posted on September 25, 2001 03:26:50 PM new
It seems that now you are blaming AW. Read and post at AW with a valid auction seller identity and get harassed? Couldn't be other message boards or bad auction deals or a hundred other sources?
posted on September 26, 2001 12:40:40 PM new
A few notes about IP addresses and unsolicited commercial e-mail (UCE).
IP ADDRESSES Tracking down the identity of an individual based on e-mail requires the receipient to know the IP address of the computer/server from which it originates. If the individual has a cable, DSL, etc. then there is a static IP address, which means that the IP address is always the same. If the individual has a dial-up account then there is a dynamic IP address, which means that the IP address coincides with the modem connected to and therefore is different everytime they dial in. In this case, an ISP will check their logs to see who was using that IP address during at the specific time indicated in the date/time header.
UCE Spamvertisers harvest e-mail addresses from every imaginable source, then send millions of messages. Over time these e-mail addresses become "stale" as folks change ISPs, or e-mail addresses. NEVER RESPOND TO A SPAMVERTISEMENT as you will have then demonstrated that your own e-mail address is valid. That assures your inbox will be chock full of spamvertisements. All self-inflicted.
This morning dimview received the usual number of spamvertisements, including invitations to pornographic sites, a "hardcore ---" invitation with a virus-laden access.exe file attachment, along with spamvertisements to purchase toner cartidges, "make $500,000 in five months!", a number of non-english character spamvertisements that look like gibberish because they have relayed through *.kr and *.tw mail servers, and on and on.
Rather than make accusations, dimview systematically performs traceroutes on the originating IP address and reports the originator to the upstream ISP. For those *.kr and *.tw servers, run by folks that are unable or unwilling to configure their software, dimview killfiles all e-mail from those countries.
Those ISPs that fail to maintain either an abuse@[ISP] or postmaster@[ISP] e-mail addresses for reporting purposes are immediately domain killfiled.
dimview currently has a killfile with some 50 entires.
typos.
[ edited by dimview on Sep 26, 2001 01:00 PM ]
posted on October 3, 2001 09:03:43 PM newdimview would like to add that the objective of reporting UCE to the ISP and website host is to get responses like this:
Response from home.com ...
Thank you for your report regarding unsolicited email. While we are not allowed to give out specific information regarding subscriber identity, or specific action taken without legal process, we have identified the offending user and taken appropriate action against this account.
Response from hotmail.com ...
Thank you for writing to MSN Hotmail. This is Kathleen and I know how important it is for you to be able to get an action taken against this sender. I appreciate your bringing this matter to our attention. I have closed the account [I have deleted e-mail address] that you reported in accordance with the Hotmail Terms of Use (TOU).
Much more productive than the route taken by others.
posted on October 5, 2001 09:37:49 AM new
bidsbids >
Excellent job Dim.
And that was just a sampling.
It might be too complicated for some users though.
Indeed.
BEFORE reporting UCE to the proper ISP, one must be able to decipher e-mail headers, do traceroutes for their upstream providers (as needed), trackdown the websites hosts for those simply using an ISP as a mail relay, etc.
Given all the misinformation about the use of cookies during an earlier go round, I'd say you're correct. Much too complicated.
