Re: MISC: Junk Mail

[Dan Robinson /Indexing Services <DROBINSON@INFO.HWWILSON.COM>]

Everyone should be aware of the consequences of Webbed or Gopherized
listserver archives. Anyone can download addresses from the messages
on the archives. On the simplest level, it is somewhat easy to
construct a filtering macro in a wordprocessing program to extract
the email addresses and reorder them in a list. From there a junk
emailer can use them in the mailings.

For those who have web access, go to Altavista
(http://www.altavista.digital.com), or another Web search engine, and
do a search on either your name or email address. You might be
surprised at the results.

I use two tactics for Junk email sent to me personally. I keep a Junk
folder and move each piece of mail to it. If there is a "remove"
option, I use it. If I get a second piece of mail, or the remove
message bounces, I write a polite email explaining the problem to
"postmaster@site.junk.com .  As part of my request, I note that I
expect "remove" messages to NOT bounce or I expect junk emailer to
use a program to detect and delete duplicate addresses. After a
couple months, I clean out the junk folder of single hits and archive
problem messages.

Having a system to deal with junk email is much easier than getting
worked up every time one hits. Every time someone develops an email
program that makes sending email easier, there will be more and more
junk email. It's a brave new world.


Dan Robinson
Editorial Specs Specialist
H.W. Wilson Company
Bronx, NY
drobinson@info.hwwilson.com


> I have started to get more and more junk advertising sent to my personal
> E-mail account and I am curious as to how these companies are getting our
> addresses.  The latest message was titled "Bankers' Secrets" wanting me to
> send a company called Creative Financial Alternatives located in Lakewood,
> Ohio $25 for a booklet that would tell me how to save money on my
> mortgages.  It was sent from the address of:
> massmail@aol.com                I do belong to two professional
> listservs(LM_NET and Big Six) and correspond with library vendors and
> friends, but can't figure out how those contacts would result in my address
> being obtained by the above company.
>
> Does anyone have any idea as to how these companies are getting our
> addresses and if there is anything we can do about it?  Thanks for your
> thoughts.  If I get some good responses, I'll post a hit as I suspect this
> is something we are all facing.
>
>
> Cheryl King, Librarian
> Agana Heights Elementary
> Box DE
> Agana, Guam 96910
> E-Mail:  Cheryl.King@KUENTOS.GUAM.NET
> Home Phone:  563-1073
>
>
> GUAM-Where America's Day Begins!
>