This is Plain Wrong
I’m going through my inbox, dealing with the increase in spam. Wondering why Gmail’s spam filters aren’t working. So what I’ve started to do is “filter messages like this” and just have it delete all emails from those addresses.
Well, sadly it seems the majority of my spam is from people who’ve asked me for help in the past. It seems they think asking me for help, me helping them, then means they get to spam me for eternity. No unsubscribe link, not even a real list many using the TO: field which only increases spam.
This is just wrong guys. You don’t get to spam everyone you email. If you don’t have their permission, they can’t be on your list. I’ve got 15 emails from one person alone!
Needless to say these people are being put on the block list, and next time they ask for help they’ll never receive a reply. I’ll never even see their question. It’s sad, but I don’t have time to delete 15 emails from every person who asks me for help.
I agree Tim. I really get angry with the people that hit your box with multiples of the same message.
Don
I’ll resist the temptation to jump on my soap-box about this! One of the things they don’t warn you about when you are listbuilding is the number of people that will just sign up to your (double opt-in) list so they can ‘harvest’ your email and spam you.
I must waste half and hour a day weeding through this junk looking for genuine correspondence so I have no idea how you find time with the volume you must get.
The fact that exchange owners manage to cope with this deluge and still offer a first class support service to us is an astounding feat.
It’s not just email either, it seems to be spreading to Twitter….
jackuie it is simple set filters to move real people you correspond with to a folder then all the rest is junk.
if you providing support set up a support form then you can filter the mail from the form to go to a support folder that’s what I do and it works well
Hello Tim,
I feel your pain, I myself have the same trouble. That is not cool.
I myself have been blocking the members that do this. Any ideas how to stop this?
Steven Steele
Its amazing , whatever they see a new email , the spammers will add it to his list , some are funny , if you dont want to receive emails , just reply with remove in the subject , well , its spam anyway , some may even come with an unscribe link , lol .
I imagine , te admins have hundreds of spam emails every single day .
That is just ridiculous that someone would use you that way. It makes you wonder if they needed your help in the first place.
Thanks for all the help you give us, Tim, it is really appreciated by the large majority.
Oh, btw, I am in a new biz that you might be interested in . . . .LOL
Take care,
Donna :)
When I get SPAM from someone, I usually forward it to their domain registrar, unless it’s an affiliate link. The registrar will usually take action and shutdown the domain.
My major beef is in regards to blocking or doing the “remove” trick.
Both seem to generate more spam than I was getting in the first place!
And some of the content is awful! I’m retired from the Navy and you know what they say about how we talk dirty? Well, some of the content in some of the spam “all but” embarrasses me! And oh, how they do promise to grow my “equipment!” Should I believe that??? Honestly???
Daveylee
Hi Tim, I don’t seem to have much of a problem with spam as my filter that is from my provider catches all of the”you have won $1,mil. from Nigeria’S president” Thanks,Greg
This isn’t that kind of spam. It’s people sending me their latest affiliate link. So they are subscribers to the blog, members of my sites, etc. They seem to think because they receive my emails, that they get to send me ads..
Tim, I received an autoreply promoting a traffic exchange today.
I just ignore or delete these people instead of complaining to the powers that be. After all, if they are vindictive, they can cause serious and expensive problems as you well know.
Jerry Reeders lastest blog post..Traffic Exchange Delivers 1 Subscriber For Every 23.3 Visitors
My beef is receiving multiple identical or almost identical messages from the same person – someone from whom you’ve purchased a product or joined a membership site (some TEs!) and if you do happen to purchase another or join another product-related membership site, you’re on yet another list! And it gets worse when you intentionally use different email addresses so that you’ll receive only mail for that product or site in that box, but no, now you have the same message three or four times and three or four mailboxes.
My response: I no longer bother to open them – just delete, delete, delete. I have a negative feeling where once there was a positive. I need to take the time to unsubscribe (but sometimes unsubscribing means a loss of site membership) or filtering some way, as you have done, Tim.
There should be a way to check their lists for duplicate email addresses, especially if they’re going to blast ‘em all with the same marketing message.
Tim, I certainly agree. I recently switched IP to HughesNet and started getting loads of spam. When I would go through to “unsubscribe”, for every “unsubscription” I would get about 10 new SPAMs. I believe these people mask and unsubscribe link to other email marketers.
Bobbys lastest blog post..More Words
It is very easy to train your eye to look for E-mail you Want.
I scan quickly and delete the majority of double postings etc.
Also having a few e-mail accounts helps.
I only use one account for correspondence with Clients.
But on the other side, looking at the advertising attempts of others has helped sharpen my Skills.
So looking a t some “spam” has a Benefit
Chuck Bartoks lastest blog post..Just created a quick audio
Yeah the worst thing about certain people, is they think because they have emailed you or you emailed them, that now you are part of their list. Hard to filter that, as you never know when it may matter. Some people just have a lot of nerve or are just plain dumb, not knowing it is just plain wrong.
stephencs lastest blog post..Stephen Colbert Supports the troops!
Tim,
It’s very sad and depressing to hear this.
I used to read email several times a day. Now I delete email several times a day.
I agree with Chuck about screening emails quickly. Soem years ago I followed a speed reaing course, and what I learnt there certainly helps in screening the emails.
Just now I had 70 emails (the produce of a few hours) to screen, and there were only two I actually read in full, one of which was yours, leading me hear.
As far as suporting clients is concerned, I have put as much of that traffic into other tools so that it doesn’t get lost amongst the e-mails.
As to Twitter: I once put a comment that Twitter is everyone shouting and no-one listening. I got exactly one reply agreeing with me – no-one else listened!
John
I keep reading that I should focus on marketing, placing ads, etc., etc. But it takes me so long if I read all my mail from my “list-builders, ad and traffic exchanges, etc., that I would never get to the things I need to focus on. I do use the Delete key many many times a day. I also plan to unsubscribe to many of the groups I have joined and concentrate on the ones I like best and/or the ones that work the best for me. I shudder to think what life would be like if I was on as many people’s lists as you are!! I’ll pray for you…
LR
Getting spam mail is the worst part of being an Internet Marketer.
I have developed a few simple startegy: Devide and conquer
(1)I have my server boxes that automaticly whitelist verified membership mail.
(2) MSN for payment providers
(3) Yahoo Boxes for Social Networking and Traffic Programs that may send me too many messages
(4) Gmail for all suspicious optin I have no intention to follow up – so I don’t go there. At last visit I have 10,000 in box and 20,000 in spam box.
(5) My ISP provider for legitimate Aff Programs with IncrediMail that can block and bounce any unwanted
All most important, I don’t join list or downline building where members send me messsages
Jamess lastest blog post..Getting Visitors To Your Website
I suffer from the same disease…spam cholesterol! And, boy, do I hate spam! The worst part is when you get marketed the same product under different names not only using other email addresses you might have, but also with the same email address you originally purchased with. I believe this is cheating, lying, and an indirect way of stealing.
Dear Tim
I found this little free form program
that solves that problem.
http://allforms.mailjol.net/
Thanks
warren
Hi Tim,
There are so many newbies out there now who sign up to learn, ie; e-books, e-courses, safelists, e-mail info the list goes on and on.
Each time this is done you go onto some ones list and that someone then e-mails you with this offer, that offer and that list also goes on and on.
I have been there and done that and still get e-mails from the so called gurus of the net, plus many other wanna be gurus.
Dealing with all this extra e-mail can be so time consuming as to be overwhelming.
Now I, personally, have whittled it right down to the ones I want to see and possibly read.
I believe this is all part of the hype of Internet marketing and something we either live with or decide to go out and sweep roads or something.
Les
Les Stevenss lastest blog post..Push Button Extreme
That stinks dude, I do the quick scan as well when I log in. Once I delete the obvious ones then I scroll thru the titles and delete the ones that I’m simply not interested in. After that I do the quick work of following people back on Twitter and that kinda stuff I can knock out by going to a single site a few times. Some time after my first 30 min. to an hour on line I can start working on my business.
A quick note for everyone, watch out on Craigslist, I’ve been getting a lot spam thru there as well. Apparently the Nigerian scam artist are using that out let as well. I had one try to get me to send all my items with a driver and they would leave me with a check… there’s no doubt in my mind that it would be fake and I’d be stuck paying for it. Another one wanted me to send items to Nigearia then pay me after… I’m sure you can guess at how hard I started laughing!
Sorry to hear about the spam dude, don’t let loosers get to you aye!
Hi Tim,
I use SPAMCOPS.net for that. Every time I think someone is starting to send me too much, I forward their message (with full header details) to Spamcops.
It does not always solve the problem, but very often the email provider is informed and most of the times the mailings stop. Simply because most email providers block the sending email address as soon as they receive complaints from SpamCops. On top of that, you can report anonymously.
Anyway, I think SpamCops is pretty effective.
Hi Tim
There is a fine line between enthusiasm, eagerness and rudeness. Many people starting out in this business have no idea of “netiquette” or what constitutes a legitimate business relationship. One of the things that I find is that many eBooks and programs promoted by alleged gurus tacitly encourage the sort of behavior you describe. I believe that many of the people contacting you would believe that they are doing so in good faith, because they haven’t been taught properly. There is a product to be made here “All you need to know about email marketing” I just have to get the time to write it -……….
Yes Tim this is becoming a bigger and bigger. Seem like everywhere you go to do anything the email address is the first thing they want. after that they will sent email about everything and anything. I have just a gmail accountfor stuff like that. If they don’t email me about everything than I add them to my good email list. ut that is changing now. one place want another email address and then you start get spam from them. Really bad stuff going onwith this list building.
Wow!
A lot of responses to a Spam-related posting. Yes, it is wrong, but the value everyone can take away from this is the use of filters, and even multiple email addresses. Though you won’t catch everyone, it will take care of most.
After reading all the comments, I have to say that your readers provide some valuable input as well, Tim.
And yes, John. Twitter is a breeding ground for spammers and swindlers alike, haha. Now you have 2 in agreement.
Thanks for sharing,
-Jerokiah
Hey Guys,
Just had to say thanks for all the additional tips provided, so that the increasing level of overwhelm could be reduced.
Beyond filtering, whitelisting, specialized email boxes and delete, delete, delete…….the unproductive time was really becoming a concern for me.
Definitely will try some of the others.
Thanks to all.