Re: Spammers hapless fate = ISP toil and sweat
- Date: Thu, 18 Sep 1997 10:28:43 -0400 (EDT)
- Resent-date: Thu, 18 Sep 1997 16:53:55 +0200
- Resent-message-id: <9709181453.AA16003@localhost
On 18 Sep 1997, Espen Vestre wrote:
> Luis Miguel Sequeira lms@localhost writes:
>
> > I fail to understand from where these guys get Internet connectivity.
> > It would violate almost any AUP I know of...
>
> Unfortunately, some well-known ISPs, especially Psi.Net and UUNet, but
> several others also, continue to give these guys internet connectivity.
> Customers of these providers are starting to discover that they
> are losing mail connectivity, so let's hope the AUP-ignoring ISP's
> will lose in the (not too) long run.
If someone could suggest how to identify a spammer *before* they start
sending out email, then I am sure every person who has to deal with the
spam would be most gratefull, it will save them alot of time and money.
When an ISP sells a connection to a company, they have no idea what the
customer will use the connection for. Certainly, here at UUNET, our AUP is
enforced. But if the spammer just buys another connection, how would we
identify them? All the outside world will see is "another UUNET connected
spammer", but to us, this is a separate customer.
The other unfortunate thing is that the law enforcement agencies will not
assist ISP's in tracking down spammers. If the culprit has a dial-up
account and dials into a network, you can get all sorts of information on
them. But even if the caller is stupid enough not to suppress caller ID (or
make the call from a payphone), the phone companies will not release the
address that matches the phone number.
--
Keith Howell
