Dec
16

Fuddruckers: Asking a Spamtrap to “Like” Them on Facebook

Fuddruckers, a high-end hamburger restaurant in the United States, is sending bulk email to an email address that has not belonged to a real person since 2007, offering the owner of that email address the chance to win a $500 gift card for “liking” Fuddruckers on Facebook. The email indicates that this email address “recently registered with a network website to receive special online offers”. This is not true for any reasonable definition of “recently”. Either Fuddruckers is allowing users to subscribe via a web form and is not confirming subscriptions, or Fuddruckers purchased a list. The ESP is Yesmail, a division of InfoGroup.

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Dec
09

Honeybaked Ham: Blatant Opt-Out Spamming

Honeybaked Ham, a well-known U.S. company that sells hams and delicatessen items, is sending bulk email to an email address that was closed before 2008, stating that it will continue sending offers unless and until the owner of that email address unsubscribes. Since at least late 2009, this email address has not received email from this sender. The ESP is Yesmail, a subsidiary of InfoGroup.

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Nov
26

Blair: Selling Clothes, Accessories, and Home Goods to a Spamtrap

Blair, a U.S.-based department store with an established mail order operation, is sending bulk email to an email address that was closed before 2008. Blair might be mailing a fallow email list, might be accepting unconfirmed web form subscriptions, or might have purchased a list. Their ESP is Yesmail, a division of Infogroup.

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Nov
25

Gevalia: Selling Coffee to a Spamtrap

Gevalia, a division of Kraft Foods that sells coffee and coffee equipment, is sending bulk email to an email address that was closed in 2008. Despite this, the spam that is attached below claims that this email address “recently registered with a network website to receive special online offers”. This is untrue. Either Gevalia is accepting unconfirmed web form subscriptions (a fertile source of typoed email addresses and bogus third-party subscriptions), or Gevalia purchased a list. The ESP is Yesmail, a division of Infogroup.

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Nov
17

Spirit Airlines: Spamtraps Fly? Who Knew….

Spirit Airlines, a discount airline based in Miami, is sending bulk email to an email address that was closed in 2008. Spirit Airlines may not confirm web form subscriptions (which allows typoed and forged email addresses to be added to its list), may ignore bounces (which allows old/closed email addresses to remain on a list), or may have purchased a list. The ESP is Yesmail, a division of InfoGroup.

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Nov
17

Brakes Plus: Offering to Repair a Spamtrap’s Car?

Brakes Plus, a U.S.-based auto service chain, is sending bulk email to an email address that was closed many years ago. The email indicates that this email address “recently registered with a network website to receive special online offers”. This is not true for any reasonable definition of “recently”. Either Brakes Plus is allowing users to subscribe via a web form and is not confirming subscriptions (a foolish error), or Brakes Plus purchased a list. The ESP is Yesmail, a division of InfoGroup.

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Nov
15

Red Plum: Emailing a Purchased List?

RedPlum, a coupon and deals portal, is sending bulk email to an email address that has not existed since 2007. Nonetheless, the attached spam states that the email address “recently registered with a partner site to receive special offers”, and the email associates a name with the email address that never belonged to it. It is possible that Red Plum is simply including a misleading and inaccurate statement in its bulk email to head off spam complaints, but the long-closed email address and the bogus name taken together strongly suggest that Red Plum is using a recently purchased e-pended list. :/ The ESP is Yesmail, a division of InfoGroup.

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Nov
02

FIDO Friendly Magazine: Spamtraps have Dogs?

Fido Friendly Magazine, a magazine for people who travel with their dogs, is mailing an email address that has not been live for many years. The message says that the email address “recently registered” for offers. This is not true for any reasonable definition of the word “recently”; this email address has not been active since the mid-2000s. Either Fido Friendly is accepting unconfirmed web subscriptions and somebody typoed the email address and domain, or Fido Friendly purchased a list. The ESP is YesMail.

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Oct
30

Famous Footwear: Selling Shoes to a Spamtrap?

Apparel company Famous Footwear is sending bulk email to an email address that, to my knowledge, never existed. The ESP is Yesmail, which is hitting an astonishing number of my spamtraps lately.

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Oct
28

UEI College: Recruiting a Spamtrap as a Student?

UEI College, a career/trade school with campuses across the United States and in Canada, is sending bulk email to a long-closed email address. The email states that, “You recently registered with a network website to receive special online offers.” This is not true for any reasonable definition of “recently”. This email address has been closed since 2008. Either UEI College accepts unverified subscriptions and somebody typoed an email address and domain, or UEI College purchased a list. This statement appears in a great deal of bulk email sent by ESP Yesmail. I wonder why, when it has so obviously not been true for emails sent to my spamtraps.

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