Where Has All The Spam Gone?

[Andy Westcott 0]

So where has all the spam gone? Anyone else noticed this 'phenomenon'?

 

I used to get multiple invitations to 'increase your size' along with suggestions of the various benefits this would provide, and repeated offers for viagra. I don't have any immediate use for viagra at the moment, so I'm pleased to see they've stopped asking me.

 

I did wonder if there was something wrong with my ISPs e-mail server, but a few quick tests proved everything was working fine. I've received just one spam message in over 24 hours now - it's lovely!

 

Anyone else noticed a change? Perhaps my ISP (tiscali) has found a way to block this type of spam.

[LEENEWSOME 0]

yes iv noticed that, im still getting the e amils from the many banks accounts that i dont hold asking to update my info.

[disco4hire 1]

So where has all the spam gone? Anyone else noticed this 'phenomenon'?

 

I used to get multiple invitations to 'increase your size' along with suggestions of the various benefits this would provide, and repeated offers for viagra. I don't have any immediate use for viagra at the moment, so I'm pleased to see they've stopped asking me.

 

I did wonder if there was something wrong with my ISPs e-mail server, but a few quick tests proved everything was working fine. I've received just one spam message in over 24 hours now - it's lovely!

 

Anyone else noticed a change? Perhaps my ISP (tiscali) has found a way to block this type of spam.

 

I'm still getting them, just cleared 21 that have appeared in the last 24 hours, my ISP (BT) does manage to keep them out of my main mail box and filter then into the 'spam folder' though. The odd ones get through but nothing to cause a problem, I delete all spam without exception, it was much worse a couple of years ago.

[Dukesy 0]

Likely down to the closure of a web hosting firm which has probably greatly reduced the amount of spam individuals receive according to this report:

 

 

The closure of a web hosting firm that is believed to have had spam gangs as clients has led to a drastic reduction in junk mail.

 

Two US internet service providers have pulled the plug on the firm McColo following an investigation by the Washington Post newspaper.

 

Anti-spam firm Ironport has seen junk mail levels drop by 70% since McColo was taken offline on 11 November.

 

But, it warned, it will be a temporary respite from the menace of spam.

 

Plug pulled

 

"It is an unprecedented drop but will be a temporary outage as the networks move from North America to places where there is less scrutiny," said Jason Steer, a spokesman for Ironport.

 

The Washington Post has been gathering data on McColo for the past four months and passed the information to its internet service providers, Global Crossing and Hurricane Electric.

 

Both decided to pull the plug on the firm on Tuesday.

 

It is believed that it hosted gangs running botnets - networks of computers that have been taken over by criminals to send malicious software and spam.

 

According to MessageLabs, botnets are responsible for over 90% of spam.

 

Increasingly the tech industry is fighting back.

 

"All the US internet peering companies are under much more scrutiny. The authorities and the internet community have woken up to the problem," said Mr Steer.

 

But while it might make criminals think more carefully about what they do, it will not stop them, he thinks.

 

"Spam levels will come back to normal as we build up to Thanksgiving and Christmas," he said.

 

A recent study by computer scientists from the University of California, Berkeley and UC, San Diego (UCSD) found that spammers manage to turn a profit despite only getting one response to every 12.5m emails they send.

 

 

 

 

[Andy Westcott 0]

Thanks Dan, that quite possibly explains it.

 

The ultimate 'cure' would be for ISPs to charge for all e-mails - not a lot - perhaps a penny for each one sent, but I'm sure it would make a difference to these companies who send millions of spam mails each day.

[YourBigEvent 0]

Still get more than 150 per day.

[Dream Catchers 0]

I'm with Mr Harris, fortunately most go straight into the spam folder, but I still have to sort through them as some genuine ones end up there too.

 

Jim

[otronics 0]

Who is your ISP, Andy?

 

Using Virgin Media here and hardly any mail all day..

[Paul Smith 0]

I did read recently that Hotmail blocks 3.5billion spam emails every day - I have noticed a gradual decline in SPAM over the last month or so and even less in the last week smile icon

[Andy Westcott 0]

Otronics - I'm with Tiscali, for your information.

 

But...

 

It seems I typed too fast - some of the spam is returning, but still a fraction of what it was. I'm sure it will soon be back up to the usual level. smile icon