OT Spam test

[jdow]

From: "Aaron Konstam" <akonstam at sbcglobal.net>

> On Sun, 2007-05-13 at 10:42 -0700, Norm wrote:
>> A while ago a pop up offer me a free laptop if I signed up for several
>> free offers showed up.  Yes I knew exactly what the site really was and
>> if  actually got the free lap top I probably would have drop dead from
>> the shock.
>> I created a separate email address I could monitor - they were the only
>> ones with the address so I knew anything on that address was spam.
>> Within 12 hours spam about 30 spam a day started to appear, I also gave
>> my actual telephone number. I started to receive a number of nuisance
>> calls within 12 hours as well. I could deal with the nuisance calls
>> easily so that was not a bother  except for 1 persistent caller.  Had
>> the calls been from a scum ball outfit I could have understood but the
>> persistent pest was AOL. direct requests to remove me from their list
>> did not work and they even laughed at me for making the request.  I
>> finally resorted to contacting the head office and threatening legal
>> action if the calls (5 or  6 a day continued) immediately the calls
>> stopped - not 1 call after the email went to the head office legal
>> department..
>> The obvious close association between spamers and AOL is a concern and
>> to me explains in part why spam is such a problem to stop.
>> When I get bored counting the spam I will close the email address but
>> for now it has been a month and the spam shows no sign of slowing down.
>> I am tempted to bounce it all to AOL and let them deal with the spm.
>>
> Another option is not do spam tests like this. I think most of the rest
> of us resist the temptation especially when they know the offer is a
> fraud,

NEVER give out your real phone number when playing with spam bait. Give
them the phone number of your local CAIR office or something like that.

{^_^}