"stock tip" mails, help stopping please

[ShippMA]

Hi,

I couldn't find a more specific forum, so i hope this is ok.

Basically heres the deal. I keep getting these "stock tip" e-mails that i want to stop however the e-mail address that they give to un-subscribe is fake as far as i can make out as whenever i send a message to it it comes back undelivered after 2 days. Heres the facts that i can work out, any help would be much appreciated.

- I use Hotmail.com
- About a month ago these mails started and i always tick the "don't send me stuff" box so i'm not sure how these got my address
- The mails consits of two jpegs and a whole load of text. The first jpeg contains the whole body of the message, the "stock tip" etc.
- The second jpeg contains the very helpful do this to un-subscribe message
- The mail then has a whole load of white text on a white background that is basically random paragraphs stuck together
- The mails come from a different address each time and i get a couple a day and if i send back to the address i get the undelivered response
- The only identifing parts of the e-mail that are the same each time is the second jpeg that contains the e-mail address of nothanks@saharaneast.info and the snail mail address of e-broadcast group, 6 Effute Avenue, Kingston 10 Jamaica, WI
- Google searches on saharaneast have not turned up anything

So that is about it, any suggestions?

Thanks in advance for any help

Matt

[ZT3000]

Any suggestions??

Sure!

Don't ever click on the "unsubscribe me" link or "return email" EVER, unless you initiated the subscription in the first place.

If your junk email is increasing, start looking for another email address.

[Edit: You could drive down to 6 Effute Avenue, Kingston 10 Jamaica, WI, with a baseball bat, but you'd probably find an empty building/office.]

[ShippMA]

Now thats not the kind of answer i was looking for but hey,

Additionally what the hell are you supposed to do when you start getting this crap, companies "obtain" email addresses by various means and when these come in you want to get rid of them. Always making sure you check the don't send me offers etc button doesn't mean you wont get junk, companies will find you. Anyone who says they have never had unsolicited mail is either a liar or only set up the account a couple of months ago. So when eventually the junk mail idiots do find you to stop it it usually means clicking on some kind of unsubscribe me link so as far as i see it you have two options.

1. don't click the link and live with getting the crap till you change mail address
2. click the link and hope it actually works

Now i like my address and don't want to change, i've had it for 5 years and this is currently the only junk mail that gets through the hotmail auto filters. Yes I can live with 3 unsolicited junk mails a day but should i have to, NO.

So if anyone has a helpful suggestion please feel free to post it

Thanks

Matt

[foxyloxley]

Additionally what the hell are you supposed to do when you start getting this crap

Get an anti-spam app up and running, R/click on the offending mail, then in the window that opens click on the 'this is spam' link...............
next time, the mail will be sent straight to spam bin.

And WHY do we NEVER click on 'unsubscribe' ?

Because it merely informs the ****tards who sent it, that the mail address is a LIVE one !!

[MrLinus]

ShippMA, have you spoken to your ISP about their intentions of putting in SPAM filtering? Many ISPs I know have that. For example, mine has it so that the subject line gets changed to [Bulk]. I can then put a filter on my email client to watch for subject lines that begin with that and send it off to the Trashbin.

[zencoder]

If you don't want to go to the effort to use anitspamware and email filtering software (Mailwasher), then you're next best bet is to cancel your ISP account and take up needle point or something. It's a pain, and there are droves of information written about avoiding it...but once you start getting spam, it is very difficult to make it "stop". You can head it off at the pass (my choice, thus Mailwasher Pro), but once the illegitimate-illegal-offshore-whatever spammers get your address, you're toast.

[ShippMA]

Zencoder - Changing ISP wouldn't help with Hotmail

foxyloxley - i didn't think that you could you use a spam filter with Hotmail, other than the one they provided (which doesn't pick up this message). Also yes i totally agree with you not to click the link if at all possible and i don't until i have exhausted all other options and it is still coming. 90% of junk mail stops after the first one or two i find as like you say they assume its a dead address, however this is one of those 10% that hasn't stopped after more than a month and is really starting to pee me off, which is why i tried the unsubscribe option that they give (which obviously doesn't work)

Ms Mittens - I wasn't aware that you could get hotmail to change it to bulk but again as the filters aren't picking it up then i'm not sure it would be caught.

The other point is what do you filter against for this specific mail.

I want to make this clear, its NOT spam in general that i want to stop as i have that covered, its this one specific message. Everything about the message is different everytime, right down to the mail address. The ONLY bit that is the same is the message about how to stop it, and that is in the form of a jpeg, not text, so at best i could filter out all messages that have a jpeg of that size which would affect legitimate messages.

Thanks for the suggestions guys but unless there is a spam program i can get for hotmail i can't see any of the suggestions working. Also i'm not sure even that would totally fix it as i use about 5 different machines throughout the week to access hotmail depending on where i am and i don't have install permissions on all the machines, (most notably the work ones)

[MrLinus]

Ms Mittens - I wasn't aware that you could get hotmail to change it to bulk but again as the filters aren't picking it up then i'm not sure it would be caught.

Oops. That part I missed. My apologies. That said, it's a little trickier because you're using a web-based email, specifically a free one, and I find they don't have too strong of a spam filter (my work one is amazing at picking up this stuff). I did a little digging around. Some ideas:

http://www.goodbyespam.com/ <-- this would require you to download to a client

http://www.fastmail.fm <--- one of the paid options will allow you to create whitelists (a list of approved persons who can send you emails -- these work great!)

[ShippMA]

Ah yes,

A whitelist, Hotmail does this too so this is a possibility (not that name though). The only problem wit this is when you get a mail about say an order you have placed and obviously the company wouldn't be on the list, saying that though it might be time that i got a second account setup for internet orders and stuff like that.

I'm not keen on the downloading to a client as like i said i use a number of different computers that for some i don't have install rights on but thanks.

I'll investigate this further, thanks

In the mean time any more suggestions would be great

[ghostmachine]

Originally posted here (http://www.AntiOnline.com/showthread.php?threadid=267498#post834360) by ShippMA
Ah yes,

A whitelist, Hotmail does this too so this is a possibility (not that name though). The only problem wit this is when you get a mail about say an order you have placed and obviously the company wouldn't be on the list, saying that though it might be time that i got a second account setup for internet orders and stuff like that.

I'm not keen on the downloading to a client as like i said i use a number of different computers that for some i don't have install rights on but thanks.

I'll investigate this further, thanks

In the mean time any more suggestions would be great

i am not a hotmail user but can the hotmail filtering mechanism filter out anything coming from saharaenest.com. ?

[ShippMA]

Hi Ghostmachine

The problem with this set of mails is that the e-mail address that they come from is different each time, for example the ones i recieved today are from:

tonklin@furema.info Subject: Serious deal
agnesb@groscap.info Subject: Global tips in the day
wilson@galorefit.info Subject: the good word for thursday

So there is no set criteria they all use to filter against. As i said the only similar bit is the un-subscribe address but that is in the form of a jpeg, not text that i could filter against.

I suppose thinking about it the only similarity is the .info extension so i could possibly filter against this. In peoples experience does any useful mail come from addresses with a .info extension?

Thanks

[MrLinus]

Not that I know of personally but it's hard to say. You could filter that and then they'll start using hotmail.com as their email domain.

[ZT3000]

Looks like you can filter based on the string ".info" in the email address.
Hotmail should allow that. I'm hoping.


Again my original advice, If your junk email is increasing, start looking for another email address.

You should create a personal email account and a public email account, that's what I advise my clients. You know that the public email is eventually going to get hammered, so multiple email addresses for specific purposes just makes sense.

[SirDice]

I use hotmail (web-based) for some things. I also configured the "unwanted email filter". There are 3 settings; "Low", "Extended" and "Exclusive" (that's the 'whitelist only' setting). Mine is set to "Extended" (names may not be the same, I'm not using an english version). This will block most spam. If you still receive a spam email click on the "Unwanted email" button. This will allow you to report the spam so MS can update their filter.

[ShippMA]

Thanks guys,

So i guess the only advice i can draw from this thread is:

- to use the exclusive/white list setting on hotmail and use that as personal mail
- For all other mail, ie when i buy from online stores etc have a seperate account
- Always tick the box saying don't send me correspondence
- If possible don't use a free web account as you have less power to adapt the filters and you can use spam filter programs that way

So hopefully following those steps as a minimum would help you to keep mostly spam free. (of course there are many more steps you could take but you got to trade effort required to maintain and set up these against gains)

Thanks for the help guys
m

[Black Cluster]

I have to agree with ZT3000. Use multiple emails for multiple purposes....
I use the public emails just for specific purposes not for business or onloine purchases... I don't prefer that....
I think it is not really hard to have a good email account from your ISP, with a powerful SPAM filter.. I don't recieve any spams at my personal Inbox {Not free one} at all... It is much better, I believe.

I would advise not to use your personal email for amusement.. like sending and recieving e-Card and other ScreenSavers and games.. becasue most of them are chained with SPAM issues...

Cheers

[zencoder]

Originally posted here (http://www.AntiOnline.com/showthread.php?threadid=267498#post834354) by ShippMA
Zencoder - Changing ISP wouldn't help with Hotmail

I meant, cancel your ISP and stop using the internet, cuz that's the only realistic way to get rid of this type of stuff completely.

foxyloxley - i didn't think that you could you use a spam filter with Hotmail, other than the one they provided (which doesn't pick up this message). Also yes i totally agree with you not to click the link if at all possible and i don't until i have exhausted all other options and it is still coming. 90% of junk mail stops after the first one or two i find as like you say they assume its a dead address, however this is one of those 10% that hasn't stopped after more than a month and is really starting to pee me off, which is why i tried the unsubscribe option that they give (which obviously doesn't work)

Mailwasher and many other programs WILL work with Hotmail, via POP3.

I want to make this clear, its NOT spam in general that i want to stop as i have that covered, its this one specific message. Everything about the message is different everytime, right down to the mail address. The ONLY bit that is the same is the message about how to stop it, and that is in the form of a jpeg, not text, so at best i could filter out all messages that have a jpeg of that size which would affect legitimate messages.

Thanks for the suggestions guys but unless there is a spam program i can get for hotmail i can't see any of the suggestions working. Also i'm not sure even that would totally fix it as i use about 5 different machines throughout the week to access hotmail depending on where i am and i don't have install permissions on all the machines, (most notably the work ones)

Ok...please take this the right way, it's not MEANT to be offensive...but your best bet is to put up with it, and delete the messages...or change your email account. If our suggestions don't work (Mailwasher will work I am 99.9% certain, especially if you pay to use their First Alert filtering), then you need to give up and move on. SPAM is an unfortunate part of life online, just like rude drivers and road rage are a part of driving in the metropolitan parts of the US...and probably elsewhere...I think the French INVENTED road rage, but I'm not certain. SDK?

Seriously...you've spent a lot of effort on this one issue. Delete the messages and move on. That is your path of least resistance.

[ShippMA]

Zencoder - Thanks for your responses, i didn't take offence at any of them and i'm sorry if my post came across that way, its just i get annoyed that companies can make money out of sending people rubbish that annoy the individual. It is for that reason that i don't mind spending 5 minutes out of my day to block or get myself unsubscribed etc from there list.

If i could use e-mail through my ISP i would its just as i said in a previous e-mail i use a number of different computers in a number of different locations, most of which using different ISPs. That along with the fact that i have a lot of University debt and therefore can't afford to pay for a good e-mail account means that a web based one like Hotmail is the perfect solution and again due to the number of computers i use and not having admin rights on them all rules out a SPAM filter.

I think that as you have said i've gone as far as i can on this board but i will continue to try to find out more details on this company and how to rid myself of there spam as 3 mails a day from just the one company is unacceptable to me.

Thank you everyone for your help and happy posting people

[halv]

its just i get annoyed that companies can make money out of sending people rubbish that annoy the individual.

They don't make money by sending it to people that think their message is rubbish. They make money by sending it to people that think it is not rubbish. However, to get to that small percentage, they have to mail their message to just about everybody.

~Halv

[LeoSham]

Hello all I have done some research on this as I am getting these anoying emails as well and this is what I have found..so far...

1. right clicked on link in email and looked at properties found this URL http://www.allowhit.info
which brings up a page telling you how to unsubscribe..DO NOT DO IT!!!
2. did a ping on saharaneast.info DNS resolved to IP 207.244.52.130
3. used http://ws.arin.net/cgi-bin/whois.pl to trace IP:
Search results for: 207.244.52.130

Chattanooga Data Connection, Inc. CHATDATA (NET-207-244-0-0-1)
207.244.0.0 - 207.244.63.255
Web Presence, Inc. WEB4PR-2-NET (NET-207-244-52-0-1)
207.244.52.0 - 207.244.59.255

# ARIN WHOIS database, last updated 2005-04-11 19:10
4. Did a search for Web Presence, inc: http://www.bizwiz.com/quickprofilepages/we/webpresencePHyTCG.htm

Contact:
Darrin McQuay
CEO
Web Presence, Inc.
3200 West End Avenue Suite 500
Nashville, TN TN

also found:
OrgName: Web Presence, Inc.
OrgID: WEBPR-2
Address: 7065 West ann road
Address: Suite 130-125
City: Las Vegas
StateProv: NV
PostalCode: 89130
Country: US

ASNumber: 33407
ASName: WEBPR-2-ASN
ASHandle: AS33407
Comment:
RegDate: 2004-12-13
Updated: 2004-12-13

OrgTechHandle: VAL-ARIN
OrgTechName: Allan, Victor
OrgTechPhone: +1-877-935-1974
OrgTechEmail: victorallan@web4presence.com

# ARIN WHOIS database, last updated 2005-04-11 19:10

5. did a search on: WEB4PR-2-NET & WEBPR-2-ASN both returned similar information as above

Search results for: WEB4PR-2-NET


OrgName: Web Presence, Inc.
OrgID: WEBPR-2
Address: 7065 West ann road
Address: Suite 130-125
City: Las Vegas
StateProv: NV
PostalCode: 89130
Country: US

NetRange: 207.244.52.0 - 207.244.59.255
CIDR: 207.244.52.0/22, 207.244.56.0/22
NetName: WEB4PR-2-NET
NetHandle: NET-207-244-52-0-1
Parent: NET-207-244-0-0-1
NetType: Reassigned
NameServer: NS1.WEBPLACEDNS.INFO
NameServer: NS2.WEBPLACEDNS.INFO
Comment:
RegDate: 2004-12-17
Updated: 2005-01-28

OrgTechHandle: VAL-ARIN
OrgTechName: Allan, Victor
OrgTechPhone: +1-877-935-1974
OrgTechEmail: victorallan@web4presence.com

# ARIN WHOIS database, last updated 2005-04-11 19:10

6. HOWEVER... I used this http://www.geobytes.com/IpLocator.htm?GetLocation

and found some different information, Chattanooga,Tn.. couldn't copy data from this page...you'll have to go there and try yourself.

Web Presence and Chattanooga Data Connection, Inc. (http://www.cdc.net/) seem to be both tied into this

I have not tried to contact any of these *&^%# people as yet, but at least I feel this is a start in tracking down the origin of this SPAM Crap!!

If anybody has any more info on this I'd be glad to hear it!!

[LeoSham]

More info:...

OrgName: Chattanooga Data Connection, Inc.
OrgID: CHAT
Address: PO Box 5269, 2003 Amnicola Hwy.
City: Chattanooga
StateProv: TN
PostalCode: 37406
Country: US

NetRange: 207.244.0.0 - 207.244.63.255
CIDR: 207.244.0.0/18
NetName: CHATDATA
NetHandle: NET-207-244-0-0-1
Parent: NET-207-0-0-0-0
NetType: Direct Allocation
NameServer: DNS1.CHATTANOOGA.CDC.NET
NameServer: DNS2.CHATTANOOGA.CDC.NET
Comment: ADDRESSES WITHIN THIS BLOCK ARE NON-PORTABLE
RegDate: 1996-11-06
Updated: 2002-02-08

TechHandle: CNO2-ARIN
TechName: Network Operations Center
TechPhone: +1-423-266-3369
TechEmail: noc@cdc.net

[ShippMA]

halv - lol, yes ok thanks for the correction

Leosham - Ah excellent, some deeper info. I've got to say that unfortuantely my searching abilities are limited to google simply through lack of techie knowledge. (You ask me how to fix a PC i can do it, just not done much research into this side) Its late now, but i might see if i can do some more work into looking into these other two companies.

The thing that springs to mind is now we have potential affiliates and names of people is to make a complaint to an authority. What i mean is that is far as i'm aware you have to provide an unsubscribe link, therefore if it doesn't work there must be some kind of penalty and someone, possibly the named person might be held liable.

Now i might be being very naive here and i know that even if all that was true it would probably take months to even get looked at but its one course of action. As i said i haven't got much experience here so peoples advice would be great.

Ah i'm tired now, so probably not making all too much sense, i'll leave it there

[LeoSham]

ShippMA and those of you interested...

I have been using a wonderful program called Copernic for ALL of my deep searching, VERY friendly and ....sorry....better results than ...I'll be nice...other search options. The others are GREAT, but when ya really wanna dig up the dirt..Copernic Pro is even better but not free

http://www.copernic.com/en/products/agent/index.html

it's free and absolutetly NO spyware or anyother crap. Check it out and enjoy

[ZT3000]

I might need some lessons on Copernic Pro.
Since I've had it over a year, I find it less usefull than Google and I've asked Copernic to include Google as a search engine, but they don't.
My results just aren't that good on that program, so it lays in a dusty folder.

But I do run Copernic Desktop Search and that is one program that kicks butt.

[fabmeister]

with regards to the saharaneast junk ridden crap that i too have been getting in my hotmail account the simple remedy could be to go to your filter settings and filter out anything that ends in .info...all these emails from saharaneast end in .info i have no problem doing this as anything that comes into my mail box ending in .info is almost always junk anyway. ive just applied these settings heres hoping they work

[cooldude1961]

i also use hotmail and have been getting these emails. i've also right-clicked on different emails and clicked on properties, and each one had a different domain name, and if you go to the main page in that domain (http://domainname.info) it all has the same unsubscribe message. anyways, i'll be checking back to see if anyone finds out how to stop these people.

[undgrl24]

I also use hotmail and have been receiving these emails for over a month. As I read through the past posts I noticed a person's name and phone number that may be connected to these emails. Just because I have nothing better to do I decided to call this guy. I actually got a real person! I said I was looking for an email advertising agency and was given this number. He said he was the guy, so I asked him if he could remove me from his email list. He was very friendly and apologized for the link in the email not taking me off the list. He said he would look into it further to see what the problem is. His name and number:

OrgTechName: Allan, Victor
OrgTechPhone: +1-877-935-1974

If you press 83 you should get him. (he actually couldn't talk right away and said he would call me back. i thought this was a convenient blow off, but he actually did call me back!)

You can also email him at: victorallan@web4presence.com

Thanks to the person who found this information! I would've never found it.

Also, Cattanooga Data Corporation is an ISP. Their tech support said they couldn't do anything, but to call the main office at 1-423-266-3369 to see if there was a way to further track down the person responsible for the emails. But I think victorallen is the guy to talk to. Hopefully it works!