Unsolicited emails...
Discussion
Quick question, is it illegal to come across a list of emails and send out an unsolicited mail merge offering your services?
An email address of mine that I use for one purpose and one purpose only and have never given out has been hit with one.
I'm not too bothered, but I called the guy as his company details were in his auto sig (Joe Bloggs, Sales Exec, Company x etc) just to ask where he got it and he tells me he found it online which I'm not sure how he could... but couldn't tell me anything else, allegedly.
Not intention of wasting any more time on it, but was curious if this practice was actually allowed.
An email address of mine that I use for one purpose and one purpose only and have never given out has been hit with one.
I'm not too bothered, but I called the guy as his company details were in his auto sig (Joe Bloggs, Sales Exec, Company x etc) just to ask where he got it and he tells me he found it online which I'm not sure how he could... but couldn't tell me anything else, allegedly.
Not intention of wasting any more time on it, but was curious if this practice was actually allowed.
t that lands on your door mat kindly delivered by the post man - it's junk, hit delete, is the only option (or block if persistent).Did it have an "unsubscribe" link in the email? I'm pretty sure that's mandatory.
If you use gmail, flag it as spam. The 'unsubscribe" screens may have an option to report spam, as a lot of emails use services like Mailchimp whose TOS prevent you from sending unsolicited emails.
Also, just google for your own email address. You may think you've never "given it out" but if you've ever used it, then someone else has it...
If you use gmail, flag it as spam. The 'unsubscribe" screens may have an option to report spam, as a lot of emails use services like Mailchimp whose TOS prevent you from sending unsolicited emails.
Also, just google for your own email address. You may think you've never "given it out" but if you've ever used it, then someone else has it...
In the very early days, before my ISP banned mail bombing a UK fine art investment company spammed me. They had a website, and on that website in several different places were staff email addresses - perhaps 5 or 6 of them. So I mailed all of them telling them to desist.
Spammed again, so each address got the final desist notice again, but perhaps 40 copies each and the email also contained that any repeat of the spam would be taken as permission to test the security on their web server. Never heard another peep.
Most of my spam now comes from companies who bought the stolen details from Adobe last year. But it's slowly dwindling as I never return spam and do not send receipts.
Spammed again, so each address got the final desist notice again, but perhaps 40 copies each and the email also contained that any repeat of the spam would be taken as permission to test the security on their web server. Never heard another peep.
Most of my spam now comes from companies who bought the stolen details from Adobe last year. But it's slowly dwindling as I never return spam and do not send receipts.
Not sure if this is still valid (from 2003). Did you opt in to something and did the sender originate the email from within the UK?:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/3120628.stm
UK bans spam messages
Spam said to make up half of all e-mails sent
The UK has made spam a criminal offence to try to stop the flood of unsolicited messages.
Under the new law, spammers could be fined £5,000 in a magistrates court or an unlimited penalty from a jury.
But they would not be sent to jail, according to the new measures introduced by Communications Minister Stephen Timms.
Spam has become the bane of internet users, with junk messages making up more than half of all e-mails sent.
Permission to send
"It's crucial that people feel safe and have confidence in utilising electronic communication technologies," said Mr Timms.
"These regulations will help combat the global nuisance of unsolicited e-mails and texts by enshrining in law rights that give consumers more say over who can use their personal details. "
The measures take effect on 11 December and will be enforced by the Information Commissioner.
Under the new law, companies will have to get permission from an individual before they can send them an e-mail or text message.
But the regulations do not cover business e-mail addresses, despite some calls for a blanket ban on spam.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/3120628.stm
UK bans spam messages
Spam said to make up half of all e-mails sent
The UK has made spam a criminal offence to try to stop the flood of unsolicited messages.
Under the new law, spammers could be fined £5,000 in a magistrates court or an unlimited penalty from a jury.
But they would not be sent to jail, according to the new measures introduced by Communications Minister Stephen Timms.
Spam has become the bane of internet users, with junk messages making up more than half of all e-mails sent.
Permission to send
"It's crucial that people feel safe and have confidence in utilising electronic communication technologies," said Mr Timms.
"These regulations will help combat the global nuisance of unsolicited e-mails and texts by enshrining in law rights that give consumers more say over who can use their personal details. "
The measures take effect on 11 December and will be enforced by the Information Commissioner.
Under the new law, companies will have to get permission from an individual before they can send them an e-mail or text message.
But the regulations do not cover business e-mail addresses, despite some calls for a blanket ban on spam.
That was over a decade ago. Another Blairite piece of knee-jerk legislation while totally failing to work out that all the spammers need to do is send the offending e-mails from outside the UK. The ICO is then powerless. Or if the government was aware, then it was simply a sop to the masses - i.e. being seen to be 'doing something'.
AB said:
Quick question, is it illegal to come across a list of emails and send out an unsolicited mail merge offering your services?
An email address of mine that I use for one purpose and one purpose only and have never given out has been hit with one.
I'm not too bothered, but I called the guy as his company details were in his auto sig (Joe Bloggs, Sales Exec, Company x etc) just to ask where he got it and he tells me he found it online which I'm not sure how he could... but couldn't tell me anything else, allegedly.
Not intention of wasting any more time on it, but was curious if this practice was actually allowed.
If in the email addresses are of private individuals then yes, as these should all have 'opted in' to any email marketing. If they're UK business emails then not - but there are exceptions (non-UK, sole traders & partnerships). An email address of mine that I use for one purpose and one purpose only and have never given out has been hit with one.
I'm not too bothered, but I called the guy as his company details were in his auto sig (Joe Bloggs, Sales Exec, Company x etc) just to ask where he got it and he tells me he found it online which I'm not sure how he could... but couldn't tell me anything else, allegedly.
Not intention of wasting any more time on it, but was curious if this practice was actually allowed.
SS7
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