I, Spammer

PCOL writes "The Washington Post is reporting on testimony before the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation by Ronald Scelson, an eighth-grade dropout and self-taught computer programmer from Louisiana, who claims that he sends between 120 million and 180 million e-mails every 12 hours, that he can break sophisticated software filters 24 hours after they are deployed, and that he has no choice but to resort to forging the sender information in his bulk e-mail so he can be anonymous and maintain his connection to the Internet. He added that he obtained all his addresses legally and that AOL gladly sold him the company's entire customer directory which Ted Leonsis, vice chairman of AOL, did not deny." It's a tough life. Here's another story about the Senate committee meeting.

Uhhh..

[gurnb]

"Mr. Leonsis, are you a spammer?" McCain asked.

Leonsis, who had testified minutes earlier about how AOL was blocking 2.4 billion pieces of spam per day, did not answer directly.

"We let members opt out" of commercial messages sent by the company and affiliates, he said. And he accused Scelson of violating the company's "terms of use" agreement by using AOL's membership directory as a source for e-mail addresses. Scelson readily agreed.

Hello Pot, this is the kettle, you're black!!

AOL is a bigger part of the problem vs being a bigger part of the solution.

With great power, comes great responsibility.

*sniff!*

[deadhammer]

I feel bad for him. I really do!

angrily deletes the 4 billion spam in his inbox

Well

[Xaoswolf]

At least he's only sending them to the AOLers. I mean, if we keep them busy with spam, then they can't dumb down the rest of the internet right?

Pretty simple

[Paddyish]

while ($AOL)
{ $AOL=shoot_self_in_foot(with_gun);}

Re:Well ...that's the problem

[botzi]

Aol subscirbers poll results:

1. What do you tend to do with all the incoming spam????

5% - I delete it.
20% - I read it and I find it great!!
80% - What spam???? I just forward everything....

Rq: The results percentage is above 100% due to database corruption;oP

You're still sure that's a good thing????

Let the punishment fit the crime

[Anonymous Coward]

He should be slapped lightly on the wrist with a rolled up newspaper once for every time he pissed someone off.

True story: I broke the trigger on my water pistol by fantasising I had a gun pointed at a spammer's genitals.

Where's the personal info, it's been 20 minutes.

[Ravensign]

Lol.

This article is 20 minutes old, I am suprised his home address, phone number, ssn, shoe size and EQ account info aren't already posted.

Re:Are we just as bad?

[Archwyrm]

Retaliation may not be the solution to the problem, but at least have a good chuckle at the knowledge that these spammers inboxes are overflowing with flames.

Hell Freezes Over

[Tackhead]

> "I'm probably the most hated person in this room," said an unapologetic Scelson,

and several dimensions away, Satan scraped the icicles from his beard and once more begged God to turn the heat back up. "Okay, so a spammer told the truth, but it only happened once, and it was an accident, it's not my fault, can I please have some frickin' heat down here already?!?!"

Re:Uhhh.. AOL = Matrix v.2

[Dethpickle]

I thought that AOL was supposed to be insanely annoying.

Matrix v.1 was too good for anyone to believe.
Matrix v.2 was so god awful annoying that everyone figured it had to be real. Makes sense that it was AOL.

Hell if I know what the other several versions are...

Whats the big deal?

[Anonymous Coward]

an eighth-grade dropout...from Louisiana

As opposed to the rest of Louisiana?

Re:Spammers killed my Parents

[Angry White Guy]

Not early enough.

Slashdot is big..but /. the Washington Post?

[ERJ]

Aren't we getting a bit cocky to think we can /. the Washington Post?

Re:Uhhh..

[The_K4]

Actually, have you ever tried to write RETURN TO SENDER on a AOL-mailed CD?
The post office won't return it.

Ever taken a bunch of them down to the post office and sent to back certified mail (and request delivery confirmation>?
AOL sends you a Cease and Desist letter.

I'm serious, some friends and I did this in college because we were bored.

Re:Well

[Anonymous Coward]

Isn't AOL for dummies kind of redundant?

Re:Dang it, there goes my stomach lining...

[Alan]

I agree with most of your points, but the problem with mandating spam to include an opt out link (which I think most "legit" spam does) is that there will still be people that use the remove@ messages to harvest "live" email addresses. I tell people these days to *never* reply to spam, no matter what it says, simply because chances are better that way.

Even if all "legit" spams did this, it only takes one person to start harvesting this way and the whole thing completely looses it's meaning. And when you're in a business where a) following the rules and b) annoying people is required, providing opt-out really isn't in your best interests.

Personally I think the only way to deal with this is public execution of one spammer a week on live TV until either a) they're all gone (may have to increase the frequency a bit for that) or b) the rest get the picture.

Either way it'd be fun :)

Re:Are we just as bad?

[pboulang]

Shit. I didn't know we could say fuck.

Re:FYI incaseof /. fx

[Turing Machine]

"I'm probably the most hated person in this room," said an unapologetic Scelson

An impressive claim, considering that he was testifying before Congress.

Re:SPAMHAUS Record on Scelson

[Steve B]

there was a horrid sulfer / rotten egg smell blanketing the whole town

OK, that's eyewitness (nosewitness?) confirmation that Scelson does indeed live there.

Re:Another bad Slashdot analogy

[Exedore]

People need to guard their email addresses in the same way they practice safe sex. Don't go sticking your email address just any old place ...

Special offer for JSkillsWui$d3g6Yert! Email address too small/not performing to expectations? Now you can enlarge your email address the natural way! 100% safe and effective! Get the email address performance you've always dreamed of having!

Re:FYI incaseof /. fx

[DogIsMyCoprocessor]

Ooops, should have said copy and paste, since it looks like the WaPo article is still there.

The real reason for mentioning /.

[Anonymous Coward]

The guy mentioned slashdot for a very good reason.
What he wants is for spammers to visit this site and
read the articles. Then they see a link to a certain
page we all know about and the rest of us never click on.
However, the spammers being idiots don't know that, so they click on the
link. They visit a page and get grossed out. They won't
go near their computers for 6 months and spamming stops.
Oh yeah, 2. ??? 3. Profit.

Re:Uhhh..

[Anonymous Coward]

So why don't you just send them a Cease and Desist letter?

Re:Dang it, there goes my stomach lining...

[Anonymous Coward]

CowboyNeal is my open relay.

8th Grade Dropout?

[hendridm]

It shows [google.com]

And all this time I thought the bad english in the spam I get originated from Asia.

Re:Uhhh..

[Dr Caleb]

If it walks like a duck, and quacks like a duck

It might have Mad Cow Disease.

Re:*sniff!*

[Tenebrious1]

I feel bad for him. I really do!

Ah... a business opportunity!

[start spam]
Are you a spammer down on your luck??? Have you been disconnected from every major ISP in your area????? Getting tons of flames in your personal inbox??????

Well, fret no longer! I used to be in your shoes, but now I'm one of the top spammers in the world! I used to receive tons of mail from angry slashdotters, but no longer!!! I've discovered the ancient secrets of the internet, previously unknown RFC commands, MAPI and IMAP loopholes, weakness in POP, PAP, SMTP, RTFM/RTFA, ID-10T commands, and so much more!!!!
For just $19.95, I will send you the secrets of becoming a true world class spammer!

With my tested methods, you will:
keep your name and address hidden from vigilantes
maintain your account with any ISP legally
earn thousands of dollars a day from your home without lifting a finger! Ok, just one, to click the mouse! That's how easy and simple it is!!!
and so much more!
Just send the check for $19.95 to ...
[end spam]

Re:Uhhh..

[Spudley]

Yes, AOL sends commercial messages to its members, but it doesn't spam the rest of the world too...

[AOL] "Wha-?! You mean there's people using email *outside* of AOL?? That must mean they didn't get our CDs then! Did we miss someone?"

Re:Are we just as bad?

[ryanvm]

While I hate spam, I'm not sure that vigilante action is the right way to handle the problem.

You are mistaken. Vigilante justice is the right way to handle every problem.

Re:Uhhh..

[cioxx]

That's what USPS Form 1500, Application for Listing & Prohibitory Order (pdf), is for.

Maybe not. The application states:

"The attached mailpiece, from the mailer identified below, offers for sale matter that I believe to be erotically arousing or sexually provocative and therefore is a pandering advertisement. Under the provisions of 39 USC 3008, I request that a Prohibitory Order be issued against the mailer and the mailer's agents or assigns."

Unless you use the AOL CD as an artificial vagina, you won't get far with that application.

Re:Where's the personal info, it's been 20 minutes

[Tackhead]

> Amy H........ [wife/sister?]

It's Slidell, Louisiana, and we're talking about a spammer's family. Why not both?

By his own logic

[Vainglorious Coward]

problem is you have to be REALLY sure this is him. What if an innocent person who shares the same name is targetted.

Well, if he hasn't opted out of our "special offer" to exact retribution upon him, then he must want us to do this.

Re:HERE HE IS, the bastard

[Tackhead]

> The problem is you have to be REALLY sure this is him. What if an innocent person who shares the same name is targetted.

Oh, that's easy!

Dirty Harry: Well, punk, you've gotta ask yourself a question. What do you think of receiving exciting offe rs about products, as long as you can opt out at any time?
Punk: What the fuck? I don't care if you've got a .45 Magnum pointed at my face! Fuck you, spammer!
Dirty Harry: Oh, sorry, I got the wrong guy. You're free to go, son. Real sorry 'bout that. [puts gun away, pulls out wallet, hands punk $100 for a new pair of pants]

... Dirty Harry: Well, punk, you've gotta ask yourself a question. What do you think of receiving exciting offers about products, as long as you can opt out at any time?
Punk: Fuck you, you spah... spuh... y-you ethical e-bidniz purfessnul!
Dirty Harry: *BLAM* *BLAM* *BLAM* *BLAM* *BLAM* *BLAM* [walks back to the office, turns in his badge, and tells the Chief that it's cool, because even if the DA charges him with using excessive force against a suspect, no jury would ever convict]

Re:Are we just as bad?

[DonkeyJimmy]

Well, you've got to admit: /. is one of the last bastions in the US where you can say "fuck" without being blocked, kicked, and vigorously sued.
And if that isn't deep, deep underground, I don't know what is :)

heh heh hehhehehe, you said "deep".

Re:Pretty simple

[Paddyish]

Overwriting AOL with a bullet-riddled and mangled apendage would probably have a positive effect on the company as a whole...

Astonishing capabilities

[Carnivorous Carrot]

> an eighth-grade dropout and self-taught
> computer programmer from Louisiana, who claims
> that he sends between 120 million and 180
> million e-mails every 12 hours, that he can
> break sophisticated software filters 24 hours
> after they are deployed, and that he has no
> choice but to resort to forging the sender
> information in his bulk e-mail so he can be
> anonymous and maintain his connection to the
> Internet.

And here you guys all thought Neo was one of the good guys.

Re:client filtering is just wrong approach

[raju1kabir]

Because most of the actual monetary cost of sending the spam has already been incurred by the time you filter at the client.

% telnet example.com smtp
Trying 192.168.3.48...
Connected to example.com
Escape character is '^]'
220 welcome
helo spammer.com
250 hello spammer.com
mail from: <[e-mail]>
250 ok
rcpt to: <[e-mail]>
250 ok
data
354 ok
Subject: [ADV] grow three more penises
Connection closed by foreign host.
%

Re:Uhhh..Does it work with the IRS

[GnarlyNome]

every year they send me an obscine bill.