In addition to the virus-scanner bounces, now we have to deal with challenge-response spam triggered by the virus. This just came to a catchall mailbox that I check (addresses munged to protect innocent and guilty alike):
From: [name] <[user]@mailblocks.com> To: andrew@[one of my domains] Subject: Re: Hi [Authorize] Hi, You just sent an email to my [user]@twcny.rr.com account, which is now being managed by my Mailblocks spam-free email service. Because this is the first time you have sent to this email account, please confirm yourself so you'll be recognized when you send to me in the future. It's simple. To prove your message comes from a human and not a computer, go to: http://app1.mailblocks.com/confirm2.aspx?ck=B2Fqd2Vpc3MObWFpbGJsb2Nrcy5jb20WYW5kcmV3QHNtb2tlc2NyZWVuLm9yZ9iEEb8*&a=1 This is the email message you have sent that is in my Pending folder waiting for your quick authentication: Subject: Hi Sent: Jan 29, 9:07 AM If you have not confirmed within several days, your message will automatically be deleted. ----- Email for Humans... Mailblocks Try Mailblocks web-based personal email -- faster, cleaner interface, more storage, bigger attachments, and 100% spam-free. http://about.mailblocks.com/?src=emailspiderauth
Should I click? If he's spamming me to protect himself from spam, I feel like undermining his system, but I guess I'll preserve my record of never responding to challenge-response systems instead. I just hope some reader or robot doesn't do it for me within the next several days.
You probably sent him an e-mail and forgot about it. You might want to send him an e-mail in the future, so go ahead and verify your address now. He'll give you money if you do!
Okay, I dislike challenge-response and secretly entertain notions of breaking it. Still, he might give you money.
