You too can be a spammer!

[Footbag]

Originally Posted by Tombstone

The government will only make things worse. Look for free market solutions to your problem.

I don't know. I haven't had a telemarketer call me in years. The DNC list had to have something to do with it.
Not quite sure what a free market solution to spam is. Hire mercenaries to visit the spammers? Pay for spam blocking software? It all costs/wastes money. Rather then create an industry to deal with a problem, I'd ban the problem.

[n3uka]

Spam is illegal. Just hard to enforce.

Located at http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/busi...rce/bus61.shtm

Do you use email in your business? The CAN-SPAM Act, a law that sets the rules for commercial email, establishes requirements for commercial messages, gives recipients the right to have you stop emailing them, and spells out tough penalties for violations.

Each separate email in violation of the CAN-SPAM Act is subject to penalties of up to $16,000, so non-compliance can be costly

If you get spam email that you think is deceptive, forward it to spam@uce.gov. The FTC uses the spam stored in this database to pursue law enforcement

[Footbag]

Originally Posted by n3uka

Spam is illegal. Just hard to enforce.

Located at http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/busi...rce/bus61.shtm

It's not really illegal. The law just provides for an individual to opt out of specific messages. Typically, those methods don't work and occasionally you get more spam.
What I would like to see is a law banning any unsolicited E-mail messages.
Then, they should use any and all resources they can to catch and fine violators. I'd seize assets and make examples. I'd even try to buy the Viagra to take them down.

[mithrilG60]

Originally Posted by Footbag

What I would like to see is a law banning any unsolicited E-mail messages.
Then, they should use any and all resources they can to catch and fine violators. I'd seize assets and make examples. I'd even try to buy the Viagra to take them down.

So assuming such a law existed how would you expect it to be enforced when the majority of spam companies are based out US borders and therefore US law's hold no sway over them? I'm just playing devil's advocate here because there's really no way that gov't regulation can solve this problem unless the gov't's of the countries that these companies operate out of decide to make it illegal.

In terms of combating spam, the only really effective tools are server side so if your ISP doesn't have good anti-spam your best bet is to do as others have recommended and get a gmail account. You should be able to forward your existing address to gmail so you don't have to go through the hassle of getting all your contacts to update your address. If you're technical and are running your own server, look at SpamAssassin. I've been running SpamAssassin on my home mail server for years and it's very effective at filtering and tagging same so my email client can drop it. I receive on average 400 - 500 email per day and roughly 80% is spam..... but I never see it because it's filtered before it reaches my end client.

[Footbag]

I have successfully used filtering for myself and only get 1 or 2 spams a day. I'm more upset that it's become less about advertising and more about creating confusion. The fact that people are getting rich by hijacking systems and harvesting E-mail addresses should really piss people off. When they call my business to sell their service to me, I give them a hard time. It's all I can do.

The feds did a good job taking down this International Spam ring.
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/10...mers_targeted/

Other governments have been willing to work with us on this.

[mithrilG60]

Originally Posted by Footbag

I don't know. I haven't had a telemarketer call me in years. The DNC list had to have something to do with it.

That DNC is only effective against US based telemarketing company's. Canada has tried to set up a similar DNC which has met with limited success simply because there aren't many Canadian telemarketing companies, most calls come from US, India or China based companies. While it's great that I can report them and the CDN gov't will issue a $15,000 fine per call, those companies are free to ignore the fine and continue calling because CDN law and telecom industry regs have no jurisdiction in the US, India or China.