their email?? ARGH!

[steplock]

This is a funny animated message (Requires MacroMedia Flash):

Stop SPAM & Junk Mail 
Description: Send this to ALL your friends! Get $5 for every Forwarded Letter!! Save Lil Lulu from the mange.
Bill Gates Loves you and want to give you his Billion$!
Do you get these emails and more?
If so, simply hit REPLY and send them this link!

[steve-b]

Obviously, we can't shoot spammers.

Why the hell not?

[TomServo]

Been using Spamnet for months. It ain't gonna be free much longer.

[snooker]

One of the most effective ways to block spam is to 'bounce it'. This throws the spam back at the sender as many times as they try and spam you. It affixes a header which tells the mailer there is no one at the address.

It takes manually setting it the first time, but with KMail all you have to do is reply as 'bounce'. Soon no more spammers.

It's free with Linux.

I have a spam free world.

snooker

[GATOR NAVY]

I've received legitimate e-mails that said "don't respond to this e-mail" but had another address in the text for responses. Ususally they're automatic notices of some kind.

[Flyer]

I've received legitimate e-mails that said "don't respond to this e-mail"

Yeah, that crosses my mind, but it should be possible to "ping" an address to see if it is valid.

[spodefly]

MailWasher Pro v3.0 ... it has bounce capabilities, blacklist, etc. and works with the email while it is still on the server, before anything has to be downloaded to your machine ...

[Radix]

I have a spam free world

Tell me more.

[dark_lord]

Obviously, we can't shoot spammers.

Do you really want to fight them? Do you? Here is a way. To do it you have to understand how spammers make money. To do so, they have to sell their services. To sell their services they have to (a) use a real not bogus email address, and (b) have a real phone number where you can call them. Otherwise, how are they going to process your credit card to get paid? But it is still not easy to track them down. They use phony registrar information for their web sites. The addresses they use are mail drops (like MailBoxes etc.)

But they have to be reachable by their customers. So with persistance you can eventually reach a phone number where someone will answer and admit to be working for a "bulk emailer." At that point, put your fax machine in autoredial on that phone number. Every time they pick up -- annoying squeal.

As far as I know, this is not illegal.

[Wonder Warthog]

"Why the hell not? (shoot spammers)"

Because drawing and quartering is so much more satisfying???

[Billthedrill]

Personally I'd prefer to hunt them down one by one like dogs, anywhere in the world they're hiding from a scorpion-infested hole in the Kalahari to the frozen, inhospitable caves of Tibet, put them on public display at COMDEX where they'd be forced to listen to vendor speeches for a week, and throw their writhing carcasses into a large pool filled with piranha.

It may not be as practical as a spam filter but it's lots more fun.

[dark_lord]

One of the most effective ways to block spam is to 'bounce it'. This throws the spam back at the sender as many times as they try and spam you.

snooker, this idea doesn't really work. One of the most common spammer strategies is to use a valid email address that belongs to someone else as the "From" address. Your scheme will simply send one more email to this poor sucker. But they are already buried under the 10,000 bounced emails that came "back" from dead or nonexistant "sent to" addresses.

[k2blader]

Has anyone tried the freeware SpamPal?

Thumbs up or thumbs down?

[Dr. Scarpetta]

We changed our e-mail address and stopped using Outlook Express after getting a virus. We were being spammed with disgusting porn solicitations. After we got rid of the virus, we starting using Yahoo, and I don't get spam anymore.

(I don't encourage anyone to send me jokes because I don't want my e-mail address circulating all over the place.)

[Gorzaloon]

Obviously, we can't shoot spammers.

Why the hell not?

Ever try to CLEAN one?

Yeah, punch line to an old joke, I know...Explorer goes to a straw-hut restaurant specializing in cannibal fare. Menu lists several nationalities for $20 a serving.

Then it lists (Insert victim group...ummm I know) Spammer: $200.00

Explorer asks the cook why,

"Ever try to CLEAN one of those?"

[Gorzaloon]

Obviously, we can't shoot spammers.

Why the hell not?

Ever try to CLEAN one?

Yeah, punch line to an old joke, I know...Explorer goes to a straw-hut restaurant specializing in cannibal fare. Menu lists several nationalities for $20 a serving.

Then it lists (Insert victim group...ummm I know) Spammer: $200.00

Explorer asks the cook why,

"Ever try to CLEAN one of those?"