Getting spammed LSN adverts by FraudRecord?

[AnthonySmith]

The irony of this post is high!

I just got a mail from [email protected] which is nothing more than a limestone networks advert, it is even signed:

Sincerely,

LSN Marketing

Limestone Networks, Inc.

Simple. Solid. Superior. 

You are receiving this message because you have subscribed to FraudRecord services. To change your email preferences, visit your FraudRecord control panel <http://www.fraudrecord.com/forums/index.php?action=profile;area=notification> . 

Looks like they added a newsletter function since initially signing up opt-ed everyone one in and are allowing 3rd parties to use it to spam FR users, there is also no direct opt-out link.

So apart from the fact I reported it as spam (Sorry @KuJoe they use your IP's to bulk mail on behalf of 3rd parties) this makes me wonder, do LSN own Fraud Record now the old owner 'Harzem' (I think) never responds to anything on forums these days and that is since the LSN advert spam started.

Just seems ironic a service used to catch and prevent spammers is now spamming, and something is fishy about the LSN relationship. 

 

[rds100]

I received it too, have no idea why they did this. Do they really expect to generate any sales this way?

 

[AnthonySmith]

It would have been a clever move by LSN, buy the network that comes pre-equipped with hosts contact details and permission to spam, get their adverts in front of every admin on WHMCS on a daily basis.

 

[Steven F]

The problem is that the service is completely free. It's a nice gesture, but after a while, the workload becomes too much. If Harzem were to charge say $5 a month, I'd still use the service and be quite happy. However, I'm sure a lot of people wouldn't.

 

[KuJoe]

The problem is that the service is completely free. It's a nice gesture, but after a while, the workload becomes too much. If Harzem were to charge say $5 a month, I'd still use the service and be quite happy. However, I'm sure a lot of people wouldn't.

There was already a discussion about this and after much debate on how much people were willing to pay, it was decided that FraudRecord would always be free and a paid model would ruin the idea of FraudRecord (although you are welcome to donate to their cause if you see fit, but it's not required).

Sorry @KuJoe they use your IP's to bulk mail on behalf of 3rd parties 

Thanks for the heads up. Luckily they give you the option to unsubscribe but I don't remember if I opted in for these newsletters when I signed up either.

 

[drmike]

Limestone and some shady marketing/advertising.... Haven't they done something questionable prior?

 

[KuJoe]

Weird, the only way to unsubscribe from the newsletters is to also unsubscribe from "announcements and important notifications", that sucks.

 

[devonblzx]

Whats the big deal?  One email in the two years I have been a member.  Not a big enough deal to make a discussion about in my opinion.  It is a free service that most hosts here take part in, so if you get one ad email, even weekly, it doesn't seem like a big deal to me.  Just delete it and move on.

 

[drmike]

1. Harzem appears to have gone rather quiet on forums, social, etc. since mid November.

2. Why is Limestone involved?  Looking at site, they aren't a sponsor or anything...

see:

https://www.google.com/?gws_rd=ssl#safe=off&q=site:fraudrecord.com+limestone

Fraudrecord has to be selling ads or making side deals now, which is meh...

3. The Whois on fraudrecord remains in Harzem's details.  The hosting remains at CNServers via SecureDragon.

This was brought up on LET a while back and Harzem said:

If enough people donated, there wouldn't be a need for advertisements in the first place. Current sponsors and the new advertisement barely cover the cost of the server alone. We couldn't even get a redundant two-server setup yet. Also the new advertisement is just a one week trial, it may not be there next week.

So far, the "bit.ly" link generated a whooping 7 clicks! I don't think you'll see many advertisers fighting each other to get a place. Ad-free, donation-needed days are coming back soon.

source:http://www.lowendtalk.com/discussion/36573/fraudrecord-advertising

 

[mikho]

Whats the big deal? One email in the two years I have been a member. Not a big enough deal to make a discussion about in my opinion. It is a free service that most hosts here take part in, so if you get one ad email, even weekly, it doesn't seem like a big deal to me. Just delete it and move on.

The big deal is that it was unexpected.


The second part from your quote that you are happy about a weekly ad email, imagine the amount of emails in your inbox if every site you signed up with sent you a weekly email?


Not to mention the amount of time it takes to soft out the bad ones from the good ones.

 

[devonblzx]

The second part from your quote that you are happy about a weekly ad email, imagine the amount of emails in your inbox if every site you signed up with sent you a weekly email?


Not to mention the amount of time it takes to soft out the bad ones from the good ones.

Considering I use fraudrecord to check all orders and don't pay a dime.  I really don't mind the 15 seconds it takes to view and delete an email.

 

[drmike]

Suppose everyone should be inquiring about what the ad rates are...

and... considering donating $ to help finance Fraudrecord so it remains both free and ad free.  

 

[AnthonySmith]

The big deal is that it is a tool to prevent spam and fraud that sends spam on behalf of 3rd parties, I would have no issues with getting an FR newsletter, I would have no issues paying for FR, but I do take exception of it being used as a tool to push uninvited LSN adverts to my inbox.

@KuJoe even if you did opt-in this is a 3rd party advert, it would be like me pushing SEO marketing spam via my WHMCS and saying you opted in to the Inception Hosting news letter so tough titties! 

 

[mikho]

Considering I use fraudrecord to check all orders and don't pay a dime. I really don't mind the 15 seconds it takes to view and delete an email.

Multiply that 15 seconds with the amount of websites you signed up with. adds up to alot of seconds. Perhaps even hours in the end?

 

[KuJoe]

I'd also like to clarify that the e-mail was not sent out from our IPs. Our reverse proxy only allows port 80 and 443.

I sent Harzem a message so hopefully in the future it will be possible to unsubscribe from newsletters without impacting announcements and important updates.

 

[drmike]

and... I recommend folks speak out on the FraudRecord forum about the backend admin ads they have been seeing for LSN as well...

There is an existing thread over there already:

https://www.fraudrecord.com/forums/index.php?topic=99.0
 

 

[AnthonySmith]

my mistake I just assumed SA was correct I see it was mailgun.

 

[devonblzx]

Multiply that 15 seconds with the amount of websites you signed up with. adds up to alot of seconds. Perhaps even hours in the end?

Free services with my business email?  Probably about 30 seconds.  I see your point but I don't even consider this as spam.  You can opt-out in the control panel, you most likely opted in to emails when you signed up, you can clearly see it is an advertisement right away with the subject and the large notice at the top, and it is a free service that businesses use.  Most free services come with ads, no matter where they be.  Even a free service needs money to run.

 

[KuJoe]

If you want to have a voice, sponsor FraudRecord and then your feedback has more weight because you can vote with your wallet. Harzem has given everybody the option to stop these ads, but from what I see only 6 companies took that opportunity to try to stop them.

EDIT: I'm not defending the "newsletter", I'm just saying that threads like these don't help at all and only seem like an attack on FraudRecord and Harzem which is the last thing we want to do for such an amazing service that is being offered for free. If people complain enough and cause him stress over his free service, he's just going to close up shop which none of us want to see.

 

[devonblzx]

If you want to have a voice, sponsor FraudRecord and then your feedback has more weight because you can vote with your wallet. Harzem has given everybody the option to stop these ads, but from what I see only 6 companies took that opportunity to try to stop them.

EDIT: I'm not defending the "newsletter", I'm just saying that threads like these don't help at all and only seem like an attack on FraudRecord and Harzem which is the last thing we want to do for such an amazing service that is being offered for free. If people complain enough and cause him stress over his free service, he's just going to close up shop which none of us want to see.

Good point.  Complaining about small things with a free service with no real alternatives is kind of pointless.