Redirecting spam?

The place to discuss anything to do with computers, software, hardware, no matter how basic or technical. We all use this stuff, but we don't always understand it!
User avatar
greenbarn
Posts: 6146
Joined: Sat May 30, 2009 6:41 pm
Location: The Westmorland Dales, Cumbria

Redirecting spam?

Post by greenbarn »

I was pondering this and wondered if any of the gurus might have an answer.

I’m heartily sick of marketing spam from Cycling World Magazine (several each day), who seem to be hell bent on ignoring direct marketing regulations as well as taking money for advertising and magazine subscriptions from people with nothing in return.

I can set up checks on incoming emails at my server, and one possibility is to redirect them to a new address.
So, if I redirect everything from Cycling World and cplmedia back to one of the originators, is that likely to score against my reputation with the likes of Spamhaus and get me blacklisted?

Anyone know? :?
newtimber
Posts: 1945
Joined: Sat Nov 24, 2012 5:57 pm
Location: Brighton
Contact:

Post by newtimber »

Why don't you just set up a filter to discard them?
If you have your own domain name, you can set this up quite easily and you then won't receive any further emails from them in your inbox.
User avatar
greenbarn
Posts: 6146
Joined: Sat May 30, 2009 6:41 pm
Location: The Westmorland Dales, Cumbria

Post by greenbarn »

newtimber wrote:Why don't you just set up a filter to discard them?
If you have your own domain name, you can set this up quite easily and you then won't receive any further emails from them in your inbox.
Agreed, I could easily discard them but having had several attempts to get them to stop, including pointing out that they are in breach of the rules for direct marketing, I’m sufficiently hacked off with Cycling World and petty enough to want to give them the inconvenience of dealing with receiving their own spam back.
ManxRed1
Posts: 229
Joined: Mon Jul 25, 2016 9:52 am
Location: Polperro, Cornwall, UK

Post by ManxRed1 »

Google Cycling World's MD's email address.

Sign him/her up for everything going on the internet. And I mean everything.

:lol:
User avatar
PW in Polemi
Posts: 1781
Joined: Sun Oct 21, 2012 5:23 am
Location: A village in Paphos, Cyprus

Post by PW in Polemi »

ManxRed1, you are naughty! Love it! :lol: :lol: :lol:

Back in the days of faxes (remember those, before email?), we had a problem with one particular firm sending us spam faxes. So we simply sellotaped 2 or 3 sheets of their spam into a return fax, and as soon as enough of the long sheet had been faxed to them, we sellotaped the beginning to the end, forming one circle that went through, round and round, gobbling up their fax paper. It only cost us one local call - and we never got spammed by that firm again.

There must be something similar, email-wise.
Dogs have masters. Cats have slaves!
e-richard
Posts: 5008
Joined: Sun Oct 17, 2004 11:33 am
Location: Algarve, Portugal
Contact:

Post by e-richard »

PW in Polemi wrote:There must be something similar, email-wise.
Unfortunately, its far too easy:

Code: Select all

For i = 1 to 25000
 SendMail
    To: myEnemy; 
    From: Lucifer; 
    Contents: Get lost
Next i
(obviously the real code is a teeny bit more complicated, but you get the idea)

Mind you, it may well get you blacklisted for sending SPAM, so use a free junk server to send it from, and by the way, you do not need a real From address, that is trivial to spoof so you can make it look like it came from Jeremy Corbyn if you want to.
** Richard
PIMS: Holiday Rental Management system
They say we learn from our mistakes. That makes me a genius !
Giraffe
Posts: 410
Joined: Sun Jun 26, 2016 10:10 am
Location: Cornwall, England

Post by Giraffe »

I like the suggestions, but if you want to go a more regulatory route perhaps the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) might help? Being a self regulatory body they don't have much legal authority, but if they want to bite harder they can pass cases on to Trading Standards.
The best things in life are free
zebedee
Posts: 1270
Joined: Fri Sep 12, 2014 2:57 pm
Location: yorkshire dales

Post by zebedee »

Greenbarn, you can add me to any complaint. I am getting several emails from them a day (different names, same magazine).
I put them in the spam box and many now go there automatically but I am as cross as you are about them.
User avatar
greenbarn
Posts: 6146
Joined: Sat May 30, 2009 6:41 pm
Location: The Westmorland Dales, Cumbria

Post by greenbarn »

I complained to the ICO (Information Commissioner’s Office?) about them as they are in breach of the Direct Marketing regulations. They acknowledged receipt but that’s all you hear.
Maybe they need more complaints.
The essence of the complaint is that they are sending this stuff to us as private individuals or sole traders and not as companies - I think companies are seen as fair game for any amount of spam.
zebedee
Posts: 1270
Joined: Fri Sep 12, 2014 2:57 pm
Location: yorkshire dales

Post by zebedee »

So who else gets the constant traffic from them?
Surely it cannot be just you and me?
Joanna
Posts: 1091
Joined: Thu Aug 23, 2007 3:12 pm
Location: Chester, North West England & Sidmouth, East Devon
Contact:

Post by Joanna »

I'm feeling a bit left out here - we've never had a single email from them :(
Jo

Joint owner of Baker's Cottage in Chester & Chandler's Cottage in Sidmouth
User avatar
PW in Polemi
Posts: 1781
Joined: Sun Oct 21, 2012 5:23 am
Location: A village in Paphos, Cyprus

Post by PW in Polemi »

Joanna, I'm sure if you ask nicely, Greenbarn and zebedee will pass on your details! :lol:
Dogs have masters. Cats have slaves!
Joanna
Posts: 1091
Joined: Thu Aug 23, 2007 3:12 pm
Location: Chester, North West England & Sidmouth, East Devon
Contact:

Post by Joanna »

:lol:
Jo

Joint owner of Baker's Cottage in Chester & Chandler's Cottage in Sidmouth
Paul Carmel
Posts: 3836
Joined: Tue Dec 07, 2004 12:25 pm
Location: Palma Mallorca & Greece
Contact:

Post by Paul Carmel »

I see they have a FB page, it would be rather immature and I know you wouldn't dream of replying to every post they make asking them why they are continually spaming you.
Cheers
PC
User avatar
greenbarn
Posts: 6146
Joined: Sat May 30, 2009 6:41 pm
Location: The Westmorland Dales, Cumbria

Post by greenbarn »

Paul Carmel wrote:I see they have a FB page, it would be rather immature and I know you wouldn't dream of replying to every post they make asking them why they are continually spaming you.
The thought had never crossed my mind....

Nice to see you PC!
Post Reply