Spam Abuse

Webstorm understands the problems spam causes, this is why spam management filters and policies have been put in place. Find out how to report spam and what best practices you can follow to prevent getting black listed.

How is Webstorm notified of spam offences?

Complaints are sent to Webstorm either by an individual recipient who has been on the receiving end of a spam email or by our network service providers.

The internet community is also made up of independent bodies that have been put in place to monitor and combat spam. Together with Internet Service Providers (ISP’s), these organisations are empowered to blacklist and/or block IP addresses that have been implicated in spam offences.

Such bodies include SpamCop (http://www.spamcop.net) and SORBS (http://www.sorbs.net)

I would like to report a spam incident, who should I contact?

If you would like to report spam, please send an email to abuse@webstorm.co.za.

It is our recommendation that you do not respond to a spam message directly as this will only confirm that your email address is valid, leaving you open for further spam attacks.

What are the industry best practices, regarding spam, which I should follow?

In order to prevent being labelled a spammer, you need to ensure that your intended recipients have given their consent to receiving an email via some affirmative means, such as a double opt-in procedure.

It is also important that you have procedures in place that would allow the recipient to easily revoke their consent i.e. an 'unsubscribe' or 'remove' link in the mail.

Best Practices to conduct a legitimate mailing list includes:

• Make use of a double opt-in procedure. Not only must the user take action to add himself to a list, but he then receives a confirmation email of his subscription. He must reply to the email to be added to the list. This is done to ensure that the customer did not subscribe by mistake or somebody else did not subscribe him to receive your regular email.
• A 'remove' or 'unsubscribe' link (an opt-out procedure) must be provided to make it easier for the recipient to revoke consent or to terminate their subscription. Mailings must cease promptly once a subscription is terminated.
• Mailing list administrators must take adequate steps to ensure that their lists are not used for abusive purposes.
• Avoid multiple font sizes and colours as these promote mail being flagged as spam.
• Blank spaces increase your spam percentage allocated by most scoring systems.

What if SORBS blacklists my or Webstorm’s IP address?

SORBS will immediately blacklist an IP address that has been found to be used for spam purposes. Should this happen, Webstorm will receive a spam complaint from SORBS.

There are only two options available to delist an IP address:

• Immediate termination of the account
• Paying a $50/R300 donation (this is dependent on the exchange rate) to Webstorm's charity of choice

Blacklisting an IP of one of our servers has a serious impact on Webstorm's reputation within the Internet industry. Should we receive more than one complaint from SORBS, your account will be terminated immediately.

What is Spam?

Spam is a generic term that refers to the act of indiscriminately sending unsolicited, unwanted, irrelevant or inappropriate messages via email.

These are usually promotions or advertisements sent in 'bulk' to the email addresses of people who have not requested this information.

Webstorm has a strict Acceptable Use Policy which does not tolerate spam. For a mailing list to be considered legitimate and not spam the following criteria need to be met:

• Administer confirmed 'opt-in' mailing lists where the recipient or would-be subscriber provides a positive response to an initial email e.g. the recipient replies to an email or clicks on a link in the email indicating consent.
• A 'remove' or 'unsubscribe' link (an opt-out procedure) must be provided to make it easier for the recipient to revoke consent or to terminate their subscription. Mailings must cease promptly once a subscription is terminated.
• Mailing list administrators must take adequate steps to ensure that their lists are not used for abusive purposes.

What will happen if I have been accused of spamming?

Webstorm takes spam offences very seriously and reserves the right to suspend or terminate, without warning, any account that violates our Acceptable Use policy regarding spam.

Should you choose to email from Webstorm’s hosting servers, especially if you use mailing lists, it is imperative that you read, understand and adhere to Webstorm’s policy on spam abuse.

Should one of our clients be accused of spamming, Webstorm will initiate an investigation (within 24 - 48 hours). During the investigation Webstorm may restrict the client’s access in order to prevent further possible unauthorised activity. If the client is found in violation of our Acceptable Use policy, Webstorm is in its full rights to suspend or terminate the client’s account.

1. Abuse and spam Policy

1.1 Spamming is forbidden. "Spamming" includes, without limitation, the transmission of unsolicited communications through the Webstorm e-mail, instant messaging, SMS, chat rooms, discussion boards and similar facilities used for the purposes of communicating with other persons, creating false accounts for the purpose of sending Spam, sending unauthorized e-mail via open, third party servers, sending e-mails to users who requested to be removed from the mailing list and selling or exchanging the e-mail address of any person without that person’s consent. Webstorm reserves the right to suspend or terminate the services in accordance with its General Terms should you breach this policy.

1.2 As a Webstorm customer, should you infringe this policy, you will be held liable for any costs incurred by Webstorm, both monetary and in reputation.

1.3 The use of any other service to make such a mailing or posting, with any reference to Webstorm services (including but not limited to mailboxes, autoresponders, and Web pages), shall also be grounds for account termination as described above.

1.4 This is our first and most stringently enforced policy. Abusive behaviour can severely damage an online reputation and business. We will not tolerate such incidents of abuse.