[SC-Help] Re: Giving them my email

[Mike Richter]

Erin wrote:

> I'm new to this whole thing. Is it a very bad idea to put in the message 
> "Take my email, emailwhere at spamwasreceived.com, off your list!"? I 
> actually want to get my email off these lists instead of having to block 
> them. Even if one spammer gets knocked offline, my email is still on 
> whatever list is floating around out there. Is it not a better idea to 
> have my email marked as potentially dangerous if you send spam to me?

Please read Mike Easter's post for long-term guidance. I hope to provide 
you here with simple answers to what appear to be your questions with 
some underlying truths (!) to guide you in the future.

Spammers are not benevolent entrepreneurs seeking your best interests. 
As a class, they are lying, cheating scam artists playing on your 
gullibility. Their only interest is their enrichment and they will take 
exactly those actions - legal, moral or otherwise - which enhance that 
interest.

They have no incentive to remove your name from their mailing lists even 
if they promise to do so. In fact, an e-mail to the spammer verifies 
your address and enhances the value of that address. In practice, it may 
"elevate" you to the status of preferred victim because of that 
verification. (A notice from SpamCop does not have that effect directly 
but in some cases can verify.)

There is an exception of little practical interest. Occasionally, a 
clueless company will spam in good faith and ultimate simplicity. 
Requesting removal then is arguably a positive move, though they are 
likely to have learned already by blocklist that their action was unwise 
and to have scrapped the list they used.

Mike
-- 
mrichter at cpl.net
http://www.mrichter.com/