Media Logistics

[B_Murgatroid]

For far too long now, I have received regular unsolicited e-mails from "Media Logistics" and their clients, usually, but not limited to, "EFL Limited". It was the main reason I came to SpamCop. I report every one of these mails, which is always traced back to the same ISP (though the 'return path' in the header is changed every time, so normal spam filters cannot keep up).

Can anyone tell me what SpamCop actually does with my reports, and WHY these people are allowed to continue operating, when they have obtained my e-mail address, and I assume countless others, through prohibited means??

Does anyone suffer the same theft of valuable time, and would you like to join me in taking ML to court? There are precedents documented on the Web.

BM

[turetzsr]

Hi, BM,

...My suggestion would be that you have a look at the following items and return here with any follow-up questions:

• SpamCop FAQ (link near top of pretty much any SpamCop Forum page) item labeled "What is this? How does it work? How do I use it?."
  
• SpamCop wiki entry "HowIuseSpamCopRconneR."
  
• SpamCop wiki entry "Does SpamCop Work?"
  
• Telarin's reply in SpamCop Forum "thread" "Global ISP blocking - the downside."
  

[Farelf]

Hello BM.

Steve's reply points you to all the information on why SC does not stop your spam in its tracks.

But Media Logistics is big and visible and necessarily open and compliant because of that. That is rare with spam these days.

They (apparently) supply the lists, or some of them. IMO it would be safe to hit the "unsubscribe" link in your spam but if there are multiple Media Logistics clients using the list(s) with your name on it, that is not going to do a lot. You can use the contact form at the Media Logistics webpage and require them to stop - http://medialogistics.co.uk/contact.php and they MUST oblige a request to be removed from lists. The weasel factor (going by the antics of similar services mentioned on these pages) is they may have you on many lists and only "unsubscribe" you from one at a time (and on proof that you have received an unsolicited e-mail).

Their own 'take' on the relevant law is

In order to send an email to a personal email address for the purpose of marketing products or services you need to have gained the receivers consent through some form of 'opt in' consent or to have previously sold the recipient a similar item or service which you are offering them in the marketing campaign. Business email addresses are not covered by this legislation.

If the spammed address is a private one and if you have no business relationship with the clients spamming you then you are on solid ground.

When, inevitably, your 'up-front' actions fail to stop the spew then is the time to to take it to ICO for enforcement of the PECO http://www.ico.gov.uk/what_we_cover/privac...unications.aspx. I don't think you will get far with the ICO (presumably staffed by proper little public serpents, much addicted to all available avenues of procrastination) if you cannot show that you have followed the basic steps Media Logistics lawfully provides to extricate yourself from their clutches. True, the onus is on Media Logistics to demonstrate that they lawfully acquired your private address but you can be reasonably certain it isn't going to be that straight-forward, critical parts of their business plan depend on it being difficult to refute their propriety.

As for taking them to court. In a civil action? When there are unavailed remedies under statute and regulation? IANAL but it doesn't sound likely you would get past the Clerk of Courts - in what jurisdictions are these precedents you mention? IMO let ICO take care of it, only if they fail might you have recourse to administrative review or to Common Law.