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Correlation between reporting and getting spam


Oriolus

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Hi,

I'm a non paying reporter and I too get more and more spam. "That's how life goes", some of you say.

BTW I didn't read all 9 pages of about 50 posts each; maybe one has suggested the following already.

I read the FAQ belonging to SpamFighter's product of the same name. I read the following issue:

Q. "Why do I get more spam sent to me every day?"

A. "Never open a spam mail, and remember to turn the preview pane off, so that only those messages you deliberately open are displayed. The pictures, also called web bugs in spam mails, are usually designed so that spammers can see if you open them, which means a lot of spam... "

There was more in the answer but I think these two urgent suggestions, if not injunctions, are to be thought over, I think, or am I wrong if I pose the following:

It sounds as if they are right, and that spammers know that I opened their spam.

I'm an Outlook (2007) user.

If I report spam, I have to open the message, i.e. I can get the full headers by right clicking at the unopened (and not shown message of the) email in my In Box, but if I want to copy the body, either the body itself or the html-code of the body, I have at least to reveal that part to being able to copy it in order to report the spam in the two-part reporting panels. So what's if one reports? He or she is bound to give the spammer information by opening the mail, if SpamFighter's statement is correct.

This also explains the effect of getting less spam if one stops reporting for a while (discussed in the beginning of the lounge).

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It sounds as if they are right, and that spammers know that I opened their spam.

I'm an Outlook (2007) user.

If I report spam, I have to open the message, i.e. I can get the full headers by right clicking at the unopened (and not shown message of the) email in my In Box, but if I want to copy the body, either the body itself or the html-code of the body, I have at least to reveal that part to being able to copy it in order to report the spam in the two-part reporting panels. So what's if one reports? He or she is bound to give the spammer information by opening the mail, if SpamFighter's statement is correct.

This also explains the effect of getting less spam if one stops reporting for a while (discussed in the beginning of the lounge).

The same information is located in the FAG linked at the top of each page here.

I have not experienced Outlook 2007, but Outlook 2003 by default does not download the pictures unless you request it (or by setting the sender as safe, or overriding the default). You can safely open the messages if the html is not loading the remote parts and (in Outlook 2003) you can right-click View Source and report that source. None of these things leave your local machine or give the spammer any information.

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Not all reporters use Outlook and so never have to open an email to report it. Perhaps those who use Outlook /are/ the ones who experience more spam with more reporting. If I remember correctly, those who have attempted to conduct experiments generally have concluded that spam ebbs and flows for no discernible reason. Other people's experiences are generally anecdotal and can range from no difference to a big difference.

I am not quite sure how to do it (or if it is possible in Outlook), but I think I remember some people saying that when they wanted to 'look' at a spam, they made it .txt file and looked at it in Notepad.

I don't know if quick reporting is an option for Outlook users, but it might be since quick reporting does not look at the body of the spam, though possibly the body has to be there for 'proof'.

Miss Betsy

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Yes, if they want to, spammers can detect an email opened in Outlook (or even previewed, IIUC) unless the configuration is locked down tight (heck, I'm not even sure if mine is but it's tight enough to be a total pain). There are shareware tools like the free version of PocketKnife Peek which let you inspect the headers, body (HTML and text) and attachments without opening. - not sure if it works with Outlook 2007 though. Early adopters pave the way for the rest of us :)

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