My web host told me a complaint had been made about me and is threatening to cut off my account if it happens again. My Web host sent me the offending e-mail that the person received, which didn't come from me, but I don't see any way to respond to the complainer, as suggested at http://www.spamcop.net/fom-serve/cache/96.html. There it says I should just reply to the e-mail, but I didn't get it myself. I don't know how my Web host got it.

So, how do I find out who complained? I would like to respond to the person to explain that I didn't send the e-mail (although that's obvious from the e-mail).

The e-mail was from a company that hires me to do webinars. They do the marketing, not me. My name is in the e-mail as the person doing the webinar. Is it acceptable to expand a complaint to anyone mentioned in the offending e-mail? If not, can I make a complaint?

Is there a database of complaints that I can look in? I'd like to resolve this.

Thanks,
Ellen

There is no way to find out. Is everyone in your monthly tips newsletter a "confirmed" opt-in?

This complaint wasn't about my own monthly tips newsletter. The e-mail was from a company that provides webinars.

This is what the bottom of the letter that was complained about said:

This is an advertisement brought to you by Education Minute, 2222
> Sedwick, Durham, NC 27713. This email is CAN-SPAM compliant. We hope
> you found this message to be useful. However, if you'd rather not
> receive future e-mails of this sort from Education Minute, please
> <a
> href="http://educationminute.com/o/opt.php?e=">click here</a> to unsubscribe. Or you can call us
> at: 800-424-8668. Your request will be processed within 10 days.

However, people have complained that they can't get through to the 800 number or that their request isn't process within 10 days.

My name was mentioned in the e-mail because I was giving the webinar. The company hires me to do this for them.

Ellen

The only way to email the complainer is to get a copy of the SpamCop report from your host and send mail to the "From" address on it.

Our system will forward your message to the person who filed the report.

Yes. SpamCop sends reports about the source of the email, and also sends reports about any web sites mentioned in the email.

- Don D'Minion - SpamCop Admin -

Good luck.

IMHO: that looks like spam the way it is worded.

I've asked the company not to mention my Web site any more. Thanks for the help.

I'm curious why you would say that. Because if you're not sending spam, you don't have to deny that you're sending spam?

Ellen

Go back to your web host and get the rest of the the e-mail they received. What you need is the <From:> in the message they received it will look something like:

From: 9999999999[at]reports.spamcop.net

SpamCop will forward your email to the person that reported the email they received as spam. (it is done this way so that a "bad guy" can't harvest the reporter's address and take revenge.

I do have an issue with your explanation. You and your host should be able to tell from the report received from SpamCop whether the email was send by you or you were only referenced in the email. You should not be held responsible if you are just referenced. {Early in the fight against spam, spammers would reference someone like the New York Times in the spam, and the Times would get blocked along with the spammer. We have learned a lot sense then.}

All thought you can't control how your clients act, you may have learned something about this one; they may send spam as a means to generate business. Better luck in selecting clients in the future.

Spam is unsolicited email. If the company that you were working for was not using best practices in bulk emailing, the email might have been unsolicited by the receiver. Best practices requires that every subscriber verify that they have subscribed to the list and the list owner can tell if someone accidentally reports it as spam. Another best practice is to be careful about email that is returned. Lots of people either forget, or just don't bother, to tell all their lists that they have changed email addresses. Then, if someone else chooses that email address, they will get emails from people they never heard of.

CAN-SPAM compliant is not using best practices.

Miss Betsy

I have the same issue. The e-mail made it extremely obvious that I was just referenced and that the e-mail was not from me. So I think that my Web host is being unreasonable about this.
Ellen

Yes, but not in the general case of "spamvertizement."You are not a spamvertizer - a copy of that directive should reassure them (your provider). If the company in question reverts to mail-out best practice it is no longer an issue in theory (in practice there is always the risk that a proportion of it will be tagged as unsolicited and dealt with accordingly). If they don't revert to best practice they are certainly harming you (your reputation, as well as your provider relationship) by linking you. Clients/associates are a health hazard, right enough.

However, your website was 'advertised' - chalk it up to lessons learned the hard way and ask how a future client will advertise next time. At least your web hosting gave you a second chance.

Miss Betsy

This is an advertisement brought to you by Education Minute, 2222
> Sedwick, Durham, NC 27713. This email is CAN-SPAM compliant. We hope
> you found this message to be useful. However, if you'd rather not
> receive future e-mails of this sort from Education Minute, please
> <a
> href="http://educationminute.com/o/opt.php?e=">click here</a> to unsubscribe. Or you can call us
> at: 800-424-8668. Your request will be processed within 10 days.

Well according to the above statement it doesn't matter if it is can-spam compliant or not. If the receiver did not ask for this advertising then it is spam and about the unsubscribe link why should people have to unsubscribe from something they did not subscribe to. Many companies believe that if they place verbiage in email like the above to make themselves can-spam compliant that it is not spam. They are so wrong.