Spam spam spam!

WizPip

Tech101 wrote: »

Since 3rd February I've been inundated by spam e-mails advertising PPi claims, loans, gas engineering courses, debt clearance, Rosetta Stone, injury claims, Optical-Express, life cover and many more. All originate from the U.S.A. and appear to be initiated by a company named UK OfferSource (sic).

It started out with 20 a day but has now reached 60.

Two nights running 1&1's mail servers were down concurrent with this barrage. Literally millions of people must be getting them but the only mention I've found online is of a BBC TV News journalist also receiving them.

I have been receiving THIS exact spam, all starting with my name in the subject. Someone sold our name and email... have you been in an accident recentlyish?

Hugeass304

I have been getting these same emails 20-30 a day. I tired ignoring them and then unsubscribing but it makes no difference. Mine started almost to the minute after I booked a Thomson holiday. My friend is also getting the same after booking a Thomson flight.

Tech101

WizPip wrote: »

I have been receiving THIS exact spam, all starting with my name in the subject. Someone sold our name and email... have you been in an accident recentlyish?

No accidents at any time. I did, though, reserve something online at Argos recently and omitted on that occasion to tick the 'no marketing' box. Perhaps they've passed my address on.

I've now managed to stop the 30+ a day spams by putting them in a spam folder within my ISP's WebMail. Their spam recognition software checks all incoming e-mails against those in the spam folder. This stops them being downloaded into the mail program on my computer.

chris-j

dm827430 wrote: »

buy a website, bounce all emails through it to your private inbox using different email adresses, eg ebay@xxx.com, mse@xxx.com. then you can find out who is selling your email address. once you find that out, a quick threatening email will sort out the problem, well it has for me, and ive been on the same email since 1990

This is exactly what I now do. Used to use a single address for shopping, but when play.com got hacked I changed to address for each company as started getting inundated with spam. The original address still gets loads and currently autoreplys.
Most recently this account gets loads from Exclaimuk.com which I have unsubscribed from at least 8 times (never signed up) but autoreply I have mentions them specifically as reason address not used.
I don't get any spam on addresses used for specific companies and if I do adddess can just be changed for that one (or stop buying from companies selling my info).

Tech101

A problem with this current spate of spam (seemingly instigated by UK Offer Source) is that they're from the USA and the sender's address frequently changes.

Unsubscribing doesn't work: it just confirms an e-mail address to these goons and even more spam appears.

Being States-based the originators are out of the reach of the Information Commissioner in the UK and can't be taken to task.

Tech101

Spam received so far today: UKCreditManager, Payday Pig, BestOEMSoftware, Life Insurance Finder, Charterhouse Claims, Smart Finance UK, OffersClick, Stop Creditors Now, Underdog, Best Life Cover, Department Manager, UK Financial, Cheapflights, PPInsurance Reclaim Specialists, ECO Experts, Smartphone Competition, Piggy Bank, Freeze Your Debt, Luma Card, Optical Express, Optical-Express, eClaim Advisors.

All instigated by UK Offer Source and all sent from the U.S.

Mr_Toad

I've just checked my junk mail folder. There are 57 items in there, the oldest is dated the 22nd so 56 in 6 days.

All but 6 of them are from companies I deal with or have dealt with who insist on sending me offers despite me ticking the no contact box whenever I can.

Amazon are one of the worst offenders, every time you look at anything and compare the price on Amazon they send an email offering me what I looked at along with similar items.

My filter deals with them and I can't remember the last time something was junked that shouldn't have been.

Tech101

Mr_Toad wrote: »

Amazon are one of the worst offenders, every time you look at anything and compare the price on Amazon they send an email offering me what I looked at along with similar items. .

Amazon e-mails are easy to get rid of.

If you haven't already done it: log-in at Amazon, go to Your Account, scroll down to 'E-mail from Amazon'. Select 'E-mail Preferences & Notifications'. Near the bottom of the page that opens, choose 'Do not send me marketing e-mail'.

Mr_Toad

Tech101 wrote: »

Amazon e-mails are easy to get rid of.

If you haven't already done it: log-in at Amazon, go to Your Account, scroll down to 'E-mail from Amazon'. Select 'E-mail Preferences & Notifications'. Near the bottom of the page that opens, choose 'Do not send me marketing e-mail'.

Well, well, well isn't that interesting.

I thought I had but I've just checked as you suggested and in email notifications and some of them are checked.

All unchecked now.