SolveYourProblem
Article Series: Opt In Email
How To Stay Off An E-mail Lead’s Blacklist
A blacklist is a database of Internet addresses
(IP) of known persons and/or companies that send spam. Spammers
use open relays, host Web sites, and distribute marketing
spamming software. You can maintain a list of Internet addresses
that support spammers.
If
you have purchased your leads from an outside source,
you may be unknowingly have come across a list of names that
was generated by a spammer. Spammers often use software that
will generate random addresses for spamming purposes and
they do not attempt to remove e-mail addresses that have
been bounced or are undeliverable. When you purchase there
list and attempt to deliver marketing information the Internet
Service Provider (ISP may assume that the sender is attempting
to spam and this will result in your e-mail or domain name
being blocked or blacklisted. To reverse the error is not
an easy task and you may end up having to register a new
domain name and using another e-mail. To say the least this
will be very costly and you will be starting over with your
Internet marketing business.
Keeping
your list clean and managing it well goes a long way
to staying off a blacklist. When you receive e-mail that
has been bounced, you can set it aside and try again or simply
delete it. The same goes for undeliverable e-mail addresses.
Make certain that when a prospect opts-out you do not continue
to send them e-mail propaganda. If your Internet Service
Provider (ISP) begins getting complaints about you, the chances
that you will be considered a spammer are high and you can
lose your ability to do business on the Internet.
If you have been accused of spam and placed on a blacklist
you can try to remove yourself:
To remove your e-mail address or domain name from the open
relay database (ORDB) submit your Internet Service Provider
address to them and they will check their queue. It may take
as long as 72 hours before your request is processed so be
patient. Your host will only be removed if they find that
you do not have an open relay. What is difficult about this
is that a spammer could have easily submitted your address
as the origination of their spam and if you are able to correct
the problem there is no guarantee that you have fixed all
the configurations on your server. You may be unaware of
several open relays in your system.
If you were blacklisted maliciously and have taken the steps
to remove your e-mail address and/or domain name from the
blacklist, you can report the user who accused you of spamming
to a “Spamcop blocking list.” You will need to send the entire
report and proof that the user did subscribe for your list
and this proof needs to show a two-way confirmation. Include
the Internet Service Providers address and date-stamps for
both the signup and confirmation e-mails.
You can do little if you have found yourself on the Spam
Prevention Early Warning System (SPEW). If the spam stops,
your e-mail address and your domain name will be eventually
removed. If you have been placed on this list is usually
is because there is a spam related problem with your host
so you should contact them to find out why you have been
placed on this list. If anyone can get your e-mail address
or domain name off the server, your host provider will be
able too.
Mail
Abuse Prevention System (MAPS) cannot affect your domain
name but can adversely affect your e-mail address. If you
have been placed on their list, contact them immediately,
and explain your circumstances. When you explain you do not
want to be an easy target for spammers they will help you
with resources and remove your name from their list.
In summary, you want to be careful where you get your leads
from and whom you allow onto your lists. Realize though that
as diligent as you are in keeping your list free from spammers
you may occasionally run into addresses that have not given
their permission to receive your information and when you
realize the address is not valid make sure you remove it
from your list quickly. It may also work to your advantage
to inform your prospects of the potential of spammers and
to let you know immediately if they receive e-mail marketing
that they did not ask for.
