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Introduction to SpamCop for recipients of spam reports
Has your email been blocked? Please see: SpamCop blocking list
Internet Providers
If you have received a SpamCop report, please follow the link(s) from the report itself. These will lead you to detailed information about SpamCop and your specific report. You can access advanced ISP options from the report link.
FAQ for ISP Abuse Desk and Administrators
Quick Tips for Mailing List Administrators
In order to avoid spamming, mailing lists must implement a secure opt-in procedure. Many so-called "opt-in" lists are nothing of the sort. Beware of anyone who wants to sell you lists. You will be disappointed.
However the initial sign up is accomplished, whether on a web site, by email, or otherwise - the final confirmation phase should use a random code which is emailed to the intended recipient. If that code is not returned by the user, then they should not be added to the mailing list.
- If you implement this type of secure opt-in, and one of your subscribers reports your mailing as spam, please gather all the data on the incident and report it.
If you do not have a working opt-in process, you should clean your list by reconfirming all subscribers using a secure opt-in procedure as described above. The most important part of this confirmation is that if a subscriber takes no action, that subscriber should not receive any further mailings.
Sending bulk mail requires careful record-keeping and responsible management. If you do not have the technical ability or time to do this, you can outsource the process through a free service such as Yahoo! or ListBot. You provide the content, they provide the list-management and distribution.
For more tips and detail on these policies, see the FAQ for mailing list managers
Advertisers
Done right, bulk email can be a powerful advertising medium. Done wrong, it can hurt your reputation and put you in breach of contracts with your service providers. If you advertise through bulk email, please be very careful about who you use. As an advertiser, you share in the responsibility for how email is sent. If you support a spammer with your advertising revenue, you share the blame for the spam. It is your responsibility to verify the management of the lists you support.
On the other hand, even the most well-run list may generate some false spam complaints. You should talk to your internet service providers before you begin any bulk mail campaign.