Jul
25

Verizon: Asking a Spamtrap to Switch Phone and Internet Service

U.S. and global telecommunications giant Verizon just sent an advertising email to a spamtrap that was closed in 2003. This spamtrap has not previously heard from Verizon. As the advertisement urges the spamtrap to switch to Verizon from (presumably) another telephone and Internet service, this cannot be email to a customer. The email also makes no claim to be opt-in. The ESP is Sendgrid, whose authorized use policy explicitly requires that bulk email sent through their service be opt-in only.

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Jul
14

GodVine: Emailing a Years-Dead Address that Subscribed this Week?

GodVine, a web portal for nondenominational Protestant Evangelical Christians that focuses on contemporary Christian Music (CCM) and videos, today sent an emailed newsletter to an email address that subscribed on Wednesday of this week. Problem is, the email address has not been live for many years; it is one of my spamtraps. The ESP is AWeber, a reputable email marketing firm with a reputation as a “white hat” — a good company that does not tolerate spam — in the antispam community.

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Jul
14

American Kennel Club: Committed to Dogs, and Spamming About It :/

The American Kennel Club (AKC), which manages dog breed registries in the United States and provides services to breeders and dog owners, just sent a bulk email to two spamtraps urging that the alleged owners of those spamtraps sign a petition. The ESP is SilverPop.

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Jul
14

Overton’s: Marketing Boats and Water Sporting Supplies to a Spamtrap

Boating and water sports retailer Overton’s is sending bulk email advertisements to an email address that closed in 2009. As best I can tell, this email address has not previously received bulk email from Overton’s. The ESP is Bronto.

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Jul
12

Boerse.de: Stock Exchange Reports for a Spamtrap

German financial news portal Boerse.de (aka TM Börsenverag A.G.) has just begun to send bulk emails to an email address that, if it ever existed at all, closed in 2002. The ESP is Optivo.

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Jul
12

Metromode Media: Detroit News and Information… to an Abuse Reporting Address?

Metromode Media, an online portal for business and life in southeastern Michigan, just sent an advertising email to a role address at a domain that closed in 2002. The role address, when live, was used to report criminal abuse activities by users of the domain. The ESP is Vertical Response.

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Jul
07

A Tale of Two Presidential Campaigns….

A few months ago I blogged about spam from U.S. President Barack Obama’s re-election campaign. That spam has continued to arrive like clockwork. Today Mitt Romney’s campaign did the same thing — it sent email for the first time to a spamtrap that was closed in 2003. The Obama campaign’s mailings are sent through Blue State Digital. The Romney campaign is mailing through BlueHornet, a division of Digital River.

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Jul
06

J.D. Byrider: Selling Cheap Used Cars to a Spamtrap

J.D. Byrider, a U.S.-based used car retailer and franchise with its own credit company, just sent a bulk email advertisement to an email address that, if it ever existed, closed before 2002. The ESP is Streamsend.

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Jul
03

KMart: Patio Furniture Offers to a Spamtrap

KMart, a U.S.-based discount department store, is sending email advertisements to a spamtrap email address that was closed in 2006. The ESP is Yesmail, a subsidiary of Infogroup.

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Jul
03

Starbucks: Rewards for a Coffee-Drinking… Spamtrap?

The “Rewards” program for coffee, tea and pastry retailer Starbucks just sent an email advertisement for the first time to an email address that closed in 2002. This email address has been among my spamtraps for years; Starbucks has never emailed it before. The ESP is Cheetahmail, a subsidiary of Experian.

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