How Low Can They Go?
          Unethical Spam And How It May Impact Your Family & Love Life

The other day I began receiving some SPAM eMails, which is nothing new mind you... we receive at least 200 a day sometimes more and the number constantly grows. This SPAM was different as it was to my 5 year old son. My little boy has a web site I made him to proudly display his art work and pictures to family and friends online. He loves the fact that he even has his own eMail address so that his Grandma can send him funny and sweet eMails to have me read to him.

by Lisa S. Lawless, Ph.D., CEO Holistic Wisdom Founder

Unfortunately, as many of you know because his eMail address is on his web site, software designed to SPAM has picked it up and is now sending even my 5 year old unsolicited eMails.

The thing that really chapped my hide about this incident was that the SPAM eMail was for a company called Match.com. This is a dating site and the eMail did not pose as a simple advertisement... oh no, that would be to straight forward. The eMail said that his picture had been approved for the profile he submitted and he was approved to proceed with his quest to find the perfect mate.

Not only that, but I received another SPAM eMail from Match.com later that very same day to his eMail address saying that there were actually people wanting to meet him from him having posted his profile. Two men's names were listed.

The eMail went so far as to say "Because you asked to be notified when other Match.com members express interest in you, we will send you eMails such as this on a periodic basis."

Now, one would think that perhaps his eMail address was just used by someone else before he got it and that this was from the previous owner of that eMail. However, the problem with that logic is that his eMail is based on his web site's domain name, and I can verify that it has never been used before I got it for him... so that means that these eMails are meant for him... a 5 year old boy.

Seems a little disturbing to me, almost bordering on criminal when someone sends a 5 year old eMails suggesting that grown men are interested in hooking up with him. Not to mention that the first two profiles were of men of whom are a 42 and a 36 years of age looking for a homosexual relationship. These eMails began to come multiple times a day with more and more men listed as interested in my son.

Match.com says the following on their site- "Please note that nowhere on the Site do we knowingly collect personal information from children under the age of 18, as we require that all users represent to us that they are at least 18 years old."

This is a nice way of saying they are not accountable for their spam practices.

What Else Could Have Happened?

The other aspect to all of this is the other ramifications this could have on someone. I mean, say that your significant other is innocently checking eMails when they see one come in for you saying that your submission to a dating site has been approved. In a relationship that may be faltering or have a jealous partner, that eMail may put your relationship in jeopardy and could result in some serious consequences to the innocent recipient.

Then of course there is the SPAM that is asking you to re-enter credit card information or a password to your bank account so that they can verify your current information or because they suspect that someone has tried to illegally access your confidential information, when in fact they are trying to illegally access your information.

Who Really Sent The eMail?

I am not saying that Match.com actually sent this eMail... in fact I know it was a gung-ho affiliate who SPAMS people to try and snag people to sign up for the service so that they can make money through the referral fee that Match.com pays out.

That is why I called Match.com and gave them the affiliates referral number so that they could give that affiliate the boot and but good. Problem is, sometimes it is not that simple to find out who sent it. With slick methods of hiding code these days you have to be a programmer, hacker or the FBI to figure it out.

Problem is... Match.com allows it's affiliates to SPAM people as outlined in their affiliate agreement-

"Affiliate Agreement- Participant may not send out any email containing Match.com’s name or branding or any other Match.com Intellectual Property. In the event that you would like to pursue the opportunity to market the sponsoring Web site by email using Match.com’s name or branding, please contact Match.com as indicated in the Section 18 (Notice) of this Agreement. In the event that you meet certain criteria, and agree to sign an addendum to this Agreement regarding email practices, including, among other things, compliance with the CAN-SPAM Act of 2003, Match.com may permit you to send emails using Match.com’s name and/or branding. However, Match.com reserves the right to reject any such request in its sole discretion."

The Dark Side Spam

Spam is worse than irritating. It wastes time, clogs corporate networks, distracts workers. It spreads scams, unwanted pornography and even computer viruses to everyone, including children, threatening their safety and privacy.

According to a new study from the University of Maryland, time wasted deleting junk e-mail costs American businesses nearly $22 billion a year which certainly impacts everyone.

Bill Gates suggested that Congress could create a regulatory "safe harbor" status for senders who comply with eMail guidelines. Senders who do not comply would have to insert an "ADV:" label -- standing for advertisement -- in the subject line of all unsolicited commercial eMail, which would enable computer users either to accept ADV-labeled mail or to have it deleted automatically.

However, according to Microsoft and other sources, in the year since the Can-Spam Act took effect unsolicited junk eMail on the Internet has increased from 50 percent to 60 percent.

Spam Filter Nightmares

What frustrates me is the inability I am finding to even contact our customers... we have been getting more and more customers who have sent an angry eMail or phone message because we have not corresponded with them, when in reality we have replied to their inquiries several times and they are not receiving the eMails due to overly sensitive spam filters.

As less junk mail reaches recipients and violators face stiffer sanctions for illegal activity, the financial incentives for spammers will decrease, and spamming will lose its appeal. Until then, please know that there is at least one company out there that hates spam as much as you do... and I am happy and proud to say that I run it.

Not Getting eMails From Us?

Even though we do not send unsolicited eMails (spam) many spam blockers will block unknown eMail addresses or text that has sexual content in it like our newsletter reminder eMails or when we reply to a question about an order or in general.

If you wish to receive our newsletter then you may want to add us to your address book so that our eMails to you will not be blocked or simply come to our web site every weekend as we have it online and available to you any time you want whether you have signed up for it or not and of course it is FREE!

Our Pledge To You

With so much spam, I am happy to tell you that we are a company you can trust. We have never sent spam and never will. We will never sell eMail addresses or any of our customer or newsletter subscriber's information. We don't send unsolicited junk mail, and we treat you as we ourselves wish to be treated.

Namaste,

Lisa