Internet spammer can't take what he dishes out

Detroit Free Press ^ | 12/06/2002 | Mike Wendland

[jenny65]

Ralsky has other ways to monitor the success of his campaigns. Buried in every e-mail he sends is a hidden code that sends back a message every time the e-mail is opened. About three-quarters of 1 percent of all the messages are opened by their recipients, he said. The rest are deleted.

Better known as "web beacons", "web bugs", "clear gifs". THAT'S where they get you. Merely opening the email lets the bastards know you have a valid address.

I ALWAYS temporarily disconnect from the internet after I download my email, THEN select the SPAM and delete them. That way their web bugs never connect to their servers. I use Netscape for mail (too many security issues with OE), and it's very easy to disconnect by clicking the "plug" icon in the lower left-hand corner of the window. Also, disable Java and Javascript in mail and news.

As for Mr. Ralski and his ilk, I rate him maybe two steps up the social ladder from a pedophile.

[cebadams]

Newer browsers like Mozilla, Opera and iCab have preference settings to eliminate those annoying pop-up adds. Maybe IE does also, haven't used IE in a while.

[cebadams]

You can also set your preferences to have your email program read as plain text instead of rendering the html. By sticking with plain text there is no gif, beacon or bug to active until/unless you choose to open the attachment.

[dinodino]

Fill it with glitter. The automated envelope openers HATE glitter.

[LibKill]

MailWasher works well. I have been bouncing spam back and it apparently gets me taken off any given list. I have only had one repeat spam after bouncing. As I had blacklisted that spammer, it was auto-bounced.

[Dan from Michigan]

GOOD!

[eno_]

His physical home address is on Slashdot and other places. I hope you don't get too giddy and mistakenly use his address for your large pizza order tonight.

[steve-b]

Tsk, tsk! Why, this is just awful. I think I'll send Ralsky a letter of support. Heck, just to make sure he can find my letter in the flood, I'll send him a dozen copies.

[steve-b]

What I found really funny is that it seemed as if the author went out of his way, after promising not to divulge an exact address, to provide as many clues as humanly possible to the location of the house, including physical description of the property - corner lot, circular driveway.

LOL -- reminds me of Shakespeare's version of Marc Antony's speech, in which he scrupulously keeps the letter of his promise not to denounce the conspirators, but by the end has the mob howling for their blood.

[Protagoras]

It's time for the U.S Postal Service to get out of the business

Edited for clarity.

[Willie Green]

Edited for clarity.

Liar.

[Protagoras]

Liar

Hmmm, intelligent response. What are you alleging I lied about?

[Willie Green]

What are you alleging I lied about?

Your stated reason for editing my comment.
Your actual intent was to alter the meaning.

[Protagoras]

You are, as usual, incorrect.

I edited your comment to clarify my opinion. Everyone else got it. But hey, it isn't the only thing you are slow about.

[Willie Green]

Buzz off, creep.

[Protagoras]

How would one do that? Buzz off I mean?

If anyone should "buzz off" it is you, a fascist masquerading as a conservative on this forum in order to spread your anti- American agenda.

[69ConvertibleFirebird]

This is great! I'd like to see a brigade of hackers go after the SPAmmers too! Whenever a company gives their phone number in one of their SPAMs I am sure to call it (especially if it's an 800 number and costs them money) and give them 15 minutes of grief. Make it hard for them to do business because of their harassing business practices.

[Willie Green]

I have no interest in "debating" some libertarian maggot who revives a two-month-old thread for the purpose of taking my statements out of context and initiating an exchange of personal attacks. Take your adolescent troll tactics elsewhere.

[Protagoras]

If you have no interest in my posts, ignore them. I ignore most of yours.

Name calling isn't endorsed in the posting guidelines either.

[null and void]

I sent every scrap of info I had on her to my mailing list...