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January 05, 2005

According to a message in my Spam Suspects folder, I must be registering at Web sites in my sleep.

In this case, I received notification congratulating me on registering at a site for freelance professionals. The message showed my login ID and gobbledygook password (nothing at all like the ones I use for registrations). At least this subject matter is, unlike the real estate broker lists I somehow got on, closer to home. When it comes to being a freelancer, "I are one."

The message provided an unsubscribe link (no postal address), but I never, never, never unsubscribe from things to which I had not subscribed (awake or asleep).

Checking the sending IP address, it is currently not showing up as a spam source, but the domain registration for the spamvertised site is full of obvious errors, such as using a 5-digit postal code for a Canadian address and a non-existent (in North America) telephone Area Code—all of which I reported to Internic.

I can't say for sure that this was intentional spam on a massive scale or if "someone" submitted my email address in a registration form at this site. If the latter, it still doesn't matter. The site is definitely at fault for not using a confirmed opt-in system that would not automatically subscribe me without first asking me to confirm the registration. Unconfirmed registrations are too easily abused.

This one got me angry enough to file a complaint that could eventually lead to the spamvertised domain being yanked (if the contact info is as bogus as I think it is, the owner won't be notified to fix the problem—boo-hoo). I'll sleep even better tonight, and won't be tempted to register to sloppy sites in my sleep.