Grrrr, I Hate automatic Spam Detection Systems

I just spent some time answering a question I received from someone called Bill who found an old thread on the p2p.wrox.com forum. 10 seconds after I sent my reply, I received the following automatic reply.

I apologize for this automatic reply to your email.

To control spam, I now allow incoming messages only from senders I have approved beforehand.

If you would like to be added to my list of approved senders, please fill out the short request form (see link below). Once I approve you, I will receive your original message in my inbox. You do not need to resend your message. I apologize for this one-time inconvenience.

Click the link below to fill out the request:

https://webmail.pas.earthlink.net/wam/addme?a=address@removed.net&id=1jnMG17y03Nl34m1

Grrrr, I hate systems like this. Bill is just an example here, but I have received many others in the past. I don't want to go to another web site to be "added to someone's list of approved senders". In fact, I don't want to take any action at all if all I want to do is send a reply to a message I have received.

If you take the time to send me a message asking for help and you know you have such an anti-spam system in place, why don't you spend some time adding my address to the approved sender list beforehand as the automatic message seems to suggest you do? And if you don't know my address up front, why don't you give me a "safe address" that I should reply to?

If that's too much trouble, don't be surprised if people don't respond to your e-mail.....


Where to Next?

Wonder where to go next? You can read existing comments below or you can post a comment yourself on this article.

Doc ID 437
Full URL https://imar.spaanjaars.com/437/grrrr-i-hate-automatic-spam-detection-systems
Short cut https://imar.spaanjaars.com/437/
Written by Imar Spaanjaars
Date Posted 02/09/2008 11:22

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