Spammer Sues List Broker

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Posted by michael on Wednesday March 20, 2002 @07:28AM from the throw-another-spam-on-the-barbie dept.

BuckMulligan writes: "This article describes a lawsuit brought by a spam company against a list brokerage warehouse for selling e-mail addresses of persons who didn't opt-in. What this means is that those marketing lists created by data brokers aren't even accurate enough for sending spam."

15 of 295 comments (clear)

I wonder... by WndrBr3d · 2002-03-20 07:31 · Score: 5, Funny

This brokerage warehouse wouldn't happened to be called HOTMAIL.COM ... would it ?? ;-)
Um.... by Wakko+Warner · 2002-03-20 07:31 · Score: 5, Insightful

...do lists of people who opt-in for spam even exist? Are they big enough to fit on one 8.5x11" piece of paper?

Who the hell would be stupid enough to opt-in for spam?

- A.P.

--
"Remember when the U.S. had a drug problem, and then we declared a War On Drugs, and now you can't buy drugs anymore?"
1. Re:Um.... by Binky+The+Oracle · 2002-03-20 07:36 · Score: 5, Interesting
  
  I suspect that most "Opt-In" mailing lists are derived from people who click through an online service agreement without reading the whole thing or the privacy policy.
  
  The real trouble comes when trying to determine which of the spam that says I can opt-out actually means it, and which of the spam is just harvesting/validating my address.
  
  Thankfully, most of the web sites I use only send me their own spam (which I generally don't mind, especially if I can tell them to stop) but occasionally I get one site that sold my name to a list and voila... instant opt-in on a technicality.
  
  That's why I normally make a new email alias when providing my address to a new site so I can at least attempt to see who sold my name in the first place.
  
  --
  Slashdot comments... splitting hairs since 1997.
2. Re:Um.... by foobar104 · 2002-03-20 07:42 · Score: 4, Interesting
  
  For an explanation of why you can't "buy" an opt-in list, ask Google about "Nadine mailing".
  
  Yes, this is off-topic. Mod me down if you must.
  
  Am I the only one who forsees a day when URLs and hyperlinks as we know them are superceded by Google search strings?
  
  The Google database changes dynamically, of course, but that's currently a small problem. If I'm looking for info on the IBM FAStT700 disk array, as I was this morning, I'm a lot more likely to type "ibm fast700" into Google than I am to navigate through IBM's maze of a web site.
  
  If I don't know exactly what I'm looking for, Google can usually help me find it, or at least something sufficiently close to it to get by.
  
  But if I know exactly what I'm looking for, but don't know where to find it, Google is even more helpful.
  
  Who needs URLs anymore?
3. Re:Um.... by Stonehand · 2002-03-20 07:42 · Score: 4, Interesting
  
  Another bit is the web sites with an unverified opt-in -- that is, anybody can type in an e-mail address and it's considered as an opt-in without sending a confirmation request.
  
  Mandating
  a) a confirmation request sent via e-mail, that requires POSITIVE confirmation (the response must include a unambiguous not-readily forged reference to the original message) before "real" addition to the list
  
  b) a simple, obvious, free removal mechanism, which works within a reasonable period (say, 48 hours?)
  
  would help.
  
  --
  Only the dead have seen the end of war.
4. Re:Um.... by qslack · 2002-03-20 07:59 · Score: 4, Funny
  
  Those checkboxes are usually worded as "I don't not want to be not subscribed to a mailing list that doesn't contain information about non-offers that I am not interested in from unselected partners who have no affiliation to you."
  
  --
  qslack.com
5. Re:Um.... by nolife · 2002-03-20 08:12 · Score: 4, Interesting
  
  I had a similar experience with junk faxes at my last job. Tons of our machines got ads for a toner company. I called the business and was informed that I had requested these ads. Funny thing though. This went to at least 30 fax machines I saw that day and spread across at least 15 different departments in the company. There is no way that all of these people opted in for this crap. How do you prove we did not?
  
  Another issue. I get quite a few spams that claim that they are not intended for receipients of xx list of states, and they are filtered to prevent residents of those states "to the best of their ability". I can tell you that they have NO ability to filter that --> thats the best ability.
  
  It is all a scam and just another way for spammers to try to fool you or justify they are providing a useful service.
  
  The "Opt in/out" debate pertains to a lot of things and not just emails. The phone company comes to mind on this one. Don't want your phone number published in the phone book or given out in directory assistance? That is an option that they charge for and on a monthly basis. Yes, you have to pay to prevent getting dinner time calls for a motor club.
  
  How about the financial institution debacle last year with the information sharing? I noticed ONE opt out notice that was clearly marked as such. All others were buried inside filler ads and in back of not returned sections of the monthly bill and required a seperate mailing to a different address. On one hand these companies appear to be your consumer oriented friend to get your business and then they jam it up your ass when they think they have you. No wonder there are so many frustrated people in the world today.
  
  --
  Bad boys rape our young girls but Violet gives willingly.
I Google therefore I am by jhines0042 · 2002-03-20 07:35 · Score: 5, Funny

A Google search did not return any information about Inurv Inc.

Personally, I think this is the best line in the whole article. Google, final proof that you do, or do not, exist.

--
42 - So long and thanks for all the fish.
1. Re:I Google therefore I am by Tackhead · 2002-03-20 08:06 · Score: 4, Informative
  
  > When I find out the address of a spammer, I put it into Google and see what pops out. Often, a whole list of scam-type businesses will show up with the same address. I just came across one today in Glendale, CA. At the same address are an inkjet-refill company, a loan broker, an online gambling operation, and a spamming service.
  Sometimes that means you've found a spammer.
  Other times, it just means you've found a Mail Boxes, Etc. type of place. (Non-US folks: Sorta like a post office, but run by private companies. People can rent mailboxes with them, and collect their snail-mail there. Most of their customers are legit, but many aren't.)
  (Sometimes, of course, the same spammer will use the same mailbox/dropbox provider for more than one scam. Figuring out the difference by looking for similarities in writing styles, etc. is more an art than a science...)
2. Re:I Google therefore I am by Merry_B.Buck · 2002-03-20 08:24 · Score: 4, Informative
  
  Yeah...Why bother trying "Inurv.com"?
  Or, you could try the California Corporations database to find Inurv, Inc. or their parent, Nash Business Services:
  Nash Business Services, (818) 243-1977, 210 N Central Ave, Glendale, CA 91203
Re:Spamming For Dumbasses by Dr+Caleb · 2002-03-20 07:58 · Score: 4, Funny

Tell us where he lives. Street, apartment# etc. We'll send the boys over to his house and have a leeeetle talk with him.
Better yet, give us his IP address and we can let our fingers do the walking.

--
"History doesn't repeat itself, but it does rhyme." Mark Twain
Re:I dont wonder by IIOIOOIOO · 2002-03-20 08:14 · Score: 4, Interesting

Yeah, except for the people microsoft sells your email address to. 3 months ago, as a test, I created a VERY random 16character email account name on Hotmail.com. 8 days ago, I received spam from four different servers, all corporate.
In Other News by Sabalon · 2002-03-20 08:41 · Score: 4, Funny

Phillip-Morris claimed that they didn't know cigarrettes were addictive.

Napster claimed that they were unaware of people trading illegal music on their network.

What's next? Some crack dealer claiming that because he bought his stash from someone else, he assumed the other person was selling a legal product?

Gee...I should have bought those offered speakers off the back of that van that one time and then claim I thought it was a legit store.
Solution by DanMcS · 2002-03-20 08:53 · Score: 4, Funny

A physical business fax-spammed you? That's great! Write them a polite note, explaining that sending bulk faxes is wrong. Attach a copy of their spam to it, with all identifying marks removed of course. Go to their office, tie it to a brick, and toss it through their damn window.

What's a plate glass window run, $100-200 dollars? If you do it in the winter, even better, no heat for the bastards when they come into work the next morning. Too many expensive lessons like that, and they'll quit.

Unfortunately, it's a lot harder to track email spammers. I usually try to have their accounts cancelled, but that's about it. Then a couple of weeks ago, some dumbass sent me one of those chain-letter "Buy Reports on Internet Marketing" pyramid scheme things. The one where you expect people to send you a five dollar bill in the mail. That's right, the moron attached his REAL ADDRESS. It's two hours from where I live, even better. Not worth a trip by itself, but if I ever happen to be in the area, I'll stop by. Saved the address.

--
Communication is only possible between equals
Re:Spamming For Dumbasses by mlknowle · 2002-03-20 09:09 · Score: 4, Informative

This post is a troll! This guy posts this every time there is a spam story - and gets +5 every time...

I'll pay for moderation - and look at the banner ads