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Here's a test of my vocabulary then, how can I convey my anger and annoyance without swearing. I’ve just been forced to finally stop using the first ever e-mail account I had as it is now totally over run with spam. Today I must have got at least 50 mailings in the account, not one of which I was remotely interested in. This is (or was) a Hotmail account, and I had Microsoft’s junk mail protection thing on, but it is totally useless. Granted, it’s a pretty hard thing to achieve, but ultimately I found Hotmail’s filter more annoying than useful. It would catch mailings from our very own Special Reserve, but let offers for loans, credit card charging, and, of course, “adult” material, through into the proper in-box.
Now, this shouldn’t really get me annoyed. I barely use the account anymore as I’ve got two proper POP3 accounts to use in my own time and for work. In fact, the old Hotmail account was used for signing up to on-line things specifically so it would get all the junk mail and I could keep my other two addresses free. Maybe I’m simply naive in my assumptions of good manners and thinking of your fellow browser/customer. As I have signed up for all sorts of forums and on-line stores through that account, to get rid of it I have to move all them over to another account (which will, ultimately, get filled with junk mail too). It’s not exactly a fun job to look forward to and it just winds me up so much that I have to bother at all so that some bloke can get a tenth of a penny for selling my address among a list of thousands of others.
I have Outlook Express configured to pick up the mail from all three accounts, so it works simply enough in practice. The problem with that is I need to be looking over my shoulder every time I want to check my mail in case there’s some, ermmmm… questionable mail there. I have no desire to see donkey’s doing anything with young women, no matter how “pert” they are (I’m not sure whether that’s the donkey’s or the young women), yet still my in-box gets carpet bombed with such offers daily. The internet savvy onlooker will undoubtedly know I’ve simply been a victim to the scum of the earth spammers – but what about my dear old Nan? For a start, I doubt her heart would be able to take it, but she would jump to admitably understandable conclusions about my Internet usage.
So why don’t I un-sign myself from these lists? That’s exactly what they want me to do! Nothing excites these cold-blooded purveyors of unnecessary downloading more than confirming an e-mail account is active. So by un-signing myself from one list I’d be asking to be stuck onto a pile more.
Add to this the total frustration of knowing that’s very little I can do about it – apart from whine a bit (hence the long posting at 2am). Ultimately, I’ll have to get a new account for using in sign-up applications and move around a few account addresses, but I shouldn’t have to. This was the first ever e-mail account I had and I used to use it as my mail account. It was the one people at school would have known, but now if they want to get in touch it’ll be gone. Okay, so if I didn’t bother to give them my new address in two years their either unlikely to e-mail me or I don’t want them to, but you never know.
Showing typical Internet ignorance, the UK Government are actively campaigning AGAINST putting controls on the current spam techniques. An opt in only approach was suggested to complement the opt out, but they, for some bizarre reason, said no. Granted, the type of people who spam are unlikely to follow Government guidelines anyway, and that’s ignoring the amount of spam that comes from abroad, but it would be a nice gesture at least. As would having OFTEL regulate the ASDL rollout, neither would achieve that much, but it’s the thought that counts.
That said, it could make a difference. In the two accounts I carefully protect by only giving out to friends, colleagues and companies I’m 100% sure of I still get spam. I get the odd offer of a loan from some bizarre American company, or asked to consider using the spamming company’s credit card system to allow my business to accept Visa (not that I particularly want to accept Visa, or in fact have a business that might make use of the facility). This leads me to believe that there must be some kind of filter down effect i.e. Reputable Company sells the address to a slightly less reputable company, who then sells it to a slightly less… etc… This may also explain how signing up to on-line retailers, news sites and music/games discussion boards results in getting those adult mailings.
After all that, it’s just the cherry on the cake that to be granted the privilege of signing up to the SR Club and not have them selling my postal and e-mail address I have to write a letter to them. No tick box, or e-mail address to opt out through even, I have to pen a letter and stick it in the post box. Is this really the kind of policy a large, trusted e-tailler should adopt considering the constant and totally frustrating threat of spam?
Now, this shouldn’t really get me annoyed. I barely use the account anymore as I’ve got two proper POP3 accounts to use in my own time and for work. In fact, the old Hotmail account was used for signing up to on-line things specifically so it would get all the junk mail and I could keep my other two addresses free. Maybe I’m simply naive in my assumptions of good manners and thinking of your fellow browser/customer. As I have signed up for all sorts of forums and on-line stores through that account, to get rid of it I have to move all them over to another account (which will, ultimately, get filled with junk mail too). It’s not exactly a fun job to look forward to and it just winds me up so much that I have to bother at all so that some bloke can get a tenth of a penny for selling my address among a list of thousands of others.
I have Outlook Express configured to pick up the mail from all three accounts, so it works simply enough in practice. The problem with that is I need to be looking over my shoulder every time I want to check my mail in case there’s some, ermmmm… questionable mail there. I have no desire to see donkey’s doing anything with young women, no matter how “pert” they are (I’m not sure whether that’s the donkey’s or the young women), yet still my in-box gets carpet bombed with such offers daily. The internet savvy onlooker will undoubtedly know I’ve simply been a victim to the scum of the earth spammers – but what about my dear old Nan? For a start, I doubt her heart would be able to take it, but she would jump to admitably understandable conclusions about my Internet usage.
So why don’t I un-sign myself from these lists? That’s exactly what they want me to do! Nothing excites these cold-blooded purveyors of unnecessary downloading more than confirming an e-mail account is active. So by un-signing myself from one list I’d be asking to be stuck onto a pile more.
Add to this the total frustration of knowing that’s very little I can do about it – apart from whine a bit (hence the long posting at 2am). Ultimately, I’ll have to get a new account for using in sign-up applications and move around a few account addresses, but I shouldn’t have to. This was the first ever e-mail account I had and I used to use it as my mail account. It was the one people at school would have known, but now if they want to get in touch it’ll be gone. Okay, so if I didn’t bother to give them my new address in two years their either unlikely to e-mail me or I don’t want them to, but you never know.
Showing typical Internet ignorance, the UK Government are actively campaigning AGAINST putting controls on the current spam techniques. An opt in only approach was suggested to complement the opt out, but they, for some bizarre reason, said no. Granted, the type of people who spam are unlikely to follow Government guidelines anyway, and that’s ignoring the amount of spam that comes from abroad, but it would be a nice gesture at least. As would having OFTEL regulate the ASDL rollout, neither would achieve that much, but it’s the thought that counts.
That said, it could make a difference. In the two accounts I carefully protect by only giving out to friends, colleagues and companies I’m 100% sure of I still get spam. I get the odd offer of a loan from some bizarre American company, or asked to consider using the spamming company’s credit card system to allow my business to accept Visa (not that I particularly want to accept Visa, or in fact have a business that might make use of the facility). This leads me to believe that there must be some kind of filter down effect i.e. Reputable Company sells the address to a slightly less reputable company, who then sells it to a slightly less… etc… This may also explain how signing up to on-line retailers, news sites and music/games discussion boards results in getting those adult mailings.
After all that, it’s just the cherry on the cake that to be granted the privilege of signing up to the SR Club and not have them selling my postal and e-mail address I have to write a letter to them. No tick box, or e-mail address to opt out through even, I have to pen a letter and stick it in the post box. Is this really the kind of policy a large, trusted e-tailler should adopt considering the constant and totally frustrating threat of spam?
I have a full 200blocked list in my account. That has completely cut down on the number of spam emails I get. Just make sure you check the 'not receieve any emails from this domain' box.
Sorted.. well.. if you ever use hotmail again! o.O
Sorted.. well.. if you ever use hotmail again! o.O
Here's a test of my vocabulary then, how can I convey my anger and annoyance without swearing. I’ve just been forced to finally stop using the first ever e-mail account I had as it is now totally over run with spam. Today I must have got at least 50 mailings in the account, not one of which I was remotely interested in. This is (or was) a Hotmail account, and I had Microsoft’s junk mail protection thing on, but it is totally useless. Granted, it’s a pretty hard thing to achieve, but ultimately I found Hotmail’s filter more annoying than useful. It would catch mailings from our very own Special Reserve, but let offers for loans, credit card charging, and, of course, “adult” material, through into the proper in-box.
Now, this shouldn’t really get me annoyed. I barely use the account anymore as I’ve got two proper POP3 accounts to use in my own time and for work. In fact, the old Hotmail account was used for signing up to on-line things specifically so it would get all the junk mail and I could keep my other two addresses free. Maybe I’m simply naive in my assumptions of good manners and thinking of your fellow browser/customer. As I have signed up for all sorts of forums and on-line stores through that account, to get rid of it I have to move all them over to another account (which will, ultimately, get filled with junk mail too). It’s not exactly a fun job to look forward to and it just winds me up so much that I have to bother at all so that some bloke can get a tenth of a penny for selling my address among a list of thousands of others.
I have Outlook Express configured to pick up the mail from all three accounts, so it works simply enough in practice. The problem with that is I need to be looking over my shoulder every time I want to check my mail in case there’s some, ermmmm… questionable mail there. I have no desire to see donkey’s doing anything with young women, no matter how “pert” they are (I’m not sure whether that’s the donkey’s or the young women), yet still my in-box gets carpet bombed with such offers daily. The internet savvy onlooker will undoubtedly know I’ve simply been a victim to the scum of the earth spammers – but what about my dear old Nan? For a start, I doubt her heart would be able to take it, but she would jump to admitably understandable conclusions about my Internet usage.
So why don’t I un-sign myself from these lists? That’s exactly what they want me to do! Nothing excites these cold-blooded purveyors of unnecessary downloading more than confirming an e-mail account is active. So by un-signing myself from one list I’d be asking to be stuck onto a pile more.
Add to this the total frustration of knowing that’s very little I can do about it – apart from whine a bit (hence the long posting at 2am). Ultimately, I’ll have to get a new account for using in sign-up applications and move around a few account addresses, but I shouldn’t have to. This was the first ever e-mail account I had and I used to use it as my mail account. It was the one people at school would have known, but now if they want to get in touch it’ll be gone. Okay, so if I didn’t bother to give them my new address in two years their either unlikely to e-mail me or I don’t want them to, but you never know.
Showing typical Internet ignorance, the UK Government are actively campaigning AGAINST putting controls on the current spam techniques. An opt in only approach was suggested to complement the opt out, but they, for some bizarre reason, said no. Granted, the type of people who spam are unlikely to follow Government guidelines anyway, and that’s ignoring the amount of spam that comes from abroad, but it would be a nice gesture at least. As would having OFTEL regulate the ASDL rollout, neither would achieve that much, but it’s the thought that counts.
That said, it could make a difference. In the two accounts I carefully protect by only giving out to friends, colleagues and companies I’m 100% sure of I still get spam. I get the odd offer of a loan from some bizarre American company, or asked to consider using the spamming company’s credit card system to allow my business to accept Visa (not that I particularly want to accept Visa, or in fact have a business that might make use of the facility). This leads me to believe that there must be some kind of filter down effect i.e. Reputable Company sells the address to a slightly less reputable company, who then sells it to a slightly less… etc… This may also explain how signing up to on-line retailers, news sites and music/games discussion boards results in getting those adult mailings.
After all that, it’s just the cherry on the cake that to be granted the privilege of signing up to the SR Club and not have them selling my postal and e-mail address I have to write a letter to them. No tick box, or e-mail address to opt out through even, I have to pen a letter and stick it in the post box. Is this really the kind of policy a large, trusted e-tailler should adopt considering the constant and totally frustrating threat of spam?
Now, this shouldn’t really get me annoyed. I barely use the account anymore as I’ve got two proper POP3 accounts to use in my own time and for work. In fact, the old Hotmail account was used for signing up to on-line things specifically so it would get all the junk mail and I could keep my other two addresses free. Maybe I’m simply naive in my assumptions of good manners and thinking of your fellow browser/customer. As I have signed up for all sorts of forums and on-line stores through that account, to get rid of it I have to move all them over to another account (which will, ultimately, get filled with junk mail too). It’s not exactly a fun job to look forward to and it just winds me up so much that I have to bother at all so that some bloke can get a tenth of a penny for selling my address among a list of thousands of others.
I have Outlook Express configured to pick up the mail from all three accounts, so it works simply enough in practice. The problem with that is I need to be looking over my shoulder every time I want to check my mail in case there’s some, ermmmm… questionable mail there. I have no desire to see donkey’s doing anything with young women, no matter how “pert” they are (I’m not sure whether that’s the donkey’s or the young women), yet still my in-box gets carpet bombed with such offers daily. The internet savvy onlooker will undoubtedly know I’ve simply been a victim to the scum of the earth spammers – but what about my dear old Nan? For a start, I doubt her heart would be able to take it, but she would jump to admitably understandable conclusions about my Internet usage.
So why don’t I un-sign myself from these lists? That’s exactly what they want me to do! Nothing excites these cold-blooded purveyors of unnecessary downloading more than confirming an e-mail account is active. So by un-signing myself from one list I’d be asking to be stuck onto a pile more.
Add to this the total frustration of knowing that’s very little I can do about it – apart from whine a bit (hence the long posting at 2am). Ultimately, I’ll have to get a new account for using in sign-up applications and move around a few account addresses, but I shouldn’t have to. This was the first ever e-mail account I had and I used to use it as my mail account. It was the one people at school would have known, but now if they want to get in touch it’ll be gone. Okay, so if I didn’t bother to give them my new address in two years their either unlikely to e-mail me or I don’t want them to, but you never know.
Showing typical Internet ignorance, the UK Government are actively campaigning AGAINST putting controls on the current spam techniques. An opt in only approach was suggested to complement the opt out, but they, for some bizarre reason, said no. Granted, the type of people who spam are unlikely to follow Government guidelines anyway, and that’s ignoring the amount of spam that comes from abroad, but it would be a nice gesture at least. As would having OFTEL regulate the ASDL rollout, neither would achieve that much, but it’s the thought that counts.
That said, it could make a difference. In the two accounts I carefully protect by only giving out to friends, colleagues and companies I’m 100% sure of I still get spam. I get the odd offer of a loan from some bizarre American company, or asked to consider using the spamming company’s credit card system to allow my business to accept Visa (not that I particularly want to accept Visa, or in fact have a business that might make use of the facility). This leads me to believe that there must be some kind of filter down effect i.e. Reputable Company sells the address to a slightly less reputable company, who then sells it to a slightly less… etc… This may also explain how signing up to on-line retailers, news sites and music/games discussion boards results in getting those adult mailings.
After all that, it’s just the cherry on the cake that to be granted the privilege of signing up to the SR Club and not have them selling my postal and e-mail address I have to write a letter to them. No tick box, or e-mail address to opt out through even, I have to pen a letter and stick it in the post box. Is this really the kind of policy a large, trusted e-tailler should adopt considering the constant and totally frustrating threat of spam?