E-Mail Spam Question

[Daryk]

I have received e-mail spam from another member of this board, and noted other board users in the address block. The spamming rules for posting only seem to apply to posts. Is there a policy regarding users who "harvest" e-mail addresses from the board for e-mail spamming purposes?

[Jack Squat]

It's probably better to PM one of the mods with the Member's name, and a copy of the email. I'm fairly certain using the board to spam is essentially the same as spamming on the board, but I can't be certain.

Either way, a PM should solve it quickly.

[Rawhide]

Spam, of any kind, is not tolerated here. This includes the harvesting of email addresses. However, we have made it pretty impossible for people to harvest email addresses from the site, so I wonder how they got the addresses.

In order to send another member an email, you have to register and log in, then click "Send Email". The email address is never displayed and instead you are given a form to send them an email. People can even disable the option for someone to send them an email.

Have you or they ever posted their email address on the forums? As it is possible for bots to harvest email addresses you have posted publically, and there is nothing we can do about that.

You mentioned that you recognised some of the email addresses, how did you recognise them? Were they people or friends you have conversed with before? It is possible that one of their computers has become infected or compromised by a virus.

If you have any more information or questions, I will be happy to look further into the matter or answer your questions.

[Jimorian]

I'm thinking that Daryk actually means a mass PM of some kind rather than real e-mail, since when he asked, I poked around to see if that kind of harvesting was possible, and it didn't look like it (and thanks to the Powers That Be for that).

[Zeta Kai]

To my knowledge, a single PM can only be sent to 5 people total, so as to prevent the kind of mass PMs that you describe.

[Daryk]

I suspect the person in question looked my address up the hard way and typed it into his e-mail client (i.e. the "nothing the mods can do about it" method). I'll shoot Rawhide the details via PM. Thank you for the prompt response!