At 1:00 AM -0700 2/10/12, wyants@sasktel.net wrote: >OK, so now we have all this really unnecessary >[expletive deleted] "text" in the archives >twice, which is two times too many, surely. Gadzooks!! I certainly hope you're feeling better by now... Slán, Mo! <--whose check is also in the mail! :-D -- <http://xri.net/=mobang>

Lee Cognetta wrote: >I think that this is disgraceful and totally agree that the easiest >thing for the initial poster to have done was to simply email the person >and try to verify that she has a valid interest in the lists she has >joined. A reasonable suggestion. And one that might be used if the one sending the verification request really thinks the questionable address is legitimate. But if the subscriber IS a potentially malicious then this gives then a valid email address to add to their list. There are two options for admins - 1. Require all subscribers to confirm their subscription request (under Privacy Options on the Admin's Tool page). This may still let a few through, but most spammers are pretty much automated and confirmation takes more effort. 2. As suggested here, simply place the subscriber on moderation until after the first couple of posting. If the postings are legitimate, simply remove the moderation and forget it. But if the postings are malicious, then (in order of importance: A. Unsubscribe them B. Ban them C. Notify HelpDesk D. Notify you fellow Admins here (probably not necessary if you do C). There is nothing big deal about all this. This is just our usual job. Lee Hoffman/KY TMG Tips: <http://www.tmgtips.com> My website: <http://www.tmgtips.com/lhoffman> A user of the best genealogy program, The Master Genealogist (TMG)

I surrender. I thought I had sent her post from a few days ago Based on her posts in the archives. >From Ontario Newspapers, She is taking obit Name & areas and posting for the area so you can find those of Interest. For example in that Ontario paper there was one my Cousins in Moncton, NB would find interesting.

-----Original Message----- From: Lee Cognetta I think that this is disgraceful and totally agree that the easiest thing for the initial poster to have done was to simply email the person and try to verify that she has a valid interest in the lists she has joined. Lee Cognetta I agree, Lee. Simply compose a welcome email asking if there's anything you can help with...it would be a nice thing to do with anyone joining. By doing so, you could ferret out their intent. Dave

Kathie Harrison wrote: > I have been using gmail for a few years now and I have not spammed any > lists nor had this one hijacked. I am a reader and a poster so your comment > is incorrect. However, putting new subscribers on MOD is fine but don't do > it too long. Paranoia is an unbecoming admin trait. JMHO Paul's comment wasn't incorrect. It was an observation based on his experience and wasn't directed exclusively at you. I use Gmail as well but I didn't take it as a slight. Some ISPs and email providers are more prone to being used by spammers than others. Some ISPs and providers seem to be used for spamming more in some regions than others. I'm NOT seeing Gmail (yet and touch wood) being used on my lists for spamming purposes. If you had knowingly spammed lists, you would probably have been unsubbed. Some admins will immediately unsub anyone whose address is used for that purpose, others will put the address on mod and will unsub if there's a repeat. Most won't even attempt to contact the person whose address it is to advise them of what's happened. I will and do. Many have their lists set to discard anything not from a list member which means you may not even be aware of spam being sent in your name, nor may you be aware it's been hijacked. *As far as I'm aware* my address hasn't been used to spam any lists or been hijacked - but that is the best I can say with certainty and, TBH, that's the best you can say too. Like Paul, all list new list members are put on mod immediately until I see how they post. Those who just sit there reading or waiting for their questions to be answered without asking stay on mod. It's not paranoia at all. It's keeping the list happy, peaceful and enjoyable for all those who wish to do their research in an harmonious atmosphere - and that is what it's all about. I've noticed, on my lists at least, the addresses that get used for spamming are not the prolific posters where an abrupt change in posting style would be immediately noticed but the more infrequent posters whose style isn't quite so familiar. -- Charani (UK) OPC for Walton, Greinton and Clutton, SOM Asst OPC for Ashcott and Shapwick, SOM http://wsom-opc.org.uk http://www.savethegurkhas.co.uk/

Dear Everyone: I'm one of the ones who generally stays in the background unless I have a real question or something particular to say. I just went to the list archives and read - as anyone can do - the progression of postings on the subject at hand. Anyone reading those archived messages will see the 'suspect' person's email address, a discussion about whether it is made up of strange letters and some subsequent postings about whether or not this person might have some malicious intent. If they had email in the 1600s, the postings about possible witches in Salem might have sounded similar. I think that this is disgraceful and totally agree that the easiest thing for the initial poster to have done was to simply email the person and try to verify that she has a valid interest in the lists she has joined. Lee Cognetta

Lin wrote: > Jywze1 and 4dlrgen are the ones I have on mine. I've had the second one come to one of my lists. I've a way of dealing with suspicious email addresses. I'm glad I'm not the only one who thinks there's something amiss. -- Charani (UK) OPC for Walton, Greinton and Clutton, SOM Asst OPC for Ashcott and Shapwick, SOM http://wsom-opc.org.uk http://www.savethegurkhas.co.uk/

A quick look at the archives finds 14 very recent, seemingly valid posts "Jenn" appears to have a particular interest in Canada > Greetings: > > Pardon me for being obtuse, but why doesn't somebody just e-mail the > address and ask what is going on? In some ways this reminds me of the > story about the Aristotelian philosophers in the Athenian academy > arguing about how many teeth there are in the mouth of a horse. > (Supposedly Aristotle gave conflicting numbers in different writings.) > Some student said, "Why not get a horse and look?" > > They expelled him. > > Darrell

At 2-20-2012 01:51 AM, Lin wrote: >Both are similar addresses to the one David mentions, strange >mixtures of letters and all gmail. I am no expert, but it looks like the address (gwnhwyfer) may be Welsh for Jennifer.

It appears what she is doing is going through these newspapers obits and finding ones for your areas. Paul From: Jenn < gwnhwyfer@gmail.com> Subject: [CAN-ONT-OBITS] Ottawa Citizen, 16 Feb 2012 Date: Thu, 16 Feb 2012 09:22:59 -0500 Ottawa Citizen, 16 February 2012 de LEPPER, Gerarda Elizabth "Gerry" - 79; Ottawa, ON; 13 Feb 2012 EASTON, Margaret (CAMERON) - 83; Ottawa, ON; burial 18 Feb 2012 HICKEY, Sheila - 68; Hull, ON; 14 Feb 2012 KALLMANN, Helmut Max - 89; Ottawa, ON; 12 Feb 2012 KINGSBURY, Jeffrey - 33; Quyon, QC; 13 Feb 2012 MAURICE, Dr. Roland Rodolphe - 84; Moncton, NB, 14 Feb 2012 NEWTON, William John "Bill" - 70; Cheneville, QC; 12 Feb 2012 SMITH, Kieran "Kevin" - ; Ottawa, ON; 14 Feb 2012 WARD, George Earl - 84; Ottawa, ON; 14 Feb 2012 Jenn gwnhwyfer@gmail.com

For what it's worth, I don't think David is being paranoid. London is a large busy list, and I have 2 addresses on mod that have subscribed to it, and some of my other London related lists in the last few days. Both are similar addresses to the one David mentions, strange mixtures of letters and all gmail. I just think it's a spam attempt on lots of lists. Jywze1 and 4dlrgen are the ones I have on mine. Regards Lin -----Original Message----- From: listowners-bounces@rootsweb.com [mailto:listowners-bounces@rootsweb.com] On Behalf Of David E. Cann Sent: 20 February 2012 00:09 To: Listowners List Posting Subject: [LO] A BUNCH of new subs worth keeping an eye on I am willing to admit that this may well turn out to be nothing more than my own paranoia, but for most of this day I have sat here watching one and then another successful subs come in for the following addy: gwnhwyfer@gmail.com I have a pretty fair number of quiet and helpful lists in the Maritime Provinces of Canada, and this same subscriber appears to be subscribing to every last one of them, and I point out that with a gmail email account this could be laying the groundwork for an orchestrated spam attack on the lists up there. I understand the fact that such a thing is almost unheard for a spammer, but in doing this for a dozen or so years now I have had it happen twice that I can recall, and neither time did I do anything to stop such an attack like putting the address on moderation and both times I regretted it. This time I am placing each one on moderation as I receive the sub confirmation, at least until I can figure out what is going on. It may just be someone who wants a lot of mail, and who has a great interest in the Canadian Maritimes, but I will find that out when the first post or two comes in. If such is the case, then I will sit here muttering bad words about my paranoia as I go back and remove all of the moderations, but if my concerns turn out to be valid then the spam will have been kept off of the lists. If any of you want to check your recent subs for that addy, you might want to think about doing likewise but that is up to you. He seems to be subbing to A LOT of lists in Atlantic coast of Canada, at least so far, so be forewarned. David E. Cann decann@infionline.net or on Skype at "david.e.cann" ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to LISTOWNERS-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message

Nothing is amiss... read her blog... She's a librarian with an interest in genealogy... http://readingincanada.blogspot.com/p/review-policy.html ---- Msg sent via CWNet - http://www.cwnet.com/

David E. Cann wrote: > I have a pretty fair number of quiet and helpful lists in the Maritime > Provinces of Canada, and this same subscriber appears to be subscribing to > every last one of them, and I point out that with a gmail email account this > could be laying the groundwork for an orchestrated spam attack on the lists > up there. I can honestly say I haven't seen Gmail come up as a spammers address, let alone "an orchestrated spam attack". It's mostly been weird and wonderful ISPs and providers I've never come across usually with a South American, Russian, East European or South East Asian suffix. There have been maybe a handful from well known ISPs and providers. You may be right that you have a spammer on your lists or the subscriber may simply be a new researcher with family connections in your area or an experienced researcher who's just found connections there. -- Charani (UK) OPC for Walton, Greinton and Clutton, SOM Asst OPC for Ashcott and Shapwick, SOM http://wsom-opc.org.uk http://www.savethegurkhas.co.uk/

On 2/19/2012 10:40 PM, Nancy wrote: > Same person subbed to all Alberta lists. You can Google her email address. > > > Nancy Greetings: Pardon me for being obtuse, but why doesn't somebody just e-mail the address and ask what is going on? In some ways this reminds me of the story about the Aristotelian philosophers in the Athenian academy arguing about how many teeth there are in the mouth of a horse. (Supposedly Aristotle gave conflicting numbers in different writings.) Some student said, "Why not get a horse and look?" They expelled him. Darrell

Kathie The mail providers with the most users is going to be the most hit. I realize there are users that never get hijacked BUT 4 out of the last 5 "I have been Robbed" Have been gmail. Another question is why do they always say at gun point in London? As soon as they post a couple of times I remove the MOD. ============== I have been using gmail for a few years now and I have not spammed any lists nor had this one hijacked. I am a reader and a poster so your comment is incorrect. However, putting new subscribers on MOD is fine but don't do it too long. Paranoia is an unbecoming admin trait. JMHO I have been using gmail for a few years now and I have not spammed any lists nor had this one hijacked. I am a reader and a poster so your comment is incorrect. However, putting new subscribers on MOD is fine but don't do it too long. Paranoia is an unbecoming admin trait. JMHO

On 2/19/2012 8:08 PM, Paul L LeBlanc wrote: > > Kathie The mail providers with the most users is going to be the most > hit. I realize there are users that never get hijacked BUT 4 out of > the last 5 "I have been Robbed" Have been gmail. Another question is > why do they always say at gun point in London? Paul: For the same reason that 9 out of 10 people who have millions of dollars they need to get out of their country, with your help, live in Nigeria. Why? I'll tell you why. I don't know. Tradition! Darrell

Same person subbed to all Alberta lists. You can Google her email address. Nancy

I have been using gmail for a few years now and I have not spammed any lists nor had this one hijacked. I am a reader and a poster so your comment is incorrect. However, putting new subscribers on MOD is fine but don't do it too long. Paranoia is an unbecoming admin trait. JMHO On Sun, Feb 19, 2012 at 6:41 PM, Paul L LeBlanc <pleblan@aim.com> wrote: > > David > > Any new subscriber I have a question about gets put on MOD for their first > few posts. Because most are readers and never posters they stay on MOD. > About the only time you see Gmail & the others is if the address gets > hijacked. > > Better safe than sorry. > > If your lists are New Brunswick by the Maine Border it may have to do with > the Acadian reunions there in 2014. > > Paul > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > LISTOWNERS-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the > quotes in the subject and the body of the message > -- ~~~~~ Take care, Kathie Harrison Lancaster Co., NEGenWeb http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~nelancas/

David Any new subscriber I have a question about gets put on MOD for their first few posts. Because most are readers and never posters they stay on MOD. About the only time you see Gmail & the others is if the address gets hijacked. Better safe than sorry. If your lists are New Brunswick by the Maine Border it may have to do with the Acadian reunions there in 2014. Paul

I am willing to admit that this may well turn out to be nothing more than my own paranoia, but for most of this day I have sat here watching one and then another successful subs come in for the following addy: gwnhwyfer@gmail.com I have a pretty fair number of quiet and helpful lists in the Maritime Provinces of Canada, and this same subscriber appears to be subscribing to every last one of them, and I point out that with a gmail email account this could be laying the groundwork for an orchestrated spam attack on the lists up there. I understand the fact that such a thing is almost unheard for a spammer, but in doing this for a dozen or so years now I have had it happen twice that I can recall, and neither time did I do anything to stop such an attack like putting the address on moderation and both times I regretted it. This time I am placing each one on moderation as I receive the sub confirmation, at least until I can figure out what is going on. It may just be someone who wants a lot of mail, and who has a great interest in the Canadian Maritimes, but I will find that out when the first post or two comes in. If such is the case, then I will sit here muttering bad words about my paranoia as I go back and remove all of the moderations, but if my concerns turn out to be valid then the spam will have been kept off of the lists. If any of you want to check your recent subs for that addy, you might want to think about doing likewise but that is up to you. He seems to be subbing to A LOT of lists in Atlantic coast of Canada, at least so far, so be forewarned. David E. Cann decann@infionline.net or on Skype at "david.e.cann"