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SCMP Reporter

The editor said he might change the title of this column to Spam Talk, considering how may questions Tech Talk receives on the subject. But a recent communication has brought up a subject that needs addressing yet again.

I am be really bothered by Netvigator's attitude. How could I possibly get more spam with them than any other web-based e-mail providers I have?

I purposely use other accounts - Yahoo! for example, for subscribing to any newsletters that could put me on a spammer's list.  Most of the spam that comes my way has names of other Netvigator customers. For example, something addressed to John Example (jexample@netvigator.com) will be accompanied by jexam@netvigator.com, jdrab@netvigator.com etc.) Surely this is proof it is selling its customer database to spammers.

Now Netvigator wants to charge to prevent the spam! I am confident people will cancel their Netvigator accounts because of this. Should I complain to the Consumer Council?

Beatrice

Hong Kong

The  truth is that the easiest target is the ISP. Before making  accusations about what any ISP is or is not doing about spam, we must know what is going on. I passed this message to Netvigator and got the following response:

'Worms, viruses and spam are problems faced by computer users worldwide. Most major ISPs around the world, including Netvigator, use many different hardware and software [sic] to protect its [sic] network and users.

'Sometimes an ISP will set a command that will shut out other ISPs if it detects the actions of certain abnormal traffic. Netvigator works closely with many of the world's leading ISPs to find ways that will minimise inconvenience to the customers while protecting its users and network from the viruses and spam on the internet.

'Netvigator is also working with ISPs worldwide to reduce the impact to [sic] our customers and network by viruses and spam. Customers can set the storage limit of their account that would best fit their needs on the options menu in NetMail.

'We thank our customers for their views and suggestions, and will continue to make improvements and bring them innovative services to make their internet experience a pleasant one.'

This response is a bit wimpy, but corporate policy obviously does not like names to be attached and it was an extremely cautious reply. The fact that you get so much e-mail addressed to names similar in spelling to your own is because they are almost certainly being generated by computer. I suspect many of those names are not real Netvigator accounts. It has recently become the policy of many companies and ISPs not to bounce incorrectly addressed e-mail.

Netvigator is not likely to be selling anything to spammers. It does not make sense. It is too easy to use available software to generate thousands of names of possible Netvigator accounts.

The similarity in the names certainly points in that direction. Let us hope that with this, we can give spam a rest.

Anyone interested in sounding off to the government about these issues can do so at  http://www.ofta.gov.hk/frameset/home_index_eng.html.

Questions to Tech Talk will not be answered personally. E-mail Danyll WIlls at tech.talk@scmp.com



Hoping to blow the final whistle on 'spam talk'