Wanadoo/Orange spam

[Choochoo]

Hi Everyone

I regularly get about 10 e mails a day on my Wanadoo account which are trying to sell me Viagra.

Do Wanadoo have an anti spam policy ? I dont get any on Hotmail.

Today I had to wade through 65 of them to see if there were any real e mails.

Most annoying ! Does anyone know how I can block them ?

Thanks

John

[pigeonnier]

Only Viagra? You're lucky, I get these too plus spam for other pharmaceutical products and for cheapo fake watches. Yes, I do subscribe to Wanadoo's anti spam filter (Can'tdoo, Won'tdoo etc etc).

[fulcrum]

Since Wanadoo went to Orange. I am now receiving one or two a day of viagra ads. I never used to receive any on the account before the changeover.

You could put a filter on that detects OLEX or AGRA anywhere in the subject line.

[Deimos]

Likewise. Completely free from SPAM (except one source of one e-mail once a month). Then Wanadoo became Orange and everybody wants to sell me Viagra and enlarge certain aspects of my physique.

Wanadoo/Orange do have a policy on this - you pay them additional money each month and they give you their anti-SPAM package (although the evidence points to them being the cause !!)

Some time ago when I used to get my one SPAM message per month I actually tracked it to being Wanadoo's fault so called them, had a big row on the telephone, refused to pay for their anti-Spam package. Ended up they said they would write to me. Never heard from them but also the monthly Spam message stopped. As I never told them who it was from they must have somehow known in order to "stop it".

Ian

[tenniswitch]

Interesting.  I've never had any spam on my Wanadoo/Orange account.  Of course, I don't use it a lot.  Hotmail does at least let you have everything that's not from a "contact" dumped into your Junkmail account, a feature that hasn't made its way to gmail (where I do get spam). 

Of course, if you download your Orange mail through Outlook Express (and, presumably, also Outlook), you could set up rules to have all that stuff blocked from the ISP.

[Wils]

Like the rest I receive about 30 or 40 spam a day. I now subscribe to an anti-spam programme called Cloudmark at www.cloundmark.com it works fine and now blocks all my spam in a special 'spam' box. I have enough confidence in it now that I don't even check the box before emptying it.

[Will]

I can't get the link to work unfortunately.

I have come across a couple of free anti-spam programs, one of which was merely a way of harvesting addresses, and another which was so successful in annoying spammers that it was itself targeted by them and got closed down.

Addresses that attract spam - I know, I have just deleted 160 messages that came in overnight - tend to be those that are published somewhere on the internet and get harvested. Also you may have been in the Outlook address book of somebody whose computer was infected by one of those worms or viruses that sends out spam, and, worse still, forges the message headers so it looks as if the spam came from your address.

[Tony F Dordogne]

Not only getting the spam for various pharmaceuticals but also have a number of UK 'banks' asking me for my account details.  Interesting that two purport to come from Barclays and Nationwide where OH has an account but I don't - and she has her own computer so how the hell would they have got my email address.

Generally with Wanadoo/Orange I get about 20 spams a day. 

[Deimos]

 

[quote user="Will "]

Addresses that attract spam - I know, I have just deleted 160 messages that came in overnight - tend to be those that are published somewhere on the internet and get harvested.

[/quote]

You do not always have to publish your e-mail address yourself. Often others will do it for you, presenting it to Spammers in a readily available form. For example, some people who do not know how to operate a forum will (probably without realising it) publish members e-mail addresses to "the world) (i.e. not just other forum members but everybody). For example http://www.thatsfrance.com/forum/memberlist.php gives out loads of members e-mail addresses to anybody who might think they need "performance enhancing medication". Others who know a bit more about how to run a forum (e.g. http://www.totalfrance.com/france/forum/memberlist.php - using the same software) protect users e-mail addresses allowing requiring registration details before giving them out.

A lot of Spam messages can be avoided by taking great care with your e-mail addresses. For commercial operations this can be a conflict of interest as you often will want loads of people to have your e-mail address in order that they can contact you.

Ian

[Will]

Quite so, I didn't want to mention any names because I understand there is an unwritten rule here saying that particular forum should not be mentioned. But it was noticeable that a shortish time after joining it, spam to the particular address used (which had already been published more publicly by a client, and is one which is currently, but not too much longer, needed for legitimate contact) increased quite considerably, noticeably 'undeliverable' e-mails for which the return address had been spoofed on spam messages. Has anybody else had a similar experience?

[Deimos]

I think that if somebody is being irresponsible and publishing personal information that contributes to Spam people should be made aware of the fact. Spam is a real nuisance and one an e-mail address has got to a Spam sender it is very difficult to "withdraw" it and persuade the sender to stop using it.

Part of stopping Spam means that when you give your e-mail address to somebody (or some organisation) you should be able to assume that they will respect your privacy and not publish it openly. It is not technically difficult for people to be responsible with personal information people submit to them and the problem will not go away unless people are made aware of what some operators are doing (maybe without realising it but doing it none the less).

Ian

[Chancer]

I still use the Hotmail account that I used when travelling the world and as a consequence have never used the wanadoo/orange messagerie and have never given out the e-mail address, mainly because they mis-spelt my name terribly.

Having read this post I decided to check the inbox in case there was spam or anything important from Wanadoo.

No spam but about 50 messages from wanadoo.

I do however have a couple of questions.

1.   Can you change the default wanadoo password to something more intelligible? if so how?

2.   On hotmail how do I get the system to send stuff to the junk folder as mentioned before?  The only way I can see is to write down the senders address from the inbox and then retype it in the junk-mail folder, even then this did not stop stuff from the same source getting through. Surely I am missing something and I can actually with a click of the mouse send unwanted mail to the junk folder and make sure that is where subsequent ones go?

[Cassis]

[quote user="tenniswitch"]

Of course, if you download your Orange mail through Outlook Express (and, presumably, also Outlook), you could set up rules to have all that stuff blocked from the ISP.

[/quote]

Yes, it works in Outlook as well.  I've just a couple of rules that deal with the commonest pests and any others that slip through (maybe one a day) I add to my 'Block Junk Mail Senders' list.

I've used to get loads of investment tips for some bizarre reason, coming from loads of different senders, but they're dying out now.  Anybody else get those and know their source?

[Salty Sam]

If you want a good example of how much Orange is bothered about spam, get an Orange mobile phone and take up their offer of a free email account.

Within 24 hours your inbox will be filled with crap and very conveniently, if you download this effluent via your mobile phone - you pay Orange for the honour of doing so!

[Cassis]

[quote user="J.R."]

2.   On hotmail how do I get the system to send stuff to the junk folder as mentioned before?  The only way I can see is to write down the senders address from the inbox and then retype it in the junk-mail folder, even then this did not stop stuff from the same source getting through. Surely I am missing something and I can actually with a click of the mouse send unwanted mail to the junk folder and make sure that is where subsequent ones go?

[/quote]

Go to your inbox in Hotmail then tick the box next to all the Spam emails therein; there is a button on the toolbar called 'Junk' which will consign those mails and any others from the same addresses to the junk mail folder.

[Chancer]

Thank you Cassis, yes I have done that but they still keep coming in from the same address.

I think that it says that it helps them to identify junk mail, i.e if enough people do it then the address may automatically be sent to junk folder.

I have been religously putting jumk e-mails from the same adresses into the junk e-mail folder using the method you have described for over one year and they still appear in my in box, during that time nothing has automatically gone to the junk e-mail folder.

Am I missing something obvious?

Many thanks

John

[tenniswitch]

[This was a reply to JR's post.  Sorry, I didn't hit the right button.]

1. I think so, but I haven't accessed my wanadoo account through the website lately.  If nobody else answers, I'll look and report back.

2. If I remember correctly, all mail from senders not in my address book or on my contact list (I can't remember what Hotmail calls it) is automatically dumped into the junk mail box.  So, I think what you need to do is to set up (or prune) your list of Hotmail contacts.

[tenniswitch]

[quote user="J.R."]

I still use the Hotmail account that I used when travelling the world and as a consequence have never used the wanadoo/orange messagerie and have never given out the e-mail address, mainly because they mis-spelt my name terribly.

Having read this post I decided to check the inbox in case there was spam or anything important from Wanadoo.

No spam but about 50 messages from wanadoo.

I do however have a couple of questions.

1.   Can you change the default wanadoo password to something more intelligible? if so how?

2.   On hotmail how do I get the system to send stuff to the junk folder as mentioned before?  The only way I can see is to write down the senders address from the inbox and then retype it in the junk-mail folder, even then this did not stop stuff from the same source getting through. Surely I am missing something and I can actually with a click of the mouse send unwanted mail to the junk folder and make sure that is where subsequent ones go?

[/quote]

To try to answer your first question: it is theoretically possible to change your wanadoo password by clicking the link "mon compte" on the Orange website (after you have already accessed your account using the wanadoo-supplied pw).  However, when I have tried to do it, I encounter "desolee" messages suggesting that I have already used up my 5-account allowance (I have not) and trying to sell me some more something, storage, perhaps?

As I download my Orange mail (what little there is of it) through Outlook Express, this is not actually a problem for me, but I quite understand that it isn't much help to you.

[Rob Roy]

In my ignorance I couldn't understand why I was suddenly getting spam, (thought it might be from someone's e-mail I'd received) but I realise now that it is since Orange took over Wanadoo it all started, so thanks for clearing up that little mystery!

As I obviously need to receive e-mails from 'unknown' sources i.e. people asking about B&B, I don't know how I can block them although several do automatically go in the Junk E-mail box every day, and the rest I add to my Blocked Senders List. Is there anything else I can do?

[Deimos]

Also, do not underestimate the mail address harvesting from un-secured sources. People to publish (or allow others to publish) their e-mail addresses invariably suffer more Spam than others who keep their e-mail address more private.

My own opinion and experience is that the Wanadoo/Orange sourced Spam tends to be from more reputable companies selling something that they really think you might want. This Spam tends to provide un-subscribe links and these un-subscribes do tend to work. The harvested e-mail address spammers tend to want to help you enlarge aspects of your anatomy or sell you Viagra. These tend not the have un-subscribe links are are the real nuisance ones. Using my own domain name for e-mails and using different e-mail addresses for every different web-site, etc. I manage to identify where most Spam is sourced from which is useful in terms of learning how to avoid it.

You need to remember, what point would there be in you buying an "anti-spam" add-on from your ISP if you received no spam. Thus, it is in the ISP's interest to make sure you receive enough Spam to want to pay them to stop it - but then maybe I'm a bit cyncial.

Ian

[Will]

Do be very careful about unsubscribing from junk mail. Although reputable companies are likely to do as you want, if you click on any unsubscribe links in the Viagra, Rolex replica, weight loss,get-rich-quick or porn (of which I have a lot via Wanadoo) type of messages all that does is prove that your e-mail address is valid, so it will be passed on to even more spammers.

[tenniswitch]

[quote user="Will "]Do be very careful about unsubscribing from junk mail. Although reputable companies are likely to do as you want, if you click on any unsubscribe links in the Viagra, Rolex replica, weight loss,get-rich-quick or porn (of which I have a lot via Wanadoo) type of messages all that does is prove that your e-mail address is valid, so it will be passed on to even more spammers.[/quote]

Yes, it's much better/safer to delete it or block it at your end than to use the "unsubscribe links" on those types of spam. 

I have know people who finally got so fed up that they discarded old e-mail addresses and began using new accounts (usually with ISPs that provide better spam-blocking capability), but that's a lot of trouble.

[Deimos]

Apart from judging by content and what they are selling, I have generally found the reputable companies (with reputable unsubscribe links) send from a "sensible" e-mail address (e.g. @[email protected] or [email protected], etc.). The disreputable ones (to avoid) tend to send from short-lived and ever changing e-mail addresses (e.g. [email protected]) - which can be why you keep receiving it. Although you consign it to junk, next time the same spammer sends it its from a different e-mail address/domain so appears as though from somebody else.

I notice in today's Wanadoo/Orange "newsletter" there is a bit detailing their anti-spam offering and encouraging you to subscribe to it.

IMHO I think the general solution to SPAM is to stop those sending it rather than filtering it out on reception. Some ISPs have taken action and been inventive. For example, one scheme is that anybody sending an e-mail to more than 20 recipients needs to have specific options enabled by their ISP. Similarly, ISPs could go further, limiting total e-mail recipients per day (e.g. 1 e-mail to 10 people - 10 e-mails each to one person). Where companies get authorisation to exceed the limit, the ISP could add a trailer to a message allowing a recipient to report it to the ISP as Spam. Maybe ISPs provide the subscribe/unsubscribe facilities for bulk senders, etc. Loads of possibilities that would go a significant way to lower the problems but most ISPs are not too motivated. One good example is Yahaoo who have started taking some Spam senders to court in the US where theyu (the spammers) have violated the CANSPAM act.

Ian

[Chancer]

Tenniswitch

No the junk mail is addresses are not in my address book or contact list, only about one in 50 messages are from my contacts, I do not want to junk all the others (and do not know how) only to identify each address once and from thereon consign it to the junk folder

[tenniswitch]

[quote user="J.R."]

Tenniswitch

No the junk mail is addresses are not in my address book or contact list, only about one in 50 messages are from my contacts, I do not want to junk all the others (and do not know how) only to identify each address once and from thereon consign it to the junk folder

[/quote]

Okay, I understand now.  My approach is the opposite: everything to junk until I decide that I want to receive mail from that sender, then I add him/her/it to my contacts list.  But that does require that you check your junk mail box once or twice a week to ensure that nothing is deleted that you might have wanted to read.

If you want everything to go to your inbox (where it won't be automatically deleted once a week), then you'll just go to your inbox and either check the box next to the messages you consider spam and hit the "junk" button near the top of the inbox page.  If you're reading the message, there's a "junk" button at the top of the page. 

If what you really want to do is block the sender, that's easier to do through Outlook Express (or Outlook) than on the Hotmail website. 

As you mentioned, on the Hotmail website you have to do it one at a time, and the process is a bit clumsy.  You open the message, select the sender's address and select Edit/Copy (or CTRL+C) to copy the address.  Click on Options/Junk E-Mail Protection/Block Senders.  Select Edit/Paste (or CTRL+V) to paste the address.  Click Add, then Okay.

And, as others have mentioned, these spammers change addresses frequently, so you'll have to keep doing it.