FreeLists / tn-bird / [TN-Bird] ATTENTION TN-BIRDERS-- sit tight with spammer !

["Wallace Coffey" <jwcoffey@xxxxxxxxxx>]

TN-Birders:

FIRST:  Do not reply to the spammer which just posted to TN-Birds under the 
name Jason with a message subject of mvt.  

SECOND:  Do not take any action to keep this spammer from sending messages to 
you over TN-Birds Net.

The message at the bottom of his post, saying he respected your privacy and if 
you would reply to him your e-mail address will be purged permanently from this 
database, is a FALSE STATEMENT.  

He was able to subcribed to TN-Birds under 3 different e-mail addresses about 
10:30 p.m. (Eastern time) tonight (Sat.) and immediately sent that spam.    His 
spam WAS NOT ADDRESSED TO YOUR E-MAIL ADDRESS.  It was sent to the TN-Birds 
address.  Responding to him might do nothing more than just put you right onto 
one of his database lists.  He does not otherwide know your e-mail address.

This is the first spam I remember getting onto TN-Birds.  It was no small feat 
that he was able to get on and subscribed at least three times with three 
different e-mail addresses.  I detected that what appeared to be a spammer had 
subscribed.  By the time I was able to get him locked away from the list he had 
already posted.  It all happened in about 2 minutes with me sitting here 
looking.

As moderator,  I have taken steps to block the Spammer every way available for 
this first round.  He is blocked from sending mail from any of those three 
addresses.  He is on moderation so if he sends a message I will get it first 
and can block it.  He is locked out of the list so he can't receive mail from 
TN-Birds at his address.  He is assigned to vacation status so there is a 
backup to keep him from getting mail.  He is on disciplinary action which 
should help stop him at all three addresses.

I am sorry that someone finally spammed us.  I hate it because we have had a 
wonderful record.  Someone will report that spammer to Freelist and they will, 
no doubt, block his ISP from coming over their servers.  At least we hope so.

And, one day,  we will eventually get hit again.  I just hope it is not some 
offensive spam that will make TN-Birders  have an unpleasant experience.  If it 
happen, maybe you can stomach it and go on.

Several other birding lists have been hit so hard they are moving around from 
one server list to another trying avoid the spammers.  Freelist has been well 
protected.  We are also grandfathered to Freelist at this point.  They have 
long ago stopped taking any birding list on their service.  So we are proud to 
be here.  We hope we can keep it that way.

Let's go birding....

Wallace Coffey
Moderator
TN-Birds
Tennessee Ornithological Society
Bristol, TN