How can I see why we've been listed?

[hutchingsp]

We got listed on bl.spamcop.net last week.

Whilst everyone says "we don't send spam" we really don't - it seems that one of our person to person email conversations between one of our staff and a customer of ours contained a link to a third party online store (the British Standards Institute) which is on a URIBL which meant that our customers spam filter reported us to spamcop - which is nice of them.

The spamcop website tells you that you are listed, but it doesn't seem to show you any kind of reason why you are listed, so all you can do is delist yourself and assume it won't happen again - which it has today.

I'm waiting for their admins to come back to me but wanted a sanity check that I'm not going blind - does anyone know a way to see a reason why an IP has been listed on spamcop without having to ask them please (specifics not just "because we think you sent spam)?

Thanks

[Derek T]

We got listed on bl.spamcop.net last week.

I'm waiting for their admins to come back to me but wanted a sanity check that I'm not going blind - does anyone know a way to see a reason why an IP has been listed on spamcop without having to ask them please (specifics not just "because we think you sent spam)?

Thanks

Hi, yes if you tell us the IP involved then we paying users can check the reason(s) for listing (provided it was user reports that caused it rather than hitting spamtraps. Quicker than waiting for the admins to get back

Without the iP involved nobody here will be able to help. If you still have one post a rejection message (you can munge email addresses if you like but please, not the IP!)

[hutchingsp]

Hi, yes if you tell us the IP involved then we paying users can check the reason(s) for listing (provided it was user reports that caused it rather than hitting spamtraps. Quicker than waiting for the admins to get back

Without the iP involved nobody here will be able to help. If you still have one post a rejection message (you can munge email addresses if you like but please, not the IP!)

Thanks for the reply, rather not post the IP here simply because it makes it obvious who I work for :-)

However I do have a personal paid Spamcop email account - every time I try to login or register via www.spamcop.net (don't see the option to do an IP lookup via mailsc.spamcop.net) all I see is a 403 error so not only were we blacklisted but it looks like the Spamcop website isn't working correctly as I see the same behaviour at home and at work.

Frustration sums it up nicely

[lisati]

If you're provider has been nice to you, there might be a link you can visit mentioned in the bounce message.

Failing that, you might be able to find out some of the information you need by visiting http://www.spamcop.net/bl.shtml

[hutchingsp]

If you're provider has been nice to you, there might be a link you can visit mentioned in the bounce message.

Failing that, you might be able to find out some of the information you need by visiting http://www.spamcop.net/bl.shtml

All that tells me is that we aren't listed now - and we aren't because I delisted us.

We have working (and monitored) abuse[at] and postmaster[at] email addresses and it's a little surprising that nothing seems to be sent to those.

[lisati]

All that tells me is that we aren't listed now - and we aren't because I delisted us.

We have working (and monitored) abuse[at] and postmaster[at] email addresses and it's a little surprising that nothing seems to be sent to those.

You might want to consider an ISP account: have a look here: http://www.spamcop.net/fom-serve/cache/94.html

[turetzsr]

<snip>

We have working (and monitored) abuse[at] and postmaster[at] email addresses and it's a little surprising that nothing seems to be sent to those.

...If you're looking at the abuse address to which SpamCop sends notifications prompted by SpamCop user complaints, then that would be because the spam has gone to a SpamCop SpamTrap, in which case the only source of information for you is SpamCop staff (if you have not already done so, you can contact them via e-mail at deputies[at]admin.spamcop.net). From the address referenced by lisati, above 88753[/snapback], click on the link labeled "Trace IP" and it will tell you where SpamCop sends the reports.

...Another possibility is that the originator of the message indicating that your IP address is on the SpamCop blacklist was incorrect. But I presume that's not the case if you were able to complete the request to delist.

[hutchingsp]

...If you're looking at the abuse address to which SpamCop sends notifications prompted by SpamCop user complaints, then that would be because the spam has gone to a SpamCop SpamTrap, in which case the only source of information for you is SpamCop staff (if you have not already done so, you can contact them via e-mail at deputies[at]admin.spamcop.net). From the address referenced by lisati, above 88753[/snapback], click on the link labeled "Trace IP" and it will tell you where SpamCop sends the reports.

...Another possibility is that the originator of the message indicating that your IP address is on the SpamCop blacklist was incorrect. But I presume that's not the case if you were able to complete the request to delist.

AFAIK from the email Don sent me it was just because the URL our employee linked to was in a URIBL and "somehow" the recipients anti-spam service reported it to Spamcop.

I really can't stress enough, I was shown the exact email that Spamcop "saw" and it was the 17th or so reply in an email conversation about some prospective work where in one reply our member of staff happened to include a link to the BSI e-commerce website suggesting the customer look at a particular document.

I know these things happen but what's been so frustrating is just how difficult it is to actually find out why - seriously why do I bother to maintain an abuse[at] if you can get blacklisted without any notification before or after the fact and when you do you're stuck waiting six hours (and counting) to find out why it happened?

[SpamCopAdmin]

reply in an email conversation ... our member of staff happened to include a link to the BSI e-commerce website

Same thing this time. I guess you didn't take my advice about not referring to that WEB URL.

Your staff is corresponding with someone who feeds all his email into a filter that automatically reports possible spam to SpamCop.

- Don D'Minion - SpamCop Admin -

- Service[at]Admin.SpamCop.net -

[turetzsr]

<snip>

why do I bother to maintain an abuse[at] if you can get blacklisted without any notification before or after the fact

<snip>

...Did you check on which abuse address SpamCop uses for sending reports? 88756[/snapback]

<snip>

Your staff is corresponding with someone who feeds all his email into a filter that automatically reports possible spam to SpamCop.

<snip>

...Don, does that bypass the normal SpamCop user submission process's sending of e-mail(s) to the abuse address(es) or is the user explicitly "uncheck"ing the option to send complaint e-mails or is there some other reason you can see that "complaint" e-mails might not be being sent?

[Derek T]

Same thing this time. I guess you didn't take my advice about not referring to that WEB URL.

Your staff is corresponding with someone who feeds all his email into a filter that automatically reports possible spam to SpamCop.

- Don D'Minion - SpamCop Admin -

- Service[at]Admin.SpamCop.net -

Is that not highly irresponsible and should that reporter's account not be suspended until such time as s/he changes that set-up?

Prima facie it would seem to be a breach of SpamCops T&C's?

[lisati]

Is that not highly irresponsible and should that reporter's account not be suspended until such time as s/he changes that set-up?

Prima facie it would seem to be a breach of SpamCops T&C's?

My $0.02: It depends on how the filter is set up. With quick reporting there would be a risk of reporting legitimate mail by mistake without the chance to click "cancel" that regular reporting provides.

[turetzsr]

<snip>

Prima facie it would seem to be a breach of SpamCops T&C's?

Hi, Derek,

...Could you please tell us where you found the relevant SpamCop T&C?

...My $.02: both here and in other Forum Topics, Don has had the opportunity to warn against such automated submissions and has not done so, which leads me to conclude is that this practice is acceptable to SpamCop. Were I in charge, I'd judge that while it is okay to use the parser to find abuse addresses for suspected spam sources, its features of sending the reports and updating the statistics used to decide whether the suspected spam source should be added to the SpamCop BL are designed to be reviewed by real humans and must not be used in such an automated fashion. But it ain't my call. <g>