SpamCop
SpamCop is a free spam reporting service, allowing recipients of unsolicited bulk email (UBE) to report the offence to the sender's Internet Service Provider (ISP), and sometimes their web host. SpamCop also offers fee-based spam-filtered email accounts, a DNS block list called the "SCBL", tools for ISPs to monitor reports, and forums for discussing these services.
Like other DNSBLs, SpamCop's SCBL is controversial. Criticism primarily comes from those whose IP address has recently been abused and thus listed by SpamCop, resulting in their mail being marked as spam or rejected by servers that use the SCBL service. In SpamCop's case, innocent third parties are often affected when an IP address they use becomes black-listed due to reports that accuse their IP address of being a spam/UBE source. This happens because their IP address is shared with many other customers of their ISP.
Additionally, Spamcop automatically lists IP addresses harvested from "honeypot" email addresses. Since these addresses may be falsely used as as return addresses on spam messages, replies sent to spam messages can result in a server being blacklisted. SpamCop provides procedures for de-listing; see SCBL dispute resolution for accurate information.
History
SpamCop was founded in 1998 as an individual effort. As the reporting service became more popular, staff was added and the SCBL became more useful. It has commonly been the target of DDoS attacks and lawsuits from organizations listed in the SCBL. Email security company IronPort purchased SpamCop, but it remains independently run, almost single-handed, by founder Julian Haight.
External links
- SpamCop Official site (Note: There are copycat sites available at similar URLs with other TLDs.)
- A variety views on this subject can be found here.
- SCBL dispute resolution