Anti Spam Frequently Asked Questions

spam = Unsolicited E-Mail

You have probably seen an increase in the amount of "junk mail" which shows up in your email box. The activities of a small number of unintelligent opportunists are becoming a big problem for the Internet.

We have specifically blocked mail from certain domains that are known to be purely SPAM factories and we also block any email from fake domains. This cuts down on 90% of the spam, but there are other ways of sending SPAM that we cannot block without causing problems with legitimate email too (i.e. we cannot block all mail from AOL.COM just because someone sent spam from there).

The mail server software was recently upgraded and configured to prevent the transmission of e-mail by non-local sources to non-local recipients. Your computer is considered a non-local host if you connect to our server from a network not under the TXOL Internet umbrella of IP addresses. Of course, this does not prevent you from retrieving your e-mail, but rather prevents non TXOL computers from stealing processing resources to distribute E-mail.

Keep your anonymity! No one knows your there.

Believe it or not it takes a good bit of work on your part to draw attention to your mailbox. In fact if you don't hand your E-Mail to them you will never receive unsolicited E-Mail. How? There are several steps to keeping your anonymity.

• Don't tell your browser your real E-mail address
  That's right, if you don't tell your browser where you live, it will not tell anyone else. Just configure the Mail server and login name correctly and give your email address as spammer@go-byebye.com
• Post a message to a News group, and while your at it stick a fork into a toaster. News groups are spammer feeding frenzies.
• NEVER post your E-mail address in a form. Many sites require you to register your name and E-Mail address. Unless they are going to send you a password or other vital information don't give it to them. (No they can't check)

Play Dead. Don't hit that REPLY button.

Spammers know that you don't want there E-Mail. Which is why most spam comes with a false return address. Only a trained individual, looking at the complete header information can determine where the messages are originating. By replying you are doing one of two things.

• Creating more useless E-mail on the net, not to mention filling your mailbox with user unknown messages.
• Telling a spammer that you saw his last E-Mail and you will definitely SEE the next E-Mail. Play dead, any encouragement will be cause to eat you alive. A spammer is only as valuable as his list, devalue the
  list, don't respond.

The person you really want to complain to is someone on our side of the war, usually if the ISP knows what is going on they will stomp the offender like a mosquito.

Put your finger in the leak

Filter, Sort and Cut out that spam. Until there is a better answer, the best way to stop spam is to cut those nasty E-mails out of your mailbox BEFORE you ever see them. There are several different ways to filter/cut/sort your E-mail prior to viewing, each dependant on how you retrieve you mail. Click here for some shareware examples.

Fight Back

Hopping' Mad! I want to fight back! Your not alone. Many people have taken up the cause and you can join them.

• Spam.abuse.net

Broadcast Fax, Junk Email & Mass USENet Postings Are Illegal

Under United States law, it is unlawful "to use any telephone facsimile machine, computer, or other device to send an unsolicited advertisement" to any "equipment which has the capacity (A) to transcribe text or images (or both) from an electronic signal received over a regular telephone line onto paper." The law allows individuals to sue the sender of such illegal "junk mail" for $500 per copy. Most states will permit such actions to be filed in Small Claims Court.

Here is the text of the federal law:

From the U.S. Code Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov] [Laws in effect as of January 24, 1994] [Document affected by Public Law 103-414 Section 303(a)(11)]

[CITE: 47USC227]

TITLE 47--TELEGRAPHS, TELEPHONES, AND RADIOTELEGRAPHS
CHAPTER 5--WIRE OR RADIO COMMUNICATION
SUBCHAPTER II--COMMON CARRIERS

Sec. 227. Restrictions on use of telephone equipment (a) Definitions As used in this section-- * * * (2) The term ``telephone facsimile machine'' means equipment which has the capacity (A) to transcribe text or images, or both, from paper into an electronic signal and to transmit that signal over a regular telephone line, or (B) to transcribe text or images (or both) from an electronic signal received over a regular telephone line onto paper. * * * (4) The term ``unsolicited advertisement'' means any material advertising the commercial availability or quality of any property, goods, or services which is transmitted to any person without that person's prior express invitation or permission. (b) Restrictions on use of automated telephone equipment (1) Prohibitions It shall be unlawful for any person within the United States -- to use any telephone facsimile machine, computer, or other device to send an unsolicited advertisement to a telephone facsimile machine; * * * (c) to use any telephone facsimile machine, computer, or other device to send an unsolicited advertisement to a telephone facsimile machine; * * * (3) Private right of action A person or entity may, if otherwise permitted by the laws or rules of court of a State, bring in an appropriate court of that State-- (A) an action based on a violation of this subsection or the regulations prescribed under this subsection to enjoin such violation, (B) an action to recover for actual monetary loss from such a violation, or to receive $500 in damages for each such violation, whichever is greater, or (C) both such actions. If the court finds that the defendant willfully or knowingly violated this subsection or the regulations prescribed under this subsection, the court may, in its discretion, increase the amount of the award to an amount equal to not more than 3 times the amount available under subparagraph (B) of this paragraph. * * * (e) Effect on State law (1) State law not preempted Except for the standards prescribed under subsection (d) of this section and subject to paragraph (2) of this subsection, nothing in this section or in the regulations prescribed under this section shall preempt any State law that imposes more restrictive intrastate requirements or regulations on, or which prohibits-- (A) the use of telephone facsimile machines or other electronic devices to send unsolicited advertisements;