Dan Cummings - The Running Realtor: Junk Mail and Vigilantie Justice

I got the same one this morning Dan. It's a problem.

I agree.  I get at least one contact request a week that is exactly this type of spam :D  Ironically enough, the word I have to type to post this comment is TOMATO

Mark,  Did they have the same IP, Phone & Email...?   I never usually look this far into details.. just curious. 

I too am tired of the JUNK mail that is sent everyday, all day long and much of it is the same types of messages.  I know that I've been told to get a better filter, I just wish there was a way to throw it back at whoever is sending it and still remain anonymous to them. 

Hi Dan, I got this same message as well.  And I've gotten others just like it here on AR, too.  I agree - a problem but not sure how to solve it.

Thanks for bringing this up!
Ann

Hmmm, apparently I've been left money from England to Africa and get these types of emails as well. At least with snail mail I can open it and use their return envelope to send their junk back to them. If you find a solution, please post it. Thanks!

Dearest Realtors,

I'm not considering selling my house.  I do not care if you sold the house down the block. Please stop sending me postcards.  It wastes my valuable time and your valuable marketing money.  Why in heavens name would you think I am your target market?

Best Regards,

Snail mail spam hater.

Dan,

You can buy a Spam filter software that blocks IP Address by Country, as well with a White list or Black list

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=filter+junk+email+by+Country+IP&btnG=Search

I was in the Internet Security business for 7 year and created many programs to stop Spam...

and it worked, my was call Outlook Security Agent and I give it away for free (No Support Sorry)

http://www.outlooksecurityagent.com/

But just as a FYI , many companies offer products that can limited SPAM... I left the business after Investing Millions with limited results but the spammers make millions with no Talent! Is this a great World?

Send them to Caleb.  He'll block them from AR.  Just had one this week. 

One thing that may help with Spam emails coming from AR is to use more verification words. I continually see the same verification words over and over again. It would be pretty easy for a spammer to create a robot that would cycle through these common verification words and hit on the correct one. Many sites that I visit have unique verification words every time I post. It could be a series of numbers or random letters that don't even make real words. Some programs may be able to randomly guess but it would be much more difficult than it is right now.

Hi Dan,

Thanks for bringing this up.  I have been emailed and phone solicited by "junk mail" advertisements where they found me here at Active Rain.  It is a little aggravating since I am here to learn from and network with other professionals, not be bombarded with spam.  I think if we all stay active and report the inappropriate ones, we might be able to put a little dent in their action.

I think everyone suffers from spam to some degree or another. While I doubt spamming them back will ever have much impact, I think IP blocking is something that may have benefits if done correctly.

Below is one mans attempt to find an output for his frustration. Hilarious! ;)

http://www.craigslist.org/about/best/njy/212013545.html

Cheers, -B

 

Spam is something which is something you most likely have to deal with forever if you are using email as a form of communication. I have found that you can reduce spam tremendously by using gmail. Anti spam filter software may not be 100% accurate on what gets filtered and what not. Personally I don't want to run the risk  loosing important emails in the shuffle mistakenly eaten up by the anti spam filters. I just take a deep breath when spam makes it through and then I hit the delete button.

For great tips follow this blog by Michael Pollock over at Solostream and I have found this blog entry particularly helpful

I've received similar solicitations.  One actually set up a profile on AR and was contacting me like they were a member.  Matt took care of that one.

I was told to use the Contact ActiveRain http://activerain.com/action/default/feedback a couple of weeks ago so they can block the IP.

I am being spammed by someone in my market who is an Active Rain member.  I got one about a month ago and unsubscribed.. I got another one the other day too. Another Active Rain member complained about this same brokerge spamming her and the spammer was very childish about the whole thing. It is not coming through Active Rain but if members starts spamming others directly because of the Active Rain connection that  is going to be a problem. 

Come on folks. I've been enjoying coming onto AR not thinking about spammers. Now you burst my bubble and tell me they're lurking just around the corner. I just hope you keep them south of the border. lol 

We all hve received the same or similar spam. We all hate it. Unfortunately, in some cases, if we respond in any way via computer we give them information that is tied to our email. That is what they want. We have to be careful not only of the Spam but the hidden reason for the spam. In many cases they are actuallly trying to get cofidential information that can be used in identity theft nof some type. I had this very thing happen to me with ebay where someone got my password without my giving it to them. They were watching my computer and when I logged onto ebay they got my password and then when I logged off they changed my password so I could not even access my own account. They were trying to get to my paypall account which they did not do. It took me a long time to get ebay to fix the problem. What I learned, and I already knew it from working in the tech support world, was to change my password on a regular basis. Always use a password that has both alpha, numerical, and if allowed characters of some type. Don't make it easy to guess what your password is. 

i'm with Debbie Malone - I've been left money from my wealthy relations overseas too! I like those spam messages much better than most of the others. I recently had to relax my spam filter settings because I "lost" an important email. Now I'm back to picking through it. Happy happy joy joy!

I agree with this one completely.  The most frustrating one is the re-fi e-mails lately.  They only have one addressee on them and no option to opt out.  If you reply to the e-mail it does not go through.  Some days it is the same e-mail multiple times just from different sends.

Nothing is more aggrevating than spam via email, now I can look forward to more spam via AR.

yay!

I recently increased my spam protection from my ISP  and like Kelly am now forced to weed through my SPAM folder to ensure I haven't missed an important email.

kinda defeats the purpose of SPAM protection

I got that same message this morning.  I suppose we all did.  Mine went straight to spam.  I only knew that it had come because I saw it on my Active Rain page as a contact sent.  

Oh well, it was boundto happen sooner or later.  Thank goodness we are all smart enough to not respond to that kind of mess. 

Dan,

AR probably does need to have an avenue where as we can flag Spammers. Then let AR check them out to confirm that it is Spam. I would not like to think that a person could be automatically blocked from a vindictive individual. ( competitor in same market place )

What I want to know is how they style the heading to make it something you think you need to read?  I'm getting quite a few "new listing", or "foreclosure" or other emails that make it seem as if they have worked at finding out what I'm all about, scary!!!

It's really getting bad with the spam, and I am very sensitive to unsubscribe people from my lists quickly if they request it. Hopefully AR will maintain its integrity as a great online network, as I'd hate to see spammers ruin what we have all worked so hard to make a great place to share ideas!

If you do have a SPAM filter be sure that you check it everyday for email that might have been put in the junk file by mistake.  I switched to the one that is is part of Microsoft Outlook, and it works very well for me.

If you do have a SPAM filter be sure that you check it everyday for email that might have been put in the junk file by mistake.  I switched to the one that is is part of Microsoft Outlook, and it works very well for me.

I plan to retire from real estate soon because I will be getting $$$$ from my dead relative I never knew I had that passed away in Nigeria. Spam is my friend! WooHoo!

I feel left out.... NOT - I did not get this round of spam... praying I dont :o)

Heck, the rich relatives are one thing----how about all of those nasty bad spammers that think I need tons of Anna Nicole like medications?  Sheesh!

Hi All,

Thanks for all the great comments.  I realize spam is part of life and certainly did not mean to imply that we have some individual power to block people.  Was thinking more of a spam flag where the overseers would be alerted to offenders and they make a judgment call after seeing 10, 20, 50 or whatever number of complaints identifies a problem.

Personally I am not a fan of spam control programs, actually ran into another frustrating situation last night. Earlier this week I attended a charity bowling event and took several photos. Last night I uploaded a batch on Yahoo Photos and sent an invite to a half dozen people in my office to view them. Our damn corporate email blocks the invitation and we never even know it has happened.  There is no spam folder for us to check so it just disappears.   I would rather hit delete several times a day than filter out something important.

Thanks for the Feature... Gotta Run...Must have some great refinance offers waiting so I can buy a ton of viagra to satisfy all those young females waiting to meet me...

Not Today.... Looks like the drugs are old, cannot get 3.75% until tomorrow... But Bridget's ready tonight.

 

 

 

 

 

Maybe if we just send the spammers money, they will leave us alone.

May all 21,066 members of AR can send him an e-mail!  I'm sure he would enjoy receiving all of those messages!

This is getting more and more annoying as time goes on , i get at least four of these per day.

THey are all the same and are a huge waste of time.

My broker's IT department uses a great filter and catches about 300-400 pieces of crap a month that gets mailed to all the agents. Earthlink is my ISP so Spaminator catches about 300-400 a week in their system. My web site domain name email address gets routed through Earthlink, so it also must make it through the Spaminator. The agents who use my web site address, which is the only one published, to send the "see my newest & greatest listing" are caught by Norton once they hit Outlook Express. The first one I just delete. If I get a second one, I enter it in Spaminator's blocked list.

Spammers think they're doing cheap marketing. They're too stupid to realize how much they've added to the price of everything we buy because companies have to spend so much on IT technology. With the stroke of the SEND key, they've just decided that our time isn't valuable and that we've got nothing better to do than deal with their crap. I personally would like to stick toothpicks under their finger nails.

As Maureen said, that local AR person is thoroughly blocked on my system!

 

Is junk mail from Realtors different than spam?

Seriously.

 Unwanted mail, time to pick it up, READ IT TO REALIZE it's JUNK..... trash it.

On email, I can do this in a microsecond (maybe nanosecond).... while in snail mail...why are some Realtors wasting MY time? 

Same tact - UNSOLICITED mail.

Would someone explain the difference?

Dan, if you come up with away to get back at people spreading spam I want to know.

Is junk mail from Realtors different than spam?

Seriously.

 Unwanted mail, time to pick it up, READ IT TO REALIZE it's JUNK..... trash it.

On email, I can do this in a microsecond (maybe nanosecond).... while in snail mail...why are some Realtors wasting MY time? 

Same tact - UNSOLICITED mail.

Would someone explain the difference?

It's really a shame that so many people living in Nigeria, Liberia, The Ivory Coast etc. seem so tragedy prone.  One would think that all these millionaires coming to an untimely end would encourage those that are left to make these oh so important arrangements in advance.

I hit bounce and block and byby

The Difference ROB ROBINSON is snail mail plays a roll in keeping the economy going. 

Several people can be thankful real estate agents are willing to spend their money on postal promotions.  From advertising executives, graphic designers and printers to guys working the paper mills and manufacturing ink.  It doesn't stop there, half the postal workers could find themselves unemployed without Junk Mail.   Continuing on it must also keep the trash haulers and recyclers busy.  All of this at no cost to the recipient of the mail.

Where as Cyber Spam cost YOU the offender nothing it may at times cost the receiver money due to text messaging fees or minutes used on a cell picking up notifications of junk. 

Of course I wouldn't expect someone like you to dwell to deeply in thought.  A quick review of your point's indicates you are all comment and little content.  Did you earn extra points dumping your question twice?

 

Dan - I just read a book called "The Good, The Spam, and the Ugly" - Shooting it out with Internet Bad Guys".   It's really just a silly book about how a guy responded to these emails.  Maybe worth a quick read and a laugh.  He basically spams the spammers. 

I'd be happy to send it to you if you provide me an address where you would like to receive it.  Actually I see you are just down the road so the postage will be cheap! 

 

Thanks Linda but I've read some of the funny stories.  I have no interest in being the enforcer, just want a button so I can delegate the job to a Cyber Hit Man who enjoys sharp shooting.

'Several people can be thankful real estate agents are willing to spend their money on postal promotions.  From advertising executives, graphic designers and printers to guys working the paper mills and manufacturing ink.  It doesn't stop there, half the postal workers could find themselves unemployed without Junk Mail.   Continuing on it must also keep the trash haulers and recyclers busy.  All of this at no cost to the recipient of the mail.'

No cost to the recipient?  Time has no value?

Everyone should be thankful to Realtors for sending junk mail.  That's just beautiful.

I thank you.

Time Value Cost to the recipient is a wash... Be it snail mail or cyber spam.

Well, my nanosecond seems faster when I trash the junk on a computer versus going to the mail box, opening the mail, placing in in the wastepasket and carrying it outside once a week. I guess some places have slower electrons.

Then of course since this thread seems to drift, there is the environmental issues with snail mail - of couse it DOES keep those land fill operators employed, so that must be weighed of course.

http://greendimes.typepad.com/i_give_a_dime/2006/09/as_you_probably.html

"Junk Mail and the Environment

As you probably know, our first mission at greendimes is to free us all from the shackles of junk mail. But why? What is it about junk mail that gets us fired up all of a sudden, after years of just being annoyed?

Well, we're hearing more and more these days about the environment, waste and global warming, and we noticed how much junk mail waste is in our homes. Then we thought, "Wait. It's not just our homes. It's everyone's. And its wasting paper and water and energy and money." So we looked into the junk mail business and were dismayed by the magnitude of the issue."

100,000,000 million trees cut down every year.  28,000,000,000 gallons of wasted water.  For stuff nobody wants!

If we were lucky, junk mail's impact would stop when it goes into the landfill. But actually landfills spew out methane, another global warming gas and waste paper is responsible for most of that methane. Up to 50% of landfills is wood and paper products, which means we're chopping down trees to make space for processed, trashed trees. The burden of all this waste falls on our cities, which spend more than $370 million a year just to handle junk mail.
================================

I'll take a junk email anyday over junk snail mail.

I got one of those but I forgot what my email address was...I got the check ready...who was I making it out to?

First of all, not all commercial email is spam.  There are guidelines. 

If the arguement is that junk mail keeps the economy going, then the same can be said for the electronic delivery.  Computer programmers, delete button reapairmen, list vendors, graphic artists, keyboard design engineers, mail server designers, the entire cable and telecom industry.

I use both snail mail and email to promote property and make no bones about it.  Some people complain.  There is an opt out feature on the emails that goes right to a tech guy who deals with it.  I have taken specific steps to go through the list to take one AR member off.

I now need to go to the post office to get the bushel, yes bushel, of mail from the last 2 days, schlep it back to the office and weed through it so I can do my part to endanger the environment.  I might also assist with keeping the economy alive by visiting the chiropractor next door who will advise me not to carry all the crap around in the big white basket.  My response will be that I need to get the mail so the one or two bills that are not sent to me electronically can be found and paid !! 

 

that's why I keep my trusty DELETE finger ready....

I get too much junk mail to let myself get upset

you have to remember - they're just being opportunistic... whether we like it or not, the spirit of opportunism is part of the drive to SELL

This has certainly taking an unintended turn due to comment spammers.  Anyone wishing to pursue another subject line is free to write their own blog on the matter and maybe even pick up their first feature.

Gee honey - maybe you could email Rob all your spam and he could snail mail you all his junk mail and then everyone would be happy.  Can't we all just get along :)

Sandra

Funny thing is that the junk mail in the snail mail is just as bad here in the los angeles are.

I get about 3 different mortgage companies offers to refi a day

Eddy

Sandra - I agree.  I was simply comparing the two.  Since many (certainly not all) in the Real Estate industry feel that junk mail 'Hard Copy" is innocent - and WELCOMED, and Junk Mail "soft copy" are somehow different.... I was trying to understand the rationale.

Not a big deal, simply trying to understand why.

I do not 'like' either, yet - as Rich and Eddy point out, both methods have their 'problems' (and a sales desicion).  Marketing is marketing....how a person or company does it is a choice.....but to think one versus the other is 'user friendly' does not fit MY model.  I think they are both necessary evils. (ouch).

Only an opinion, there certainly is no need for animosity.

I was pretty junk mail free until I went to the websites for HUD foreclosures.  Fortunately, I made up a screen name specifically for this bit of investigation so my regular email is still pretty spam free.  The screen name that I used for the HUD foreclosure info has a few hundred spam emails.

Sandra.. I'm gettin' along fine... Just every now and than that little mean streak arises.. Must be the flu bug that bit me yesterday.. or I wasn't reading enough from Sarah Cooper, she seems to have that upbeat style that sooths the savage beast...

Rob... No animosity here...

I get those every day.  What is the purpose when they are deleted and never read.

I hate the farming postcards I get from the newbies that don't know where I live. I don't farm and don't plan to try it. I think the new people are reading old books on how to be a Realtor. All that out dated marketing sure can burn them out fast! lol

Well, as an "outdated marketing" proponent, I still farm faithfully.  This old timer still has 3 times as many listings and sales than any other agent in my market place.   The internet is a great way to get buyers, but for listings I still like the advice in those old books.  I sure hope my competition agrees that farming is outdated marketing and that those old books should be dumped in the trash. 

I don't think we will ever see an end to spam emails.  So many of them come from addresses that go through many different addresses to hide the originating sender.  These people are pros and know all the tricks.  I get over 100 spam emails a day that go right into my junk email folder.  I still have to go through the other 100 emails that don't get trashed.  I also have to look at the junk to make sure an important one didn't get accidently thown in there. 

As was stated earlier, they want you to respond because then they know they have a valid address and can continue sending spam to you.  Also, any emails that come from PayPal, Ebay, US Bank, B of A or any other legitimate companies saying you are being cut off or wanting updated info are phisers (looking for personal info for indentity theft purposes).

I, too, am rich beyond my wildest dreams from all the benevolent people outside the US who want to send me money.  Sheesh, give me a break!  And all the pharmacy spams (and who know what others) are only trying to steal your money.  You will never get anything back from them if you order from them.

I advertised a photo copier on line in the Recycler and got tons of emails saying they would send me a check and all I had to do was cash it, send them the money plus shipping and keep the difference they included for my help.  SCAM!!  I actually corresponded with one of these people and he sent me a cashiers check.  I called the bank it was drawn on and it was fraudulent.  Since he was out of the country, there was nothing anyone can do.  That is the real problem.  Even if you find out who they are, nothing can be done.  What a pain!

 

I don't think we will ever see an end to spam emails.  So many of them come from addresses that go through many different addresses to hide the originating sender.  These people are pros and know all the tricks.  I get over 100 spam emails a day that go right into my junk email folder.  I still have to go through the other 100 emails that don't get trashed.  I also have to look at the junk to make sure an important one didn't get accidently thown in there. 

As was stated earlier, they want you to respond because then they know they have a valid address and can continue sending spam to you.  Also, any emails that come from PayPal, Ebay, US Bank, B of A or any other legitimate companies saying you are being cut off or wanting updated info are phisers (looking for personal info for indentity theft purposes).

I, too, am rich beyond my wildest dreams from all the benevolent people outside the US who want to send me money.  Sheesh, give me a break!  And all the pharmacy spams (and who know what others) are only trying to steal your money.  You will never get anything back from them if you order from them.

I advertised a photo copier on line in the Recycler and got tons of emails saying they would send me a check and all I had to do was cash it, send them the money plus shipping and keep the difference they included for my help.  SCAM!!  I actually corresponded with one of these people and he sent me a cashiers check.  I called the bank it was drawn on and it was fraudulent.  Since he was out of the country, there was nothing anyone can do.  That is the real problem.  Even if you find out who they are, nothing can be done.  What a pain!

Sorry for the double post, I didn't put my name on the first one.

At the same time if we choose to advertise ourselves online we just have to deal with spam. Deleting them might be a little time consuming but hey what else can you do? 

Eddy