They can do that but the bottom line is that if they make it too much of a PITA we won't care and simply inform our customers to use another free email service.
Bill -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Bruce Barnes Sent: Friday, August 08, 2008 12:09 PM To: Imail_Forum@list.ipswitch.com Subject: [IMail Forum] New AOL anti-spam filing requirements . . . I just received a notice from AOL that they are converting to a new anti-spam reporting format as of September 2, 2008 and that anyone who sends e-mail to AOL without complying with their new ARF registration runs the risk of having their e-mail rejected by AOL. After completing the request for my mail server and domains - listing all the IP addresses and giving a complete explanation in the comments section of the form, I was REJECTED for both requests. I have now been on the phone with a network specialist from AOL for almost an hour. They have requested proof of IP ADDRESS allocation from our service providers and I have given it to them. ======================== Pause in writing message while I deal with AOL e-mail network specialist Resume writing e-mail ======================== After almost 2 hours on the phone I was finally able to provide them with enough information to prove that we have the right to use our domain names, are a legitimate ISP and have been legitimately allocated our IP address ranges. They then explained that since some of our webhosting customers send e-mail confirmations for orders directly from their shopping carts, that AOL may not recognize the e-mail as legitimate. [Note that all of the shopping carts send from addresses that are legitimate addresses in our e-mail server as a return address] They also explained that they have "hundreds of complaints" from aol users about newsletters received from theatre groups we host. I explained that we force everyone to double-opt-in to all newsletters and keep the written confirmations generated by their double-opt-ins on file - permanently, as part of the confirmation process. Here is the message that was part of someone's complaint to the receipt of a recent newsletter sent our from our SECURE IMAIL SERVER after doing a DOUBLE OPT IN to receive the newsletter. This is also the reason all of this started today: "----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Friday, August 08, 2008 09:42 To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Client TOS Notification ALERT: Your feedback loop is not in ARF (Abuse Reporting Format). Beginning September 2, 2008, all feedback loops will be converted to ARF. To learn more about how this will impact you, please read more about how AOL uses ARF at http://postmaster.aol.com/fbl/arfinfo.html. Also read the announcement of our plan to convert all feedback loops to ARF on our blog at http://journals.aol.com/pmtjournal/blog/entries/2008/06/27/aol-converting-al l-fbls-to-arf-on-9208/2977. Please make any necessary preparations to accept ARF feedback loops before the September 2, 2008 conversion. To change your existing non-ARF loops to ARF, fill out our online support form at http://postmaster.aol.com/waters/fbl_change_form.html."; We had complied previously with their requests to register our domains and mail server. In attempting to re-comply they have unceremoniously rejected our request and we have escalated this to request a review. I will keep this list informed and would suggest that anyone who is running Imail, or any other mail server, make certain you are up-to-date with the new AOL requirements well before 2 September, 2008 so your e-mail messages are not rejected by AOL Bruce Barnes ChicagoNetTech Inc Chicago IL To Unsubscribe: http://imailserver.com/support/discussion_list/ List Archive: http://www.mail-archive.com/imail_forum%40list.ipswitch.com/ Knowledge Base/FAQ: http://imailserver.com/support/kb.html To Unsubscribe: http://imailserver.com/support/discussion_list/ List Archive: http://www.mail-archive.com/imail_forum%40list.ipswitch.com/ Knowledge Base/FAQ: http://imailserver.com/support/kb.html
