topstitch Posted February 11, 2005 Share Posted February 11, 2005 Hi, Excuse me but I am new. I have a question about some weird spam I have been getting. When I go to report it, I parse the heading according to your instructions and then I copy the whole email. But, went I go to paste it in the report box, the main portion of the original body of text and links in the actual email does not show up. All that is there is some history trivia or jibberish. The headings are all there, but nothing else. Could someone tell me what is up with that? Have the spammers developed a new way to avoid being traced. Jo e. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wazoo Posted February 11, 2005 Share Posted February 11, 2005 Excuse me but I am new. Welcome. I parse the heading according to your instructions You make no mention of your application, Operating System, etc ... so am also wondering what instructions are being referenced here. and then I copy the whole email. But, went I go to paste it in the report box, the main portion of the original body of text and links in the actual email does not show up. All that is there is some history trivia or jibberish. The headings are all there, but nothing else. Could someone tell me what is up with that? Actually, I'm not sure what all you are trying to describe here. Wondering if you are looking at some HTML crap that is displayed as pictures in your e-mail application and you're confused in that nothinr but text is copied/pasted/displayed in the SpamCop window ...???? Very much dependent on the lack of data pointed out above ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
topstitch Posted February 15, 2005 Author Share Posted February 15, 2005 Thank-you for the welcome. I will try to describe my situation as best as I can. I am not too computer savvy and don't really know all the technical terms. I use Eudora as my email program & XP as my operating system. I parse the heading according to SpamCop's instructions: Click on Blah-Blah, Select All and then Copy. When I do this, the main body of email (the advertisement portion) which may or may not include fancy text, pictures and links do not copy over into the reporting box on the spam Cop website. All that shows up is the heading and some weird message such as, "Virtual The most Alaska you're welcome Panasonic Fantastic!" or "in 1984 I'd like in 1978 Let's face facts. San Diego Chrono Cross". So I guess my question/s is: What is up with the strange nonsensical messages? These messages do not show up unless they are highlighted to be copied. How or why does the contents of the email disappear? I suppose SpamCop really isn't concerned with the actual contents of email as long as there is an adequate heading to trace. Thank-you for your time. Jo Ellen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bumpkin Posted February 15, 2005 Share Posted February 15, 2005 Welcome to SpamCop! I believe I know what you're talking about. I believe you've selected to view the technical details when manually submitting spam. What you are seeing is the actual process SpamCop goes through to "parse" the header (figure out where it's come from) as well as any links. The odd text you are seeing may not be visible to you in the spam, but is visible in the code. This is hidden text, and quite a few spammers use it to make their spam appear as valid e-mail, well, at least valid to spam filters. I've got Eudora and XP as well, and have been an avid SC user for more than a few years. Hope this helps! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
topstitch Posted February 15, 2005 Author Share Posted February 15, 2005 Bumpkin: Thank-you. At least, I can now stop feeling like I am crazy; seeing things that aren't really there. Jo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wazoo Posted February 15, 2005 Share Posted February 15, 2005 As it sounds like the instructions and you are working together, then maybe just a bit of example on what you are seeing/not seeing. If we can assume that you are using Internet Explorer to browse the web, at the next web-page you end up on .... find a spot on that page that's not not a picture, not a block of something, just a nice piece of someplace that's "empty" .... right-click on the spot and select "View Source" ..... this will show you the "code" that was written to display the web-page you are looking at. (You could even do that while viewing this very respnse!) This is the same thing going on in your e-mail. You have Eudora configured to allow the rendering of the HTML code and thus you see all the pictures and such. The SpamCop parser doesn't need to "see the pictures" .. rather it works with the code behind the picture, just as your browser does on the web page you had just looked at <g> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
topstitch Posted February 16, 2005 Author Share Posted February 16, 2005 Wazoo: I think I am understanding this better. I guess I didn't understand that with my Microsoft Viewer 'off' and when the pictures were missing that the View Source would actually pick something up. But it does...go figure. As for the weird text, I guess it isn't anything to worry about. I was concerned that it was from some alien source trying to contact the leaders of our planet. And, I was specially chosen to rely their message of peace to the world. Thanks for your time. Jo Ellen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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