procmail
[Top] [All Lists]

Re: Overzealous auto-responding?

1997-09-23 13:08:35
At 08:33 AM 9/23/97 -0500, James L. McGill wrote:

You did not include the headers from the original message.
What is the email address of this "IRS autoresponder?"

net-abuse(_at_)nocs(_dot_)insp(_dot_)irs(_dot_)gov

The address itself IS very real.  So is the individual who was quoted.  Do
you realize just how little footwork is required to confirm it before
shooting off at the mouth?

Early reports of the address, and the contact person can easily be
confirmed by reading the Net Abuse FAQ.  Or frequenting the newsgroup
news.admin.net-abuse.email where it comes up periodically.

The system is currently autoresponding BECAUSE of the level of NON-MMF
("Make Money Fast") spam messages that are being forwarded.

To quote a portion of a message from Inspector Fried QUOTED in the Net
Abuse FAQ:

] net-abuse(_at_)nocs(_dot_)insp(_dot_)irs(_dot_)gov
] Use this address to report make money fast (MMF) schemes.  Mail sent to
] this address will be forwarded to the Criminal Investigation Division
] (CID) for appropriate action.

If some bozo had a filter that forwarded anything that didn't match a
"friendly" address file, or if the autoresponse quoted the original message
such that the spam check would see it as another spam, then there'd be an
instant mail loop.

It smells like hoax to us, and so far, you are the one spreading it.

Please speak for yourself.  "Smells like a hoax to you."

---
 Please DO NOT carbon me on list replies.  I'll get my copy from the list.

 Sean B. Straw / Professional Software Engineering
 Post Box 2395 / San Rafael, CA  94912-2395

<Prev in Thread] Current Thread [Next in Thread>