Assistance for Spam Victims

Responding to Spam Accusations

When you find yourself accused of spamming, it's crucial to have a plan of action. This includes having prepared responses to send to those who believe they've been spammed and the company that may be the actual source of the spam. Here are two sample letters that you can keep on hand for such situations.

Letter to Alleged Spam Recipients

Dear [Recipient],

Thank you for reaching out to us. We understand your concern regarding the spam email you received. We want to assure you that you have not been added to any email lists on our site. We neither use nor endorse unsolicited bulk email, and we are also victims in this unfortunate situation.

The spam email you received originated from [domain]. We have no affiliation with this website. Like your address, ours was also included in their spam list. Any further actions you wish to take should be directed towards them. You can find more details about our policies and this incident at [URL].

Letter to the Company Responsible for the Spam

Dear [Offending Website Owner],

I am writing to you regarding an email sent by one of your users, which has resulted in numerous complaints to our email addresses. I have attached the headers of the email for your reference.

We request you to take the following actions immediately:

• Provide an explanation of how this incident occurred and why.
• Implement measures to ensure that this does not happen again.
• Notify each address on your list that our domain was not responsible and was an innocent bystander in this unfortunate situation.

Please respond to this email before the close of business on [date]. If we do not hear from you, we will be forced to pursue further action. We also expect a full letter of explanation to be mailed or faxed to our offices.

Thank you for your cooperation.

Tips to Avoid Spam Accusations

To conclude, here are some additional tips to help you avoid trouble with unsolicited email:

• Maintain records of every opt-in request you receive. This can serve as proof of signup for those who may forget they joined your list and accuse you of sending unsolicited email.
• Protect your email addresses from being harvested on your website by using a tool that encodes your email addresses. This can help reduce spam and avoid situations like the one described above. A free encoding service can be found at www.siteup.com/encoder.html.
• Clearly state your policy on unsolicited email on your website. It's also a good idea to post reports of any incidents in the same area of your site. An example of how you can set this up can be found at www.bizweb2000.com/privacy.htm.

In the world of online marketing, it's essential to be prepared for any challenges that may arise. Hopefully, these tips will help you avoid trouble or save you some time if and when trouble does arrive.