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[–]JetBlackNinja 48 points49 points ago

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[–]loki_racer[S] 9 points10 points ago

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Genius. Pure Genius. Unfortunately I don't live in the US anymore, but when I finally move back, I will begin competing in this hobby.

[–]GeneralDisorder 5 points6 points ago

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Check Craigslist for free bricks. Just saying.

[–]tortuganaught 3 points4 points ago

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Do they have to pay for the postage in the end? Or do they have contracts with mailing companies? If the former I am going to go collect some rocks.

[–]loki_racer[S] 4 points5 points ago

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Yes. They have to pay for you to mail them rocks.

[–]reddeth 19 points20 points ago

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A trick for figuring out WHO is sending you spam, if you have a Gmail account. When you sign up for something, append a +<keyword> to your Gmail address. In other words, say you're signing up for a forum on widgets, you would give them the email address of:

reddeth+widgetforum@gmail.com

The email will still come through to your gmail account, and you will be able to create forwarding and sorting rules based on the "+widgetforum" portion of the address. So if you sign up for a bunch of different things, using keywords in each "thing" you sign up for, and suddenly that keyword gets hit with a lot of spam, you know exactly who sold/lost/etc your email address!

[–]evilgiraffe 11 points12 points ago

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do you find that companies block you from using the '+' -? I've stopped trying to use this anymore because I always had it thrown back at me as an 'unrecognised email address'... am open to ideas if you're got suggestions...

[–]stringochars 2 points3 points ago

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Many do block them, some don't. It's a decent tactic.

[–]tanglisha 1 point2 points ago

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Some of the sites that don't block it break when you use your account for anything.

[–]reddeth 1 point2 points ago

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I haven't had any issues personally, but I also don't always use this tactic as I have a gmail address dedicated solely to spam signups. I just know of the trick.

[–]rugtoad 2 points3 points ago

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Unfortunately, the ones who are selling your email are wise to this trick and strip out everything between the + sign and the @.

[–]bmeckel 1 point2 points ago

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Can't you use a period instead? I.E. If your email was helloworld@gmail.com you could use h.elloworld, he.lloworld or any combination? I could be thinking of the + symbol, but I always thought periods worked too.

[–]wardmuylaert -4 points-3 points ago

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. is part of the email identifier, as in h.ello@gmail.com will be a different email address than hello@gmail.com (or ello@gmail.com for that matter).

[–]FozzTexx 16 points17 points ago

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On gmail the . is ignored for delivery.

[–]wardmuylaert 5 points6 points ago

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[–]GeneralDisorder 1 point2 points ago

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I didn't realize a plus sign was rfc compliant in an E-mail addy.

[–]eddsteel 1 point2 points ago

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Yup. See sections 6.1 and 3.3 of http://www.faqs.org/rfcs/rfc822.html.

Of course no one actually uses this to validate email addresses :(

[–]rugtoad 4 points5 points ago

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This trick is WELL known...these days, people who don't sell your email address are the only ones who will let you do this. Or, the ones who sell your email address and let you do it will strip it out from those they sell the address too...

There are still some tricks out there, but this one isn't going to do the trick...although it IS very helpful for sorting and searching emails, so it's certainly still something that I'd recommend to anyone who is as neurotic about their email as I am:)

[–]GeneralDisorder 1 point2 points ago

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I work for a web host and get a free hosting account for it. I almost never give out real addresses. I use subdomains (which come at no cost to me and do not require registration) and a global catchall with appropriate filtering.

When I sign up for something I make a new address (such as geico@thisisonlyatest.subdomain.org (that's not my hostname but when a geico customer t-boned me the agent wanted an e-mail)).

I then made that address unfiltered. No spam. So geico is good about that. Facebook, not so much.

[–]Chimp711 0 points1 point ago

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Similarly with gmail you can add a . anywhere in your address and still receive the email. JohnBird@gmail.com is the same as John.Bird or J.o.h.nBird@gmail.com.

You can then create filters based on what address is receiving the spam.

[–]n30g30 14 points15 points ago

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I've had email marketing companies cuss me for getting their contracts cancelled.

Seems like a fun read. Can you please post their replies? Change all identities if needed.

[–]loki_racer[S] 0 points1 point ago

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I didn't keep the email responses, but will post some as I get them.

[–]Phlexonance 6 points7 points ago

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Is spam still an issue for people? I can't even remember the last time something slipped past the filter and I never check the spam emails in gmail.

[–]loki_racer[S] 8 points9 points ago

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Email from large corporations isn't considered spam by many spam filters, but it's still considered spam by me.

Say you buy something from {big-ass-online-retailer}.com and they force your email in to newsletters. This is the type of spam I am targeting.

[–]spoonraker 5 points6 points ago

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Have you ever tried using the unsubscribe links?

I had the exact same scenario you're talking about with my Gmail account. The spam filter caught all the real spam, but I still got a fair amount of marketing emails from websites I had signed up for over the years. These are websites where I registered for one specific purpose, or to buy one specific thing, or that I had just lost interest in.

Anyway, I just let them accumulate in my inbox for a few weeks and then went down the list and followed the unsubscribe instructions that was provided in every single email, and now I'm 100% completely spam free including the legitimate spam that I brought on myself.

Assuming these are actually legitimate companies that are only mailing you because you actually did sign up for something, then they will most likely provide you with an unsubscribe link. If you're getting actual unsolicited spam that your spam filter isn't catching, then consider yourself incredibly unlucky. Perhaps try switching to gmail if you're using something else, my gmail spam filter catches everything.

[–]loki_racer[S] 1 point2 points ago

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Yes I tried unsubscribing. Sometimes multiple times. Sometimes they force you to login (I have no idea what my account info is), sometimes unsub is broken, sometimes unsub'ing just confirms to them they have someone that reads their emails so they send more.

[–]spoonraker 2 points3 points ago

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Just curious, what kind of companies are these emails coming from?

Most of my not-spam-spam was coming from completely legitimate websites where I had signed up to buy something, or to try out their services, which simply automatically signed me up for some newsletter. Newegg.com is an example of one of these places, I buy stuff there all the time, but I still don't want an ad from them multiple times a week. Every single one of these places provided a working unsubscribe link.

I'm pretty sure the whole "the unsubscribe link only tells them that your address is valid" thing is just a myth. Either you're registering at some shady websites or your spam filter is just terrible.

And finally, if you forgot your username and/or password, well that's your own fault haha. Maybe try seeing if they have a "recover my password" tool, as most places do.

edit I see that you specifically mentioned LinkedIn in another reply, I was getting "spammed" by linkedin too, but the unsubscribe link worked perfectly for me. Once I logged in and changed my email preferences I never heard from them again.

[–]loki_racer[S] 0 points1 point ago

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Stubhub, monster.com, the large public college I graduated from 7 years ago, Best Buy, Borders, random news websites that require registration, theladders.com, cnet.com, etc.

I think what likely happens is you get in to their list (wanted or not) and then that list gets shared with different marketing teams who then setup different mailing lists, maybe even with different newsletter providers. So unsubbing from one list doesn't actually get you off all their lists.

If you aren't getting spammed by linkedin, just wait. They will create new mailing lists, and auto add you. Forcing you to revisit their management page and unsub from their new magical mailing list.

[–]aardvarkious 0 points1 point ago

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This has always worked for me. Except for with Best Buy and LinkedIn.

[–][deleted] 1 point2 points ago

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linkedin, I'm looking at you!

[–]loki_racer[S] 0 points1 point ago

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Perfect example of a site that does not listen to email preferences.

[–]frep45 -1 points0 points ago

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They do listen. I successfully unsubscribed from all LinkedIn emails a few weeks ago. What can a CEO of a company do other than direct you to the section that specifically allows you to change your email settings? I think you're being a little over-reactive, treating any email you weren't expecting as evil spam. If LinkedIn is a service you use, make sure your settings reflect the way you want to use it.

[–]loki_racer[S] 1 point2 points ago

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Linkedin doesn't listen and I'm not the only one that says this. They add new, bullshit mailing lists all the time and default everyone to being on them.

Here's a thought, if companies didn't send me unsolicited emails we wouldn't be here at all.

[–]eddsteel 1 point2 points ago

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This is the type of spam I am targeting.

This is called bacon, or bacn, because you can't really call it unsolicited like spam is. Annoying as, though.

[–]SurrealEstate 2 points3 points ago

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I've actually reported a site to the FTC for breaking the CAN-SPAM Act, which you can do here.

I got a couple of spam emails, so I tried to unsubscribe but the link in the email was broken (which I'm guessing is a violation of the act by itself), so I emailed them (which infuriatingly required that I registered on their site first) and asked them to unsubscribe me. I got a reply saying it was done, but sure enough I started receiving spam a couple of weeks later.

CAN-SPAM says that a site has 10 business days to remove you from their list or they could face up to $11,000 in fines.

After reporting them, I never got another spam from their site again.

I guess I was lucky, because they were a business in the US.

[–][deleted] 0 points1 point ago

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Unfortunately, the FTC has no jurisdiction over the entire internet. While this works for US based companies, anything from other countries like china will still go unpunished.

[–]ecclectic 2 points3 points ago

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I have multiple email accounts, just to act as spam filtres.

I use one for any online registration stuff, one for giving out to people I don't need to contact me, and then my genuine address.

Thunderbird handles multiple email accounts and allows pretty good filtering options

[–]yabacam 0 points1 point ago

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exactly what I do, but my "main" email has been getting some spam lately, I might actually try this.

[–]Eranmane 2 points3 points ago

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Mike Hunt

Damnit, why am I laughing at that? Well played.

[–]loki_racer[S] 2 points3 points ago*

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I kid you not, I went to college with a Mike Hunt. Also had a Ben Doverman (no facebook because he blasted himself in the face in 2002). Sitting in rollcall with them was awesome, especially on the first day.

[–]MalcolmY 1 point2 points ago

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I love it.

What about making a new email > signing up to their emailing list > forward that email automatically to them.

Make a hundred other emails, and just go crazy with forwarding.

Just be sure also to make an auto-signature saying why this is happening. I prefer just fucking with them.

[–]SkepticalRouge 1 point2 points ago

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This is awesome. Will Give it a try.

Alternatively, you can filter out any email with the keyword "unsubscribe". That does the trick 99% of the time.

[–]jaggazz 1 point2 points ago

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OR: Skip steps 2 & 3, and proceed directly to 4.

[–]manaworkin 0 points1 point ago

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Keep up the good work!

[–]blue_strat 0 points1 point ago

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Mike Hunt

Heh.

[–]Aarmed 0 points1 point ago

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Doesn't every email program have a spam filter?

[–]micksb 0 points1 point ago

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How to stop someone spamming you: start spamming.

[–]pointui 0 points1 point ago

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Do you have a list of the websites to sign them up for newsletters? How do marketing companies know it was you, since all you do is submit the CEO email for the spam?

[–]loki_racer[S] 0 points1 point ago

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They know. Trust me. The newsletters I sign them up for aren't their normal reading material.

[–]lordjord -3 points-2 points ago

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I prefer a few unsolicited emails to getting half a tree in my mailbox every day, ads screaming at me during shows etc.

Advertising makes the world go around; email is about as non-intrusive as I can think of.

That said, not being able to simply unsubscribe is a dick move.

[–]loki_racer[S] 3 points4 points ago

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What's your email address? I'll send you my spam since I don't want it and you seem to not mind it.

[–]lordjord -1 points0 points ago

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Meh, just saying that it's better than most forms. You don't have to agree.

That said, spamming reddit with pointless, unoriginal shit is even less useful than stiffy pills.

Each to their own, I suppose.

[–]toothsayer -1 points0 points ago

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I downvoted you because you really don't have a point. The absence of shit is always preferable to just a little shit.

[–]lordjord -1 points0 points ago

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Actually, my original point was that email marketing is the least wasteful and intrusive of any form of advertising I can think of.

To suggest advertising is going anywhere is obviously ridiculous, so why don't we promote the types we prefer?

Of course, it's easier to complain without actually thinking.

"LOL I'LL SEND YOU MINE THEN AFTER I SIGN THEM UP FOR LOLZ"

Seriously?

[–]loki_racer[S] -2 points-1 points ago

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Are you drunk?

[–]lordjord -2 points-1 points ago

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Just tired of morons who get tonguetied and downvote.

Explain why other forms of advertising are better.

[–]loki_racer[S] -1 points0 points ago

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I never said they were.

[–]lordjord -1 points0 points ago

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So what are you saying then?

I don't think you've thought your position through.

[–]loki_racer[S] -2 points-1 points ago

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You're saying my idea is pointless and unoriginal? Odd, I thought it was a unique way to get companies to comply with a federal law.

[–]lordjord -4 points-3 points ago

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It has been said a hundred times before and achieved nothing, so yeah - pointless and unoriginal.

But like I say, advertising will never die. I can't think of a kind I prefer over email.

[–]jeffhughes -1 points0 points ago

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Create a filter > From: (email) > Check "Delete it"

Problem solved.

[–]loki_racer[S] 1 point2 points ago

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Works great for one sender. Many large corporations send email from numerous domains/users.

[–]EarBucket -1 points0 points ago

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Could you post a list of good newsletters to subscribe them to?

[–]loki_racer[S] 1 point2 points ago

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Find all the "sticky" companies (the ones that don't let you unsub) and start unsubbing everyone to each other's newsletters.