How to combat Internet abuse

[ɹəuəllıʍ ʇɐb]

These are just a few thoughts of mine, to be taken as guidelines, not absolute rules.

Spam

Spam is unsolicited bulk email that no-one has requested. (Please note the difference in spelling, as compared to SPAM, which is a registered trademark of Hormel Foods)

• Do not open spam messages if you can help it.
  
• Do not attempt to “unsubscribe” from spam messages.
  
• Never, ever, buy anything from a spammer.
  
• Try to report spam, e.g. via http://www.spam.com.net/.
  

Scams, fraud

The most common types of Internet scams are the so-called 419 types, or advance-fee fraud.

• Never try to contact these scammers; they can be dangerous.
  
• Report scams the same way as ordinary spam.
  
• Try to have their contact email addresses shut down, e.g. Yahoo! addresses via http://add.yahoo.com/fast/help/us/mail/cgi_spam_intl.
  

Phishing scams

Phishing is the term used for scammers posing as legitimate businesses such as banks, credit card companies, or other financial organizations like PayPal, then try to get customers of these institutions to give up their bank account numbers, credit card numbers, or whatever can be of value for these scum.

• Do not open phishing scam messages.
  
• Never visit websites that pose as something they are not.
  
• Report these scams same as ordinary spam.
  
• Report phishing websites to http://castlecops.com/pirt.
  

Viruses, troyans, virms, and other malware

Not much to explain here; most of us know what we are talking about.

• First and foremost: be prepared!
  • Have a reputed antivirus software installed, and update daily.
    
  • Have one ore more antispyware apps installed, and update regularly.
    
  • Have a good firewall installed.
    

  [*]Do not open suspicious email messages.

  [*]Never open any email attachments unless you know exactly who sent it, and what it contains.

  [*]Also report infected email the same way as spam.

How to report abusive email messages without opening them?

There are various tools available for different email clients that can

• copy the entire message (including email headers) to the clipboard;
  
• send the full message (including headers) directly to SpamCop for processing.
  

One such tool is OLSpamCop from http://www.olspamcop.com/ for Microsoft Outlook. On Thunderbird simply click CTRL-U. This eliminates the need to open a message, and allows to report it in full details.

What does SpamCop do with these reports?

Two things

• Add the originating IP address to the SpamCop blocklist.
  
• Send a complaint to the owner (ISP) of the originating IP address.
  
• Send complaints to the network that hosts websites linked in the spam.
  

[-pops-]

Nice one, Pat. :)

One point about the 419 scam is that many national police forces have a dedicated reporting division, for example in the UK it is http://www.met.police.uk/fraudalert/419.htm

Out of the UK, a quick Gooooogle will tell you if there is one local to you.

[andsome]

Thanks. I have put this thread into 'My favourites'.

[Geek-Squad]

Do not attempt to “unsubscribe” from spam messages.

If we get spam exsactly...how do we get rid of it? Without pressing the unsubscribe button

[Gandalph]

Do not attempt to “unsubscribe” from spam messages.

If we get spam exsactly...how do we get rid of it? Without pressing the unsubscribe button

Just delete it. If you attempt to un-subscribe the spammer will know he/she has hit the target.

[Scarecrow Man]

Do not attempt to “unsubscribe” from spam messages.

If we get spam exsactly...how do we get rid of it? Without pressing the unsubscribe button

Just delete it. If you attempt to un-subscribe the spammer will know he/she has hit the target.

Very good point. Often a spammer will mass-mail a request, and put an "unsubscribe" or "remove me" instructions on the email. This does not mean you are going to be removed from thier list, it is a simple way to see which e-mails are used by a person. If an unsubscribe request comes in, that e-mail address is marked as active and spammed even more.

[Ax Slinger]

Spam

Spam is unsolicited bulk email that no-one has requested. (Please note the difference in spelling, as compared to SPAM, which is a registered trademark of Hormel Foods)

I hate to tell you this, but Registered Trademarks are not case sensitive. You can say Spam, sPam, spAm, spaM, SpaM, or SPAM... It wouldn't make any difference. If Hormel Foods wanted to sue you for using their trademark, they could. But they don't care anymore. They realized a long time ago that the vast majority of people who use computers refer to anything sent to them unsolicted via any electronic medium as Spam, and there isn't anything they can do about it.

You can't stop the masses from doing whatever they want to. It just isn't possible. Take a look at pot smokers, for example. Has anything the governments of the world to keep them from smoking it done any good at all? Nope. All it has done is waste millions of tax dollars in many countries around the world. People who want to smoke pot do, even though they could go to prison for doing so. Somewhere right now there's a Hippie pulling a joint out of his pocket. He thinks about what the government says... "You can't do that. It's illegal." And he just smilies and fires it up. "Got Herb?"

[ɹəuəllıʍ ʇɐb]

I hate to tell you this, but Registered Trademarks are not case sensitive. You can say Spam, sPam, spAm, spaM, SpaM, or SPAM...

I know that, and I didn't mean this as legal advice. It's just to clarify what we are talking about: if it's SPAM, it's edible (barely), if it's spam, then it is not (completely) :P

[andsome]

We used to have Spam fritters during the war. I haven't tasted it for years.

[Ax Slinger]

Actually, if you prepare it right, Spam isn't bad. I like it sliced very thin and fried, served on nearly burnt toast with potato chips. :)

[andsome]

I can't remember what the taste is like, it has been so long since I even saw it in a shop.

[r4may]

It's still available in the shops and still makes good spam fritters and toasties. :P

[andsome]

It's still available in the shops and still makes good spam fritters and toasties. :P

Might look out for it when I go to Tesco next.

[ɹəuəllıʍ ʇɐb]

It's very popular in Japan, especially in Okinawa, where it is an important ingredient for Goya Champuru. There is also a Danish version called TULIP.

[-pops-]

It's very popular in Japan, especially in Okinawa, where it is an important ingredient for Goya Champuru. There is also a Danish version called TULIP.

So, me thinking that Japan had one of the world's top cuisines is wrong then?

You've really disappointed me and going to my local Japanese restaurant will never be the same again. I'm just picturing sitting at the Tappenyaki and the chef appears with a tin of that pink abomination that passes as food. YUKKKKKKKKKK :(

No, it can't be.

This is my local Japanese Restaurant.

[Thos]

It's still available in the shops and still makes good spam fritters and toasties. :P

Might look out for it when I go to Tesco next.

You will certainly see it in the tinned meats section, next to the corned beef. (now there's a delicacy!)

Thos. :)

[ɹəuəllıʍ ʇɐb]

So, me thinking that Japan had one of the world's top cuisines is wrong then?

You are perfectly right, and I fully agree with it :)

I should have been more clear. SPAM is an Okinawa thing; I don't know if it started when the Americans arrived. SPAM blends very well with Okinawa cuisine, which is 100% different from Japanese.

But in the past few years Okinawa cuisine has become very popular in Japan, and it is indeed very good. With the rise of Okinawa cuisine, SPAM has followed.

No, you won't ever see SPAM in a teppanyaki or a real Japanese restaurant. But you may encounter it in a cheap izakaya; I have recently had SPAM sushi in an izakaya (in Ginza, of all places). That was disgusting... :lol:

[Yeah Ano]

I must go to Japan one day to taste this delightful mix of Okinawian (?) food and SPAM :D

Also a delightful dish called Andagi (correct me if im wrong Pat :D ), the Okinawan fried doughnut!!

Hummm doughnuts!!!! :D

[andsome]

I would very much like to try Japanese COOKING, but definitely NOT raw fish. I like all meat and fish to be cooked.

[ɹəuəllıʍ ʇɐb]

I must go to Japan one day to taste this delightful mix of Okinawian (?) food and SPAM :D

Okinawan or Okinawa food :)

Also a delightful dish called Andagi (correct me if im wrong Pat :D ), the Okinawan fried doughnut!!

Never tried andagi, but then I still never made it to Okinawa. Hopefully later this year. Or next :P

I would very much like to try Japanese COOKING, but definitely NOT raw fish. I like all meat and fish to be cooked.

That, of course, is a matter of taste. But believe me, a really fresh piece of sashimi is something delightful.

On the other hand, any fish that isn't fresh is useless - cooked or otherwise :0

[andsome]

I know for a fact that as consumers of more fish than most people, the Japanese have less heart disease than most. However, they have a VERY high rate of stomach cancer. We had a program on TV some time back, about parasites. If you could have seen some of the horrendous beasties that can take up residence in your gut from uncooked fish, I think you would cook everything in future.

Here is an article on the subject. Stomach worms

WOW, just realised aren't we off topic?

[ɹəuəllıʍ ʇɐb]

WOW, just realised aren't we off topic?

Quite; raw fish has really nothing to do with SPAM™ :P

[andsome]

WOW, just realised aren't we off topic?

Quite; raw fish has really nothing to do with SPAM™ :P

Spam has been cooked during its manufacture. No worms in Spam.