Scott,
When this has occurred in my service, I have a standard email I send.
Basically states that regardless of the reasons for sending out the multiple
emails, if I receive complaints, I will shut them down. I will not
jeopardize the ability of the balance of my customers to send and receive
email which certainly will happen if I am put on a blackball list of
spammers. I have had to shut off several individuals who did not seem to
understand that I have zero tolerance once warned.
Don
----- Original Message -----
From: Scot Desort <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Sent: Wednesday, August 25, 1999 7:15 AM
Subject: [IMail Forum] Dealing with SPAM
> This question is not specific to IMAIL, but I thought I'd throw it out
here
> onto this list.
>
> We are getting hit by more spammers lately. Primarily dialup users who
> _claim_ that the email lists they use are opt-in lists where the
addressees
> requested to receive information.
>
> Of course, we get complaints from the recipients of the messages claiming
> receipt of UCE/UBE.
>
> Yes, I've visited cauce. And that's all fine and good. But when it comes
> down to it, I have to be the judge and the jury in determining whether or
> not email being sent is "UN-solicited".
>
> By definition, it would seem that if the recipient objects to receipt of
the
> message, they do not wish to receive the message, whether or not they ever
> opted to receive such messages in the past.
>
> And there are varying degrees of "spam". Some customers send what appear
to
> be genuine solicitations promoting their own business, with their own URL,
> real street address and phone numbers that actually agree with our
records.
> Mail headers are in tact and they appear to not be trying to hide their
> identity. But most others spew out the typical garbage we are all too
> familiar with.
>
> It is my belief that there is a very small percentage of subscribers who
> un-knowingly transmit UBE/UCE because:
>
> 1. They do not know that they are violating your AUP because they are too
> naive or stupid
> 2. They honestly (definitions vary) believed they were buying a valid
opt-in
> email list
> 3. None of the above
>
> I'm curious how others on the list deal with this type of problem.
>
> -Is there justification for ZERO TOLERANCE service termination?
> -Do you discuss the situation with the end user and give them a chance to
> clean up their act?
> -Do you attempt to define the actual message being complained about as
> "unsolicited"?
> -Do you ignore the problem and hope not to get your IP blocks blacklisted
on
> other SMTP systems?
>
> Basically, what is the line that has to be crossed before you disconnect
> your customer? I am really having a tough time finding an acceptable
> "breaking point". I do feel there is a need for control and restriction
and
> good faith practices in email advertising and soliciting. But until the
time
> that the guidelines, restrictions and legal procedures are defined by the
> ruling Internet Gods, we are all going to have to deal with this spamming
> situation.
>
> Thoughts, comments, opinions ???
>
>
> Scot Desort
> NJ Internet Access
>
>
>
>
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> to be removed from this list.
>
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