Recently an IP address on our network became listed by the SORBS (spam and open-relay blocking system), if you have ever been to the site, it has the professional demeanor of a band of 15 year olds.
Upon requesting removal for this IP address, we were encountered with their “new” deterrent mechanism:
http://www.us.sorbs.net/faq/spamdb.shtml
(read down to the section on the ‘fine’ and the ‘Joey McNicol Legal Defense Fund’
Network Redux does all within our power to prevent spam from leaving our network. As we all know, shared environments are routinely susceptible to these types of issues, and Network Redux has, and continues to devote dozens of engineering hours towards writing and implementing systems to help prevent these shared environments from falling victim to these issues.
Regardless, we consider this behavior on behalf of SORBS to have crossed the line of blackmail and extortion, and we are interested to hear your feedback on this matter.
SORBS currently offers two methods of delisting, charity donation to a children’s hospital (there’s no argument that this is a good cause), and their second choice (which the reader can interpet for themselves)…
“Payment Choice: The Joey McNicol Legal Defense Fund
Payment here is usually immediate, and delisting usually takes place within 24 hours.
Payment may be made via PayPal to: joey@vtgts.com
For those unfamiliar with PayPal:
- Go to http://www.paypal.com/
- Click the ‘Send Money’ tab.
- Create an account (if you don’t already have one)
- Make a donation of US$50 to joey@vtgts.com, stating the IP address in the information field.
Note: It is very important you list the IP address you want delisted in the information field. Without it, we will not be able to match the donation to a database entry.Note: Joey McNicol has no connection with SORBS, he has no control over who is listed or delisted. Complaining to him about an entry will not get you anywhere.”
Source: http://www.us.sorbs.net/faq/spamdb.shtml
Curious that Mr. McNicol has no connection with SORBS yet your paypal payment should be directed to his personal paypal account.
#1 by Firefall on May 22, 2006 - 12:48 pm
It’s strange that the donations are directed at a legal fund for a court case that ended in October of 2002.
#2 by creativepart on November 12, 2009 - 12:07 am
It’s a scam I tell you. So, I Googled this Joey guy and found his blog.
Today’s post is an ad for check cashing “loan” business. One of his recent posts is a thread about how 9/11 is an “inside job” done by the Pentagon.
It’s blackmail and it shouldn’t be legal!