Has MWpro become a Spam-generator ?

PAF · Guest

Ever since have installed (paid) MWpro, the number of spam messages seems to have more than tripled.

I was previouly using the regular (paid) version of MW.
As soon as I installed the new one things drastically worsened to the point that I'll have to change my different email addresses and go without MW.

A customer of mine reports the same problem. He too had been using MW before it became Fire_something.

Anybody else experiencing the same thing?

Neep_heid · Posted: Thu May 08, 2003 4:33 pm Post subject:

Just before I started using MW (and then Pro), the number of spams I got dramatically shot up, chiefly due to people using what appeared to be yahoo.com and hotmail accounts to send several copies of the same porn spam. I think it's just a coincidence that spammers hit on a new technique about the same time as Pro was launched. I'm just grateful that I can auto-delete or "filter unseen" most of these.
As spammers become more aware of the techniques used to fight them they'll adapt to survive- indeed I bet some spammers read this forum to pick up ideas on how to get round Mailwasher.

rusticdog · Posted: Thu May 08, 2003 10:15 pm Post subject:

Quite right, or as a recent tactic a spammer has started using the firetrust.com domain as the sending address for their spam mail outs.

As a result our various e-mail accounts are being flooded with unsubscribe requests.

I suppose it had to happen sooner or later.

nanat · Cadet Joined: Apr 30, 2003 Posts: 1 Location: USA

After reading the comments as to a landslide of spam since upgrading to MWPro, now I know what has happened to me. I thought is was just my luck with my email program unleashing all the garbage. I went from 20-30 spams a day to 40-65 on a daily basis. I just don't have the time to check "blacklist" on dozens of new spams daily.

When will the new trial program begin to automatically delete the already blacklisted emails? Since my filtering program apparently doesn't work with MWP, any suggestions as to how to alleviate the problem? This is a real pain.

sighthound · Posted: Fri May 09, 2003 11:51 pm Post subject:

to have all emails on your personal blacklist auto deleted/bounced:
mailwasher>>blacklist>>tick "auto delete blacklisted messages"
They will be auto deleted/bounced when you check for mail.

mole · Posted: Fri May 09, 2003 11:53 pm Post subject:

I thought it was just me Laughing

Yes, I've been getting even more spam emails of late. Are the spammers going on hyper or what?

daboss · Guest

auto blacklisting is about worthless. The reason is that the spammers use random names in front of the ISP adress. Like or . What happens is the blacklist database on your computer starts getting larger and larger. Then MWP takes longer and longer to process youe amil without autodeleting anything because each random address is new. Also you can't very well delete *@aol.com or you will autodelete any legitimate email from aol.,

Neep_heid · Posted: Sun May 11, 2003 5:58 pm Post subject:

I do blacklist entire domains for the reason you outline. I've got a substantial friends list and have set up all the mailto: links on my site to have a particular keyword in the subject line which a friendly filter picks up.
But it's not ideal. I've mailed one ISP, suggesting that if they don't start making life a bit more difficult for spammers they are going to lose out. As more and more of us use products like MW, less and less people are going to make use of ISPs who have a reputation for being spam-friendly and hence are likely to be trapped by filters even when mail is legitimate.

southern · Cadet Joined: May 12, 2003 Posts: 2 Location: USA

Dear PAF:
I AGREE COMPLETELY-MWP IS INDEED A SPAM GENERATOR!!!!
Before I installed MWP, I was receiving about 8/10 spam messages a day for the last 3/4 months. Now after 3 weeks of deleting and bouncing spam mail via MWP, I am up to 42 SPAMS A DAY!
AAARRRGGGHHH!

I am going to have to change my email address, for the first time in 4 years, thanks to MWP!

OH, and I will delete the MWP software beforehand and use another mail tool after more careful research!

Whirlwind · Posted: Mon May 12, 2003 4:01 pm Post subject:

I do NOT think that MailWasher Pro has become a Spam-generator !!!
And I think that the blacklist feature and the CFS Database both work well !!
In the past 24 hours I received 235 emails as follows:
Legitimate emails - 130
Known SPAM (CFS) - 30 (14 of these were also in my blacklist)
Blacklisted - 40 (in addition to those 14 listed above)
Possible SPAM - 20 (these WERE ALL SPAM)
Additional SPAM - 15 (these were all UNmarked)
Total of 105 SPAM emails - 54 of these were in my blacklist
I would say that my blacklist works pretty well ... and I've only been working on it for a few weeks! (I'm not even using my filters ... YET !!)
If anyone's interested in how I get such a good result, I'll be happy to share the info!

southern · Cadet Joined: May 12, 2003 Posts: 2 Location: USA

jilliew · Guest

rusticdog · Posted: Mon May 12, 2003 9:12 pm Post subject:

If you click on Tools >> Accounts >> Properties >> select the Bouncing & Outgoing Mail tab at the top >> click Advanced Bouncing Options >> select the Bouncing Details tab at the top >> select Use Local SMTP Server.
That will correct any speed issues when Processing Mail.

Firetrust has not been hacked. There is nothing intentional.

That you have an increase is purely coincendence.

Neep_heid · Posted: Tue May 13, 2003 2:11 pm Post subject:

Whirlwind,
my experience is very similar to yours. I can't understand the logic of those who think MWP is a spam generator. OK, let's suppose someone does invent a piece of software that detects MW bounces. What use is that? Granted, it lets a spammer know he or she has hit a "live" address, but it also lets them know that it's a live address with anti-spam measures in place. It's a bit like saying "that house must have someone living in it because it has a burglar alarm". It's hardly going to make you more likely to try to break in.
I think most spammers buy lists of e-mail addresses on CD-rom- I've even seen spams offering me such discs back in the bad old days when unsolicited mail actually got into my mail box. I'm willing to bet they don't spend the long summer evenings scrupulously updating these lists because a bounce arrived half an hour later than expected.
In any article I've read about spam prevention, Nick is spoken of with respect. Why do some people believe he and the MW team have gone over to the dark side? MW was a free piece of software with the option to contribute. Those who did were rewarded with an even better piece of software at no extra cost. Those who didn't contribute.... well maybe that's why the team felt MW had to go PRO. After all, with thousands of free-loading users worldwide, who can blame them for wanting to earn more for their product?
I have no connection with Firetrust- I'm not even an affiliate. Spam was wrecking my enjoyment of e-mail and leaving obscene jpgs on my hard drive. Now it isn't.

sighthound · Posted: Tue May 13, 2003 7:21 pm Post subject:

For what it's worth....I have quite a few email accounts - one of them being an account I cannot check with Mailwasher.
Spam seemed to go up dramatically in all accounts around 3 months ago, but the account that does not use Mailwasher, is receiving approx 5 times the amount of spam as my Mailwasher accounts - and it is not used (ie. displayed on the web) as much as my other accounts.
My two cents on this subject anyway Smile


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