Monday, August 04, 2003
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal

THE ONLINE GUY: Al Gibes

Anti-spam vigilante strikes back

Fighting spam -- all that unwanted and offending e-mail -- has become an obsession for some people.

Spam control is certainly among the topics of the day, as folks at the gym, coffee shop and even church talk about it as if they are starting a new diet or they know the secret to winning the lottery.

"Here's what I do," a typical spam-fighter says, proceeding to share his secret for a cleaner in-box as if it were grandma's blue-ribbon cookie recipe. Some methods work better than others, but we all have our ways of fighting it.

While scouring the Web recently I came across a spam story in the Moscow Times (www.moscowtimes.ru). "Don't Spam This Deputy Minister," the headline read. Yep, even the Russians are plagued by spam.

Deputy Communications Minister Andrei Korotkov had had it. He was the recipient of countless e-mails offering everything from English classes to air conditioners to pornography, and each message appeared to be coming from The American Language Center in Moscow.

A frustrated Korotkov decided to fight back, but instead of a computer attack, he became an impromptu telemarketer. With the help of two phone-soliciting companies he bombarded the business with more than 1,000 automated calls in one morning, the story said.

"I want to warn you that if you continue your illegal activity, then the necessary measures will be taken not just by me," the Korotkov voice intoned, after giving his name and ministerial affiliation. Efforts would be made, he said, "to make it impossible for you to get in the way of e-mail users and to make your life complicated.

"Once again, I implore you, stop these illegal activities and think of some legal ways to achieve your goals," The Moscow Times story said.

Korotkov didn't give details of the "necessary measures," but his calls did cripple the center's phone system. The Moscow Times reporter received an e-mail message from The American Language Institute that said, "Unfortunately our telephones have been blocked, please contact us via the ICQ [Internet-based messaging system]."

Korotkov admitted in the story that his efforts didn't do much more than raise awareness of the spam problem, which he estimates accounts for 70 percent of all e-mail. He said he doesn't plan to use the phone to fight back again.

Personally, I'm a much more efficient and happy Netizen since I started using Spam Arrest (www.spamarrest.com), putting me in better control of my in-box. I sometimes wonder, though, if hitting the delete key isn't the best way to fight the problem.

Share your Internet story with me at: agibes@reviewjournal.com and be sure to visit The Online Guy Web site at: (www.reviewjournal.com/columnists/onlineguy/)

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