Anybody here use spam blocker services? | FerrariChat

Anybody here use spam blocker services?

Discussion in 'Other Off Topic Forum' started by Texas Forever, Feb 23, 2004.

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  1. Texas Forever

    Texas Forever Seven Time F1 World Champ
    Rossa Subscribed

    Apr 28, 2003
    75,370
    Texas!
    I've had it! Getting 100s of spam a day was bad enough, but now virus spam!

    Has anybody use one of the mail spam blockers? As I understand it, which means that I probably have it wrong, all your email goes first to a mail blocker that checks it against your address book. If the email matches, it goes straight to your regular email. If it doesn't, the blocker sends a message to the little creep asking for verification. If the sender is not a creep, they respond to the verification and the blocker lets the email in.

    All this sounds like a royal pain in the butt. But so is spam!

    Your thoughts?

    Dr "War is Heck" Tax

    ps I use Euroda for my email if that makes any difference.
     
  2. Doody

    Doody F1 Veteran

    Nov 16, 2001
    6,099
    MA USA
    Full Name:
    Mr. Doody
    are you using 6.0? i recently upgraded and i'm impressed with its filtering - although it's taken a couple weeks to "get good".

    i also use Trend Micro's PCCillin for virus protection. switched from McAfee and NEVER looked back - impressive stuff.

    i used to use McAfee's SpamKiller. no bayesian filtering - you had to teach it everything which was a pain BUT it was a front-end to mail, so you never got the garbage into eudora, which was kinda nice.

    doody.
     
  3. Texas Forever

    Texas Forever Seven Time F1 World Champ
    Rossa Subscribed

    Apr 28, 2003
    75,370
    Texas!
    Yes, I'm using 6.0 and even with the filtering working, I still get more than my share. I wonder sometimes if this is because I have my own domain and my main private email shows up as the owner of the domain.


    Norton has worked pretty well, but if you say this works, nothing wrong with using two virus protecters is there?


    The software I heard of was called Mail Blocker. Every heard of it?

    Dr "I love the smell of naplam in the morning" Tax
     
  4. noahlh

    noahlh Formula 3

    Aug 28, 2003
    2,231
    NYC, NY
    Full Name:
    Noah
    If I may offer a suggestion, which, if taken, will eliminate 99.9% of spam. (This may be more technically complex than some of us wish to deal with, but spam isn't simple stuff to fight).

    I use an email service called FastMail -- www.fastmail.fm. They're a full-service email provider, and email is all they do. If you sign up for either their "Full" service ($20 / year) or their "Enhanced" service ($40 / year), you get access to one of the most powerful server-side spam filters out there -- SpamAssassin. What that does is basically kill the spam before it even gets to your inbox, so you don't even have to worry about installing any programs, filters, or anything on your home PC.

    You can use either their really slick web interface or your standard POP3 or IMAP client (i.e. Eurdora, Outlook, or Outlook Express). With the "Full" account, you have to use one of their domains (i.e. [email protected] or one of their other 20 or so names) and with the "Enhanced" service you can use your own domain name (i.e. [email protected]) -- then it's totally seamless.

    I started using the service about 6 months ago, and in that time I've gotten roughly 10 spam messages TOTAL in my inbox, while nearly _36,000_ have been neatly filtered into oblivion. Best $40 I've spent in a looooong time.

    nlh
     
  5. RacerX_GTO

    RacerX_GTO F1 World Champ
    Silver Subscribed

    Nov 2, 2003
    13,965
    Oregon
    Full Name:
    Gabe V.
    First of all... what sites are you going to? Second, what email did you open up before the downpour of mail?

    I don't use a spam blocker and I don't receive any spam. What's my secret?

    My system is on Windows 2000. Zone Alarm Pro is my firewall. I use Outlook Express for email.


    My survival tips:

    *Never open or click on the contents in ad mail -
    Outlook Express allows me to preview the mail before I open it. I never open mail from companies of software I registered. They have this nifty little script that retreives your address so they can bombard you with other crap. Spammers use that to get your address as well. Delete the mail, never open it. More times than not, the email stops from that company.

    * Web site pop ups give you an option to close or exit -
    NEVER do that! They are buttons with hidden scripts that go and get your address so they can share with other spammers. If you use Windows, ALT +F4 (which is close window) the pop up. In case of doubt, always Alt+F4 a pop up. Sometimes.. nasty little pop ups have written script that if you do an alt+F4 another little window appears, "Are you sure you want to close this window? y/n ?" Never click that, instead, CTRL+ALT+DEL, go to Task Manager, Applications and click on the annoying pop up in the list and End Task it.

    * Sites want you to fill in your email address to gain access or subscribe to information! -
    You put you email address in that field, and you have it coming, brace yourself for a downpour of spam.

    Explorer maint includes deleting cokies I don't need and deleting files in the "Temporary Internet Files" directory.


    FerrariChat Members: "But Gabe, I don't want to go through all of that, I just want something to do it for me"

    Gabe: "Then go and get yourself a Adware, Ant-Spam or Ad Pop Up blocker"




    - Gabe
     
  6. DrStranglove

    DrStranglove FChat Assassin
    Owner Rossa Subscribed

    Oct 31, 2003
    29,135
    Google Maps
    Full Name:
    DrS
    Sorry I cant help. I have a Mac and its internal spam guard nukes 99% of it!!!
     
  7. MikeZ_NJ

    MikeZ_NJ Formula 3

    Dec 10, 2002
    1,533
    Southern NJ
    Full Name:
    Mike Z.
    I wouldn't recommend 2 virus programs running at the same time - they tend to conflict with each other.

    Have you tried Outlook 2003? It has built in Junk filtering that works REALLY well. I've been using it since November and only one or two spam messages have come through.

    Do yourself a favor and set up a hotmail account. Whenever you need to provide an email on a site that doesn't have a privacy policy/opt out of email thing, use the hotmail account. If your hotmail email gets on any lists, it will be the email you don't use, so it won't matter.
     
  8. bobafett

    bobafett F1 Veteran

    Sep 28, 2002
    9,193
    UCE is a subject close to my heart.

    SpamAssassin is so-so. You need to constantly update it and even then the spammers are on top of things.

    THe blacklist/whitelist methods have merits, however both have huge downsides too. Blacklisting isn't nearly effective enough. Whitelisting means you will miss out on the love from me unless I call you and tell you to add me to the love-list first.

    SpamAssassin and other Bayesian filtering / intelligent programs are effective, however if used in concert with a dedicated mail server, onw hich you use multiple addresses for different purposes and throw-away addresses forwarded to a real one (for example, for orders placed, filling out useless webforms, etc), then you've really got something. I am in the process of setting up a RAID 5 box on a Tier1 with about a month of backup power for myself for exactly this application.

    The other thing to do is contact MAPS. THose guys are IT when it comes to anti-UCE activities. Dave Rand and Paul Vixie (both of whom are close family friends) are the world proponents of anti-UCE, and they may be offering a service to fit your needs (althogh I suspect it's majorly overkill). If you want, let me know and I'll introduce you.

    I can't speak about those anti-spam mail address services like mentioned below as I've never used one.

    If you want, I can go on for days about this. Just ask.

    --Dan
     
  9. Dr. Bob

    Dr. Bob Formula Junior

    Apr 17, 2003
    563
    Groningen
    Full Name:
    Bob Hagendijk
    Adaware works fine for me, run it every few days and everything is filtered away
     
  10. Schatten

    Schatten F1 World Champ
    Owner

    Apr 3, 2001
    11,237
    Austin, TX
    Full Name:
    Randy
    has nothing to do with spam.

    better feature in 2003 is that outlook will only download images from a particular sender if you choose to. that means that when you get an email from XYZ spammer, and it is in HTML format, there's a little square or two on there, which does not appear to be obvious at all. it's actually a clear 1x1 pixel somewhere in the html which tracks valid email addresses. thus, if you open your email and it views html & downloads the images.. ahhh.. they have a live one: your valid email address.

    re: outlook express - stay away from it. damn. I can't believe people still use this application. I know it's free but sheesh.

    btw, I really cannot stand the McAfee antispam app. it's a PITA to teach it everything and at least for me, crashed very often on two separate XP systems.

    I'd recommend: http://www.sunbelt-software.com/product.cfm?id=931 which works with Eudora as well. I'd say it gets 90-95% of the job done and you have to click 'block' for the rest.
     
  11. Evolved

    Evolved F1 Veteran

    Nov 5, 2003
    8,700
    Sign up for the spam arrest service.
     
  12. Texas Forever

    Texas Forever Seven Time F1 World Champ
    Rossa Subscribed

    Apr 28, 2003
    75,370
    Texas!
    Okay, here's what I currently use -- I have my own domain that is hosted by a local IP. There are multiple email accounts under this domain. The first one is my main email which is something like dale at drtax dot com. I have various other email accounts on this domain that get a little bit of spam, but nothing like the main account.

    I use the most recent verison of Norton "corporate" to catch viruses.

    I use Eudora 6.0 and have its filter set on 50%, and it has learned to catch most of the crap. Eudora has preview. I also never-never-never-never click on an attachment unless I was expecting the attachment or I call the person.

    I also use my mail server to check the mail via the web so I can zap these bastards before they get downloaded. I also use Ad watch. I also routinely zap cookies and file in IE. Etc, etc, etc.

    The only time I buy stuff on the web is through Amazon or airline tickets. However, I use one of the secondary email accounts for this.

    Still about 20 to 30 spams a day manage to slip through. But, the real problem, which just happened <sigh>, are these damn virus spams. My computer doesn't get inflected because I don't click on this crap, but I have to pull off and run Norton to zap the damn thing. This burns off an hour a pop.

    I think the root cause is that my primary email address is out there. Not only is my email address on the webpage, but I do a lot of work via email. This means that I'm in address files around the country. I also write professionally which gets my name out there and, typically, results in the odd "out of the blue" email from someone I have never met. Finallly, I have two kids in school, which are more prone to hacking or so it seems.

    This is why I'm thinking that I need a Mail Blocking service. Some folks I work with use them, and they are pain for a new users trying to contact me, but what's a poor boy to do?

    Dr "Kill the other dumb poor bastard before he kills you" Tax
     
  13. darth550

    darth550 Six Time F1 World Champ
    Lifetime Rossa

    Jul 14, 2003
    60,788
    In front of you
    Full Name:
    BCHC
    OK, Im asking......

    DL
     
  14. Texas Forever

    Texas Forever Seven Time F1 World Champ
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    Apr 28, 2003
    75,370
    Texas!
    Okay, what is a UCE?
     
  15. Schatten

    Schatten F1 World Champ
    Owner

    Apr 3, 2001
    11,237
    Austin, TX
    Full Name:
    Randy
    Given that you have done what you can already, given the exposure of your email address in many email boxes of clients & friends, and that only ~30 get through on a day to day basis, I have to say that isn't too bad. There's no way to eliminate it 100%.

    I get on a day to day basis, at least that - well.. at least that which comes through. I'd probably say 30 minimum up to 60 on average for a day to day basis on spam mail that gets through. But there are the virus spams which can amount to over 600 an hour... =/

    Oh, and soon... the presidential candidates will be spamming you too. Yes, it's true. The Anti-SPAM bill allows someone on the presidential ballot to spam your ass.

    There's not too much you can do about the spams that reach you by means of you anyways. The virus spams are either sent by you and rejected (by means of using your address from an infected computer which is probably least likely yours) or just random spam because your address is in someone else's mailbox.
     
  16. sduke

    sduke Formula Junior

    Mar 10, 2003
    825
    The Hub City, Texas
    Full Name:
    Steven D
    For what it is worth, I have been using Mailwasher. It is a free program that is between your email client and your POP server. You manually preview each email before it lands in your inbox. The advantage to the program is that you bounce any spam mail you get. The sender receives a "no such email address" from the Mailwasher program. In effect, it aids in getting off of the spammers list. It takes a while for the bouncing to do it's job, but the results are pretty good. It automatically tags any additional mailings from the offender and automatically deletes them.

    The drawback is that you have to wade through the spam to find it at first. You can preview the body in each email before tagging it as spam. I like the fact that it helps hide your email account from spammers. Plus you can't beat the price.
     
  17. dm_n_stuff

    dm_n_stuff Four Time F1 World Champ
    Lifetime Rossa Owner

    I Hate Spam!

    www,Ihatespam.com. dunno if it works with Eudora or not.

    Also, latest version of Microsoft Outlook (not outlook express) has some pretty effecient spam blocking software,once you tweak it up.

    I get 4-500 emails a day, it filters out about 99% of the bad stuff.

    Good luck

    Dave
     
  18. DMClark

    DMClark Karting

    Feb 24, 2004
    110
    Blacksburg, Virginia
    Full Name:
    Dean Clark
    Outlook 2003 has worked good for me so far. I'm starting to get the the point where I might need something more though.
     
  19. Schatten

    Schatten F1 World Champ
    Owner

    Apr 3, 2001
    11,237
    Austin, TX
    Full Name:
    Randy
    posted the link above. and btw, it is www.ihatespam.net, not .com
    yes, it does work with eudora. this is one of my favored anti-spam apps.
     
  20. dfratini

    dfratini Karting
    Silver Subscribed

    Dec 31, 2003
    154
    Spokane, WA
    Full Name:
    Daniel Fratini
    I agree with Randy IHATESPAM is the best. The new version has a report service. I use it on all my computers and it is easy to configure and easy to use.
     
  21. GrigioGuy

    GrigioGuy Splenda Daddy
    Lifetime Rossa Owner

    Nov 26, 2001
    29,385
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    Full Name:
    Trailer Swift

    Stay away from the server-based product. We installed it, and it was only after several puzzling problems that the company finally admitted that their IHateSpam server product had a bug that randomly stops the mail flow on an Exchange server. Needless to say, it's been ripped out now.
     
  22. bobafett

    bobafett F1 Veteran

    Sep 28, 2002
    9,193
    DL: WHat do you want to know?

    Dale: Unsolicted COmmercial Email.

    --Dan
     
  23. Texas Forever

    Texas Forever Seven Time F1 World Champ
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    Apr 28, 2003
    75,370
    Texas!
    Well, I tried it and couldn't get it to work with Eudora. I'm sure that it is some kind of user error. Guess I'll go eat worms...
     
  24. Texas Forever

    Texas Forever Seven Time F1 World Champ
    Rossa Subscribed

    Apr 28, 2003
    75,370
    Texas!

    Dan, I want to know how to run these @#@^#$^ into the ground and stomp these @$%@#% into the ground. Pls advise.
     
  25. bobafett

    bobafett F1 Veteran

    Sep 28, 2002
    9,193
    Dale: law now states that you get a cut if you can help bring spammers down. Expect a decline courtesy of the big boys.

    I will email you.

    --Dan
     

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