Americans United: Another Example of Why Subscriptions Should Be Confirmed

Americans United for Separation of Church and State, a U.S.-based advocacy group which campaigns against attempts by religious groups to unduly influence politics and government, has just started sending bulk email updates to an email address that was closed in 2007. This email address was in timeout from 2008 through late 2009 before being turned into a spamtrap. Until today, it has received no email from Americans United. The ESP is MailChimp.

The email address is associated with a truly ridiculous name, one that did not belong to that email address nor by all appearances to any real person. Normally an email address associated with the wrong name suggests an e-pending error, and therefore purchase of an e-pended list. Americans United is a somewhat controversial non-profit organization in certain circles in the United States, however, so I suspect this was an attempt by a detractor to plant spamtraps on its list, possibly via a web form on the web site. Americans United probably has other spamtraps and other non-opted-in email addresses on its list as well, and should repermission the list before continuing to send email to it.

Sending IP: 69.20.90.9

Spam Sample:

Actual Headers:

Received: from mail9.us1.rsgsv.net (mail9.us1.rsgsv.net [69.20.90.9])
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Subject: =?utf-8?Q?AU=20double=20press=20release=3A=20AU=20victory=20in=20Florida=3B=20hospital=20merger=20battle=20in=20Kentucky?=
From: =?utf-8?Q?Americans=20United?= <auactivist@au.org>
Reply-To: =?utf-8?Q?Americans=20United?= <auactivist@au.org>
To: <xxx>
Date: Wed, 14 Dec 2011 14:xx:xx -0500
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Sender: "Americans United" <auactivist=au.org@mail9.us1.rsgsv.net>
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Readable Email:

From: Americans United <auactivist@au.org>
To: <spamtrap>
Subject: AU double press release: AU victory in Florida; hospital merger battle in Kentucky
Reply-To: Americans United <auactivist@au.org>

AU victory in Florida; ongoing battle in Kentucky
December 14, 2011

Florida Judge Says Ballot Initiative On Religion Is Misleading And Must Be Rewritten
Church-State Watchdog Group Welcomes Court Ruling On Amendment 7

A Florida court today said a proposed constitutional amendment on religion is misleading and must be rewritten before being submitted to the voters.

<removed>

Americans United Urges Kentucky Governor To Keep Public Hospital Free Of Church Control
Watchdog Group Says Planned Merger Violates Church-State Separation And Undermines Patients’ Rights

<removed>

Copyright © 2011 Americans United for Separation of Church and State, All rights reserved.

You are receiving this email because you have donated to AU, registered to receive email at www.au.org, or attended one of our events.

Our mailing address is:
Americans United for Separation of Church and State
1301 K Street NW
Suite 850, East Tower
Washington, DC 20005

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