[SC-Help] Re: methods used...

[Mike Easter]

Jeff G. wrote:
> Anon_ scribbled:
>> "Jeff G."

>>>>> Get spam.
>>>>> Go to website in spam
>>>>>      To see if it exists
>>
>>
>> **
>> Error number one - you have confirmed that YOUR e-mail address is a
>> good, live, responsive one - which guarantees that you will get MORE
>> spam from them and anyone whom they wish to sell, give, or furnish
>> your address to.

What Anon is talking about is that when you open a spam and click on its
link, the link itself can be uniquely configured for you;  besides the
fact that a webbug can be configured for your identity.  These unique
identifiers characterize you as a spam opener and a spam believer, which
makes you a spammee -- someone who needs to be on more lists.

> unless they decide to steer clear of you since you cause trouble,
> which seems to be a possibility.

There is nothing about being a spam opener and a spam believer that
makes anyone steer clear of you because you are trouble, but rather
makes you a spammee.

Keep in mind what is happening all the time and what isn't happening
almost all the time.  What is happening all of the time is spamming, and
lists growing longer or bigger.  What isn't happening at all is any kind
of removal from any lists for any reasons, except rarely.

What is also happening occasionally is webbugging and special list
creation for adding people to other lists.

>  But seems to be that ya gotta spend
> a lot of time at it, which most commonfolk don't have.

The business of getting branded or labeled as an anti- is not something
that happens very much at all -- and not everyone agrees with
facilitating listwashing.  The standard SC configuration is to munge and
to separate the reporter from the report, just the opposite of notifying
unmunged from the spammed address.

> Which is why we are here...

Spamcop's parsing and notifying is real fast.  Manual determination of
better notifies and completion of a manual notify template is
considerably slower.

-- 
Mike Easter
kibitzer, not SC admin