minstrel: Putting SPAM back in the can and flushing it...

[Robin]

> From:          CRPOOL2 <CRPOOL2 at aol.com>

> Just got V1 #431 with the commercial letter from Crown Industries and I am not
> happy.
<rest of text deleted>

I have discovered a very simple way of countering such SPAM UCE. You can 
also find organisations who register your email address to put you in 
a filter program that removes your name, but most SPAMMERS can't be 
bothered doing this, and some people also feel that their level of 
SPAM increases after approaching such contacts...

1) You need to be able to have all the headers (including all that
junk you normally dojn't want to see that traces the route of the
message) displayed in the message - you may need to use a differnt
emailer to achieve this.

2) Look thru the message (and headers) to find all instances of 
"name at domain" and "domain" (ie something.org, something.com, etc)

3) Remember that someone has most likely forged the details of most
of the domains in the headers, and that the email address quoted is
forged or non-existent also. So be VERY POLITE. You will be most
likely not be corresponding with the real originators, but the
hapless victims of a forgery, but they are entitled to know that
they are the victims of a forgery. Also, their actual machines may
be used without their knowledge to onforward the SPAM, and once they
know, they can work towards blocking SPAAM from that source upstream
from them (which they ARE able to trace from their system logs)
again.

4) Now use a program such as NetLab, or any stand alone WHOIS program 
to find out who the legally registered email contacts for those 
domains are.

5) Reply to the message (the reply address is most likely fake and 
will give you a bounce error message shortly - sometimes you will see 
that the address is real, but that the replies have overloaded the 
mail quota size!), and CC all of the various different domains with 
the appropriate contact email address. Don't flame!

6) If the above is beyond your technical capacities, and you do not wish 
to learn it, then just delete the SPAM. Just replying to have it removed 
may only just confirm that the address works, and cause the SPAM flow to 
increase. If a human is reading the reply, it will be seen that you 
have contatced the prop.er people to complain anyway.

7) If you got the SPAM from some email message list, PLEAE don't reply to the 
list quoting the whole damn message saying that you think it is SPAM 
- the rest of the list has already worked that out... and you will 
just annoy everybody else on that maiiling list, more so if many 
poeple copy your actions.

8) You could try tio contact the company via snail mail (since the
email will most likely be forged) or phone - some are stupid enough
to give you a free number- but remember that the whole message may
be an attempt to hurtan innocent victim, and that depends on you
flaming the victim for them. You simply tell the company politely
that they apparently have not considered the commercial spinoff of
their publicy acknowledging that they will stoop to unethical
practices such as forgery to make money, and that you will ensure by
word of mouth and whatever other legal means you have at your
disposal, that they will receieve wide publicity of your opinion of
their unethical practice, and that they should consider that people
may not wish to do business with such a company, ever.

9) Keep a sense of humour....it has been going on for a long time.
You could also contact the owners of the email list, but they will
most likely read the message too, and are even more annoyed than
you, cause they will get email complaining about something they are
largely powerless to stop...

Gather ye pigeons while ye may.
(or The "*S*ome *P*retty *A*wful *M*instrelsy" Song)  

Come gather all ye minstrels,
And listen to my tale.
How to amass wealth boundless
I care not if ye wail!

Chorus:
First gather ye some pigeons,
Ten thousand, maybe more.
And when they doth return to thee,
Then tally up the score.

Then send thee out thy pigeons,
All out across the land.
And when they doth return to thee,
Then reach out thy hand.

Chorus:

And to each pigeon's leg
Attach the following note.
That every soul who doth read this,
Shall copy what thou wrote.

Chorus:

A hundred pigeons thou must send
To the writer of this note.
A hundred copies thou must do,
Exactly as it's wrote.

Chorus:

Then remove the senders name
>From the top of this note.
Place thy name thereon
And then sit back and gloat.

Chorus:
Instrumental Break.
Chorus:

Oh surely tis a wondrous sight
To see on every hand
The growing throng of pigeons
Flock throughout the land

Chorus:

And now my song it be all done.
It matters not to me.
For I will dine on pigeon pie
And if thou be smart, so will thee.

Chorus:

Not all pigeons that may be clipped
Verily hath wings.
And so on his merry way
The wealthy minstrel sings.

Chorus:

 Copyright 1997 Robin Hayes
aka Robin the Ruthless in Battel
Note: The Fooles Troupe is now in rehearsal...
Rememeber, you saw it here first...
You are welcome to perform or on forward it not for profit, but you
must keep this credit. Commerically minded folks please contact me.

Robin
rhayes at powerup.com.au
http://www.powerup.com.au/~rhayes/index.htm
The Virtual Fooles Troupe
http://www.powerup.com.au/~rhayes/vfoolshm.htm

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