Tag Archives: spam

Submission Technology / Netflip and Spam

A while ago, I started receiving emails from newsletter@netflip.co.uk. Google marks every one as spam, but that still means they go to my spam folder. Because the company they’re apparently from changes every time (but they’re always from the address – newsletter@netflip.co.uk), it makes it hard to see at a glance if it’s more Netflip junk without opening. Gmail lets me filter them straight to the bin, but then they’re not being put in spam, so presumably don’t work to improve the system, or whatever.

I imagine they got my email address from me being a member of a discount website called GreasyPalm that they own (years and years ago, I’m pretty sure I no longer have an account). I’ve tried to unsubscribe, which doesn’t work. It says it does, then the next day, more spam cometh. Continue reading Submission Technology / Netflip and Spam

*Almost* textbook lazy scam job offer

This is an *almost* of the job email scam world. Let me show you.

from Kuame King madelineblankleyyt524@yahoo.com
to sadders1990@hotmail.com
date 24 August 2011 07:21
subject Position available – ID _ (M13141674062393014610)..
Signed by yahoo.com

So far, so typical.
Insanely long job ID, rather than an actual title that might explain what the “job” is.
Sent from a Yahoo email address which bears no resemblance to the name of the sender. Perfect.
Sent to a Hotmail address, and BCC’d to one of my email addresses so I both get it, and know that it is spam. Textbook. Continue reading *Almost* textbook lazy scam job offer

Outsourcing to India

A few years back, I had a dream. That dream was web design.
Sadly I can hardly put two colours together without them looking hideous, and I have no sense of visible style whatsoever. Combined with my lack of knowing any programming languages, I was on to a bad start.

This is where I roped in my best mate, who was very good at coding, made some nice looking websites in his spare time, etc.
It was a plan which couldn’t fail.
Except that I couldn’t sell any web design, we had no budget to start up, and my mate went to university and had no time to work on this.
It was then, we dropped the idea.

Not a great deal of money was ever spent, but we had bought a web domain name.
I still have it now, wondering if I might have a use for it one day, for some other purpose.

Every now and then, I get an email from a company asking me if they can help with my outsourcing needs. At a guess, I’d say we’re still listed somewhere on a web designer online directory or something.
Today I received an email which said (names changed):

“Hi..

I am Reginald, Marketing Manager. Somebullshitcompany.

I have been through your site and can see that you are offering Web Development services to your clients. In these tough times, where it is hard to maintain the topline, we can help share the bottom line for you.

We have a large team for both Web Design and Development in INDIA which can execute the campaigns at a much lower cost than what you have in house.

Do let me know if you are interested and I would be happy to send in more details.

I look forward to your mail.

Kind Regards”

Normally I delete these things, but I was slightly amazed by this one.
He says he’s been through my website?
Actually taken the time to look through all the pages?
But all it says on my website is “This domain name is for sale. Email for details”, with an email address that is only used for this potential domain sale.

The lying swine! He’s not looked through my website at all.

To add insult to injury, at the bottom of the email was a grammatically poor signature about how they don’t send unsolicited mail.

I decided to break the habit, and reply.

“Hi Reginald,

Thank you for contacting me.
I’m glad you have looked through my website at www.old-unused-domain.co.uk, and have seen all about my organisation, what kind of work I have offered in the past, etc.

As you have been so completely honest with me, I feel I should be honest with you.
I have read through your email carefully, and have seen that you can outsource my sexual needs to India. This would seem like a lot of work on my part, but as I find the ‘look’ of Indian women attractive, this might work to my advantage.

I would be definitely interested in these services (nudge, nudge, wink, wink) and wonder if you could send me some form of catalogue, so that I might look through and pick my favourite to be my wife.

Thanks a lot.

Dave”

I await their reply eagerly.

Fat %$&*! sings!

For a while now, I’ve been getting emails from a website called “The Fatman” or “The Fatman sings”.
They look quite professionally done, but they’re spam.
I don’t recall ever having signed up for them, Gmail blocks them as being spam, and the link to unsubscribe doesn’t really work.
Their emails actually say “please whitelist us”, presumably as a lot of places stop it as spam.

According to their privacy policy:

Does Fatman email me loads of adverts and junk mail?
No, but Fatman does send you some adverts because that’s how the Fatman pays for the website and it keeps the Fatman from starving and it means Fatman can get out there and get the gossip for you! So, please look at the ads because Fatman tries to accept good adverts and does his best only to send you one or two ads per week.

and also:

If you have any queries regarding privacy or if you would like to raise any issues regarding our privacy policy, please e-mail us at privacy@fatman sings.co.uk. Please allow up to 14 days for a response.

Now, while attempting to unsubscribe myself recently, and getting a failure message of some sort, I assumed it had failed yet again, and I’d just have to go and delete more from the spam folder of Gmail every now and then.

BUT, to my shock and surprise, I received this email, shortly after my attempt:

From: Amanda Malyan | Marketing Source
I am now out of the office until Tuesday, 14th April 2009. If your enquiry is of an urgent nature, please email fin@marketingsource.co.uk or call the office on 0844 871 4750. This email is not being monitored in my absence.

Regards

Amanda Malyan
Head of Client Services

Marketing Source seems to be a company who stockpile email addresses and rent them on.
What a lovely idea.
At least I now have a contact, if I still continue to receive this junk. Someone I can moan to. It’ll make me feel better anyway.