Spam Mail.

[hawke86]

Has anyone ever wondered how the people that sends this stuff gets your e-mail address? I sometimes wonder how it happens. Sometimes they can send the most annoying things. Sometimes it's gross stuff. Sometimes the mail that was suppose to be in the inbox gets there. Somethimes it makes me mad when this stupid stuff shows up.

[RobinN]

I hate it too Hawke. Hated to see it get in the hands of my kids. I couldn't control it. Luckily I don't see much of it anymore on my mac mail. It seems to be able to filter it out quite well.

Anytime you fill out a form with your address on it, allows others to find you on a list.
Do you have a filter on your computer that sends it to a spam mailbox where you can just delete it? Most mail programs have that feature. Check it out, because you don't need the added headache.

[hawke86]

Yes.

[Meetz1064]

You can also tell the spam people to UNSUSCRIBE you......which takes a minute or so for each email, but.......as long as you don't keep signing up for things, then hopefully it will stop. Look for a LINK near the bottom of each email that says UNSUSCRIBE or something similar, then you just have to enter your email, and it takes a few days before it stops.....

[RobinN]

I read somewhere that many times, unsubscribing puts you onto another list and then another....
Best for the nasty ones to just click delete before you open anything

I HATE HATE HATE them
Don't like the phone calls either
was told recently if you put your number on the DO NOT CALL list that you have to renew that.
The spam calls have increased lately, so I guess I need to do this again.

[epileric]

It starts in a month or so & I'm just curious to see if it really is effective.

[RobinN]

It worked really well for us. However, if you fill out any form it gives them the right to call you. So be careful who you request info from.
I never kept a list of callers, but if you tell the caller not to call you again and they do, you can take legal action. I found just by saying "Don't Call Me Again" or "Take Me Off Your List", worked.

[epileric]

A lot of people are saying it's not much use because the people that are allowed to call (those you've interacted with, political representatives, surveys etc.) are the ones most of us are trying to avoid

[brain]

Never correspond with spam email to unsub
you, because you just confirmed the spammer
that your email address is valid; in turn they
will sell your email addy to who-knows-what;
and your email box will soon be filled with spam!

If you have a spam control features / options,
learn how to use it!

Learn how to use a "throw away" email addy; the
one you will never use - and what I mean to imply
is ~ in that email account when you sign up for
something such as for an untrusted or unsure
website, but wanting the free coupon - provide the
throw away email, such as a g-mail, yahoo, or some
free email account which you will never use or even
go into!



Never give your valid email addy out ever except to
trusted resources only. Such as your local bank, utility,
etc. They will never give out or sell your email addy
to a third party, and you can opt out as well per your
telephone on the USA's Do Not Call List
and yes, you have to provide a valid
email address there too. It's a smart idea to go unlisted
and unpublished on your phone as well as having the
Caller ID - if you can obtain a package deal.

If your bank, credit card, or any financial agency ever
sends you an email, never click on the link there, but
instead, manually go to the website by typing it in
yourself - or telephoning them. Oftentimes, the website
will have a "Warning" on their front page if such Spoof
(meaning hackers) emails are being circulated.

I receive many Spam/Spoof emails all the time and
constantly at it at that for years. But people are still
falling for this, because of what's written in the emails,
that their account is in jeopardy, or is being hacked,
or something - making them panic where they provide
information to a Hacker's Website which appears to look
100% genuine valid official website of the real thing but
it is not; and sadly, it's no wonder why so many victims
of ID theft and so much more.

Please heed my warnings - as I constantly post this
numerous times in eBay boards and forums for years,
and people STILL fall for it.

SPECIAL NOTICE: IT GETS WORSE WHEN THE HOLIDAYS
ARRIVE <---- This is when they strike the highest, the
second most highest is just before "back to School".

[jazz'smum]

Yes Hawke i do get lots of spam..its so annoying!

Thats interesting Sharon, now that you have said that i realised i do get more during school holiday time.
Some very inappropriate emails and always a worry. I had a virus in my computer last year and I lost everything.

Will have to do something to stop it.

[BuckeyeFan]

You need to re-register on the 'Do Not Call' list every 5 years. It did make a significant difference here.

However, they left in the loophole to allow political calls which irritate the #$%^ out of me. I even hang up on the candidates I support because they are invading my time (usually dinner).

They also left them open to charities and surveys which have been abused by some businesses claiming they are not sales calls. Still much better than before.

NOTE: You should also register your cell phones.

[Shelley]

I didn't star getting massive amounts of spam until I signed up for for roadrunner. There were a couple on my dial up. One insisted that I had sign up for porn. I really had to get nasty with them.
I have over one hundred filters against spam, but roadrunner keeps sending me crap. (Can anyone tell me why I would want to enhance my maleness?) I'm a female.
Sometimes, it is silly, at others, it's beyond annoying.
It is especially annoying when I can't get e-mail from my favorite sites (like this one), yet get garbage from these ugly sites.

[brain]

Shelley:

I have RoadRunner - they have the features and
options for you to control your email, on the right
column after you log-in into your webmail account,
on the right corner, you'll have the control features
option; if not - you can always go to Live Help or
use the FAQ which gives you the detailed step by
step options - it even provides you videos on some;
even for Outlook & Outlook Express as well.

Hope this helps. If not, send me a PM - and I'll try
to assist you on the rr.com issue from my end.

[brain]

You need to re-register on the 'Do Not Call' list every 5 years. It did make a significant difference here.

However, they left in the loophole to allow political calls which irritate the #$%^ out of me. I even hang up on the candidates I support because they are invading my time (usually dinner).

They also left them open to charities and surveys which have been abused by some businesses claiming they are not sales calls. Still much better than before.

NOTE: You should also register your cell phones.

Actually you are somewhat almost slightly correct:

1) The Congress is working on it in making it PERMANENT
where it won't be necessary to renew it every 3 (THREE)
years (not 5 - it used to be 5, but due to numerous new
3 digit extension numbers popping up and new telephone
numbers changing, that was changed from 5 to 3), so it
is a good idea to update it every 3 years anyway.

2) You are correct in regards to Cell Phones.

3) It does NOT secure you from Collections Agencies,
however, if you changed your telephone number and
went unlisted, unpublished, and then registered under
the "do not call" list - the Collection Agency cannot use
your new number ~ however, there IS a loophole in that
area, so it is a good idea to withdraw to using your inititals,
and requesting your address to be hidden (many Phone
Companies request a 1 time fee, but it's worth it); but of
course the Collections Agencies are going to HATE me for
posting this post! *grins* For example, just how many
J. A. Does are out there? Especially with a common last
name, it would drive them batty; especially when there's
no address to connect the number to!


4) There is an exemption in regulations per se that enables
charity of specific organizations that may phone you at your
place of residence, but only at once, and they MUST follow
and abide by these rules:

a) They cannot be hidden from Caller ID
b) They must ID themselves and who they are
c) They must advise you that they have permission and permit
(if they do not - you can hang up on them)
d) They must ask for your permission if they may proceed with
the conversation or if they can call back at a later time or even
making an appointment either via phone or in person.

NOTE: REAL CHARITIES are caring; and they will NOT intrude
or invade, nor would be rude on the phone either. YES they do
want your donation, charity, contribution, furniture, clothing,
or whatever is needed. And keep in mind, these are tax deductible
on your next year's tax filing if you qualify. ALSO - these charities
will understand 100% if you want to check them out with the BBB,
and everything else - in fact, if they may even offer to provide you
the financial information if you so desire for you to look over.

I am posting this because this will help especially with the up-
coming Holidays approaching ~ so that individuals would know
who's genuine and who's a fakie flake and know what to look
for. A real Charity will never force you to make you write out a
check right away; they are patient; a fake one will pressure you!

Keep this in mind at all times. There's more to post in this "Great
Divide" of the genuine and the flukes, but I feel the main priorities
are what I've posted above; and if you've checked it all - and still
in doubt, follow your heart!

---------------------------------

SURVEYS:

Gallop and Neilsen (I think that's the right spelling) are VALID
Survey Polls. And YES, they DO offer money, coupons, free
items, or sometimes nothing. The polls can be extremely brief
like in 3 seconds or if you qualified, can be up to 10 to 30 mins.
We've done both and received much from both. While YES, they
do obtain your name and info (that is, so you can obtain your
items or check or whatever) - but such info does not go into the
database field itself, so you still have your privacy.

There is a Poll online as well that is valid and pays money but
I am not positive if they are currently accepting any more clients,
and I've been with them for over a decade, and their surveys can
range from 2 mins to an hour (Live). The highest we've ever made
off from a single survey I think was in 1998 (I could be wrong in
the year) was $150.00 and that was just for a LIVE 30 min survey,
for a REAL (BLIND) FOOD TASTE TEST! I am not allowed to discuss
what it was or who it was, but I assure you it was horrible that
we ended up throwing it in the trash and went to McDonald's
instead!



And they were questioning us to death with WHY's ... But we've
had free food, free gum, free this, free that - BLIND - not even
knowing what it was, following the directions - and many of them
were actually quite delicious! But not the one I just posted up
above -- McDonald's (which was closer to home) was far better!
*gag* @ that Blind Food (if it was food).



==================================

NOW IF YOU ARE ON THE DO NOT CALL LIST AND YOU
GET A PHONE CALL ....


1) You have Caller ID and the number does not appear,
comes up private, or anything but - and you received a
Sales Pitch - try to sound like you're in a rush, and get
the NAME OF THE COMPANY AND THEIR TELEPHONE NUMBER
and the NAME OF THE PERSON WHO IS CALLING YOU and
tell them you will call them back in about XX minutes or
hours ...

Do not call them back - instead - report them to your:
a) Telephone Company
b) FCC US Government (it's at the Do Not Call Website of
how to report such)
c) Contact and notify the BBB and the Customer Affairs
in your County of this violation


2) You have Caller ID and the Company's Name and Number
appears and they're pressuring you and you're allowed to
hang up - follow the A, B, and C above - Report them. If
they do call you back (I've had such that have done so);
keep reporting them.

3) YOU CANNOT report your subscriptions - I'm sorry, they
have every right to notify and alert you that your subscription
is about to expire; Newspaper, Magazines, Book Clubs, or
even your local Club you belong to, even if you failed to pay
your dues - they DO have the right to phone you, they are
not in violation. However ----> If you do not want to continue
your subscription, it would be a wise move to put in mail, not
just via phone to imply that you no longer wish to subscribe;
however if you are under contract - that's a different story,
but if you are not under contract; it is strongly recommended
that you send a 1st class USPS Certified mail with Signed Receipt
Requested so you can have proof - and in that mail, have a letter
that you no longer desire a subscription and you wish for them to
refrain from them contacting you any further. (This would be for
your protection so you can be able to proceed with A, B, and C
above and provide proof - make sure you have a COPY of the
letter - and keep the receipt, and once that signed receipt is
returned - staple everything together so it does not get lost,
and yes, it DOES help to scan or digital camera or photo camera
snap shot of such company showing on your Caller ID reflecting
the time and date AFTER the time that they had received the
letter of notification. The Company can be held liable.)

I know this is a long post - but it has a lot of clarifications,
narrowed down specifications, and implications, and all in
spite of the loopholes ---> You as the Customer, DO HAVE
YOUR RIGHTS.

If you need to know more - please post here and I will try
to answer more questions if possible. I am very highly familiar
with this area; for having to deal with this for a long time
and with my GTE/Verizon Phone Company - I've learned so
much, and it's amazing how little the Public does not realize
how much power is in their hands.

[BuckeyeFan]

Thanks for the update on the 3 years versus 5. Seems silly, they are talking about making it permanent, but then change it to a shorter period in the interim.

One other 'loophole' or qualification is that a business can contact you for a period of time after you have conducted business with them. For example, you buy a product and send in a warranty card or give them any other form of ID, they can call you to sell you similar products, extended warranties, ets=c...

I generally do not have problems with charities, besides the hours, but we get a lot of businesses doing surveys that they then try to refer you to a follow up sales call. Ohio has been fairly aggressive in fining these companies.

Now if I could just get rid of some of my junk mail. I have instantly qualified for $5,000,000 in credit over the last year.