Todd Little wrote:
> The FAQ isn't entirely clear as to when an appeal is appropriate.
You don't have to decide until SpamCop offers you the opportunity to
appeal when you parse a spam with a closed issue (URL or e-mail address)
in it. There are no appeals for the IP source of spam because SpamCop
will reopen that issue 24 hours after it was closed no matter what.
When SpamCop offers an appeal, you should review the spam to make sure
the issue is actually related to the spam. Follow the money. If the
web site directly benefits, it probably should be appealed. Note the
"directly" part. Then you check to see if the web site is still up and
working. If the answer to both questions is affirmative, an appeal is
warranted. There are a surprising number of web sites that are already
down when they are appealed.
Beware of issues (URLs) like finance.yahoo.com or
environmentaldefense.org, or senate.gov. They are so obviously not a
party to the spam that you'll get a nasty note from the deputies if you
appeal them. Just because a link appears in the spam doesn't mean it
should be reported or appealed.
E-mail addresses should not be appealed unless you are sure they are
used by the spammer in order to benefit from his spam, and you're sure
the address is working. If you appeal an e-mail address, you should put
something in the comments about the research you've done on the
address. Otherwise the deputies will likely deny the appeal out of
hand. Way too many spammers put just any old e-mail address in their
spam simply because they think one should be there, with no intention of
ever getting the mail, and with no thought about whose address it might
be, or who will have to field the complaints, or the bounces.
> What does "action" mean in action already taken?
It can mean anything. Rule #1 in this business is Spammers Lie.
Anybody who gets a copy of the complaint can close an issue, including
the complainer. We have users who think they should go directly to
their account and close an issue as soon as they report it. Abuse desks
close issues so they won't get more complaints. They close issues after
they slap the abuser's wrist, or after a phone call where they laugh
over the complaint, etc, etc, etc... Some even close the issue after
they take down the web site or block the e-mail address. Strange, but
true.
--
- Don D'Minion -
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