SPAM vs. UCE: Unsolicited Commercial Email

[Nexus]

Unfortunately, rampant SPAMMING has to a very large part, ruined the viability of email marketing - innocent or otherwise.

I think it still lives fine and good, as long as the marketing is an addendum to a relationship created through other means. Having worked with large companies who work very diligently on their market pitches to existing customers, and attempts to get them to return and by, I think it is something that will never dissappear. The problem really starts getting "touchy" and frought with problems, when people equate email marketing solely with UCE, and UCE for scams, poor products, MLM, and GRQ schemes as the sole thing able to be expected from the practice.

Here's another thing I've found...

Hopefully I don't run the risk of offense by discussing this, but here goes. Due to the proliferation of "illegal" whois data-mining, saying "whois data" is probably more misleading than it would otherwise be. Similar to the issue comparing sender-identifiable UCE and header-forged SPAM, I think a very good point was pointed out earlier in another thread. Consumers should be aware that registrars/resellers may be exercising clearly outlined rights to resell the information of their customers.

I've been getting a few e-mails like this lately:
--------------------------------
From: "Steve" <[email protected]>
To: <[email protected]>
Sent: Thursday, January 22, 2004 11:52 PM
Subject: Your Website

Do you want a webhost with 99% uptime?
Do you want great technical support?
Do you want to host multiple domain sites?
Do you want all this at an affordable price?

We have a special hosting for you @
http://www.salejet.com/host

Signup today and recieve setup F-R-E-E.

Steve Alvin
http://www.salejet.com/host
----
To Leave the webmaster List
http://www.salejet.com/leave.html
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and this...

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From: Webhosting Special
To: [email protected]
Sent: Tuesday, March 30, 2004 8:17 AM
Subject: RE: Webhosting Special

Dear dnf ;

We heard that you're interested in signing up for Webhosting and Search Engine Submission, We have several plans that you can choose from starting at $5 a month!, please email us to [email protected] if you're still interested so we can discuss your needs.

* Please do not reply to this email, replies to this email will NOT be delivered to us, please send an email to [email protected] for more info.

Thank you.
Best regards,
Anthony McCoy.
--------------------------------

This, after registering for a domain name from DNForum (note the "special" email address I supplied). Now... I'm almost sure its NOT DNF reselling my information. I'd imagine it more likely to be the registrar DotRegistrar/IHoldings or most likely... a data miner... although I can't be sure. Either way, unforetunately, the Privacy Policy listed says that this information won't be used for any other purpose other than providing the service requested (even when using services provided by third parties).

This is just an example, and it happens many places... so I'm not singling out any one company. Somewhere along the line, agreements are being broken, and lists are falling into the hands of others. In the case mentioned above, I had to change my nameservers going into it, so I'd imagine a ZONE file "miner" would have to be spying on new registrations centered around DotRegistrar.

When I used to use "DiscountDomainRegistry.com", I often got webhosting solictiation calls in a disjointed fashion from someone representing Verio. I eventualy switched my official number to a virtual voice mailbox set-up through eFax. This has curbed much of the messages left, but it was interesting to notice.

I was looking at their policy recently:
http://discountdomainregistry.com/policies/us_agreement.shtml

DISCLOSURE AND USE OF REGISTRATION INFORMATION. You agree and acknowledge that we will make domain name registration information you provide available to ICANN, to the registry administrators, and to other third parties as ICANN and applicable laws may require or permit. You further agree and acknowledge that we may make publicly available, or directly available to third party vendors, some, or all, of the domain name registration information you provide, for purposes of inspection (such as through our WHOIS service) or other purposes as required or permitted by ICANN and the applicable laws.

You hereby consent to any and all such disclosures and use of, and guidelines, limits and restrictions on disclosure or use of, information provided by you in connection with the registration of a domain name (including any updates to such information), whether during or after the term of your registration of the domain name. You hereby irrevocably waive any and all claims and causes of action you may have arising from such disclosure or use of your domain name registration information by us.

To me... and I'm not a lawyer, that last part seems to open the floodgates for all sorts of usage.

We will not process data about any identified or identifiable natural person that we obtain from you in a way incompatible with the purposes and other limitations which we describe in this Agreement.

Which reads to me... we won't give just anyone your name, but we may consider giving them your e-mail address and other data describing general usage.

Not that DDR is doing this, but given the Verio phonecalls, their polcies do not seem to allow for much recourse were they to do so (in a non-idetifiable fashion).

Very bothersome.

~ Nexus

 

[Mr Webname]

--------------------------------
From: Webhosting Special
To: [email protected]
Sent: Tuesday, March 30, 2004 8:17 AM
Subject: RE: Webhosting Special

Dear dnf ;

We heard that you're interested in signing up for Webhosting and Search Engine Submission, We have several plans that you can choose from starting at $5 a month!, please email us to [email protected] if you're still interested so we can discuss your needs.

* Please do not reply to this email, replies to this email will NOT be delivered to us, please send an email to [email protected] for more info.

Thank you.
Best regards,
Anthony McCoy.
--------------------------------

I've been getting these as well and I havn't reg'd any names with DNF.

 

[Nexus]

I've been getting these as well and I havn't reg'd any names with DNF.

The other uses of your email addresses they sent to might shed some light. Especially if you register domain names at all with the address (and the periods in which you registered). My registrations were in the last few months. I'm interested in understanding what's going on. Less about anyone's guilt or innocence in the matter... which becomes a whole other conversation, much less valuable in my opinion. It also bears saying that most of these folks probably know how to combine lists.

~ Nexus

 

[Mr Webname]

I'm interested in understanding what's going on. Less about anyone's guilt or innocence in the matter... which becomes a whole other conversation, much less valuable in my opinion.

~ Nexus

Surprisingly enough that was why I posted, as I thought that my experience added some useful information for you - I was not commenting on anyone's guilt or innocence

 

[Nexus]

Surprisingly enough that was why I posted, as I thought that my experience added some useful information for you - I was not commenting on anyone's guilt or innocence

Got it. Good to be sure. If you have any more data points to throw in the pot, they'd be highly appreciated.

~ Nexus