Re: User Group emailing and Spam
Re: User Group emailing and Spam
- Subject: Re: User Group emailing and Spam
- From: MUG NEWS <email@hidden>
- Date: Sat, 18 Oct 2003 06:25:28 -0400
Rick laments spam filters killing good email:
> With many ISPs initiating new SPAM prevention tactics,
> legitimate emails are being filtered out because they
> fit the SPAM rules.
> Are other UG running into this issue?
Rick, just about everyone who is an active email user is
encountering these kinds of problems.
The fundamental issue is the spam-filtering industry has
become as virulent as the spam industry itself... the
anti-spam filtering companies have even taken to spamming
in order to sell their wares. And, filtering is NOT the
solution -- only a stop-gap measure until all the bandwidth
eventually fills to complete gridlock.
In the quest to tighten down the rules to filter more spam,
the software is taking out legitimate email at an alarming
rate. They want to sell software... they don't care in the
least about your "good" mail.
IP Blocking is the only real solution, but ISPs are hesitant
to take that tact fearing legal repercussions. However, there
are only about 150 IP blocks responsible for 85% of the spam.
Once they're blocked, the spam filters can be lightened to
obvious key words and rules. But no one seems interested
in a real solution, only more band-aids to 'hide' the
symptoms of the plague.
One good solution was mentioned by Kevin Warrene
> Try to make sure that your members have your email
> address in their address book as some filtering looks
> at this as a sort of approved "white list" and a
> known sender. This typically happens with filtering
> on the local machine.
Macbeth also adds in ...
> All you may need to do is break up your list into chunks
> rather than sending them out all in one lump mailing.
One solution I've found very effective for mailings to groups,
is the "Group Mail" function on our server. Talk to your
ISP. Chances are the mail server has a "Group" feature that
allows you to set up a sort of "broadcast" list, similar to
a listserv (like the one you're using right now) which mails
to each address as a single, unique email. This method, as
long as your email "message" is clean, almost always slips
under the spam filter radar.
My most effective solution so far is to purchase an inexpensive
FileMaker Pro plug-in called "SmtpIT" -- from Comm-Unity
Networking Systems at
http://www.cnsplug-ins.com/
This allows you to mail to an unlimited list of email addresses,
personalizing each from the FMPro database, then actually acting
as your email client to send each individual email -- one at a
time. I've clocked it at about one email ever 3 seconds.
This is a slow-enough feed to simulate manual email, and not
get labeled "Bulk". It also allows personalization, which
flags itself as legitimate email.
MOST IMPORTANTLY: Members discovering "good" mail filtered
should scream long and loud to their ISPs.
Send them to:
http://www.aacug.org/UCE/
for the only real solution which will end the spam
plague once and for all.
:-)
Fred
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