Step 1.
Find the identifying information from the
perpetrator
For
unsolicited commercial e-mail [UCE], the below programs explain how to
find the headers. In Outlook
Express, they are obtained by right-clicking on the
e-mail,
scrolling down and clicking on 'Properties.' Then click on 'Details.'
The
headers will be displayed in a box. There
is a Message Source button
that will reveal the website URLs being promoted.
Step 2.
Identify the perpetrator. Take the
information
found above and plug it into one or more of automated tracer programs
such as these below. This can be time-consuming. There is as yet no
program or website that does it all. If you find one, please let me
know via the e-mail link below.
AET
Tracer Pro
- shareware that helps "track down an abuser and report the abuser to
the correct authority: geographical positioning, trace route, IP
tracer, e-mail tracer, interactive Netstat GUI, automated Whois GUI,
automated abuse reporter and a network scanner with seven different
scan methods."
Sam Spade for Windows - freeware that
can be used -- among considerably more things -- to analyze spam
headers and trace domain names. I use it in conjuction with 'What is My
IP Address' [WIMIPA] (below) to track down the service providers of the
websites being promoted in UCE. Note: click on the website link in UCE
only as a last resort -- it will only precipitate more.
Putting the Domain Name [http://domain.name] in a WHOIS
search is not always enough. Typically it will only yield an address in
a Third World country and/or a false Yahoo or Hotmail e-mail addy. Put
the Domain Name into Sam Spade's seachbox and click on 'Trace.' This
will yield a number [in this format: 000.00.00.00], which is the IP
Address. Enter that
number into WIMIPA. You will likely get the real contact info for the
website's ISP, which is usually complicit in the spamming process.
That's because they know what their client is doing and don't care so
long as they get paid. Let them know that YOU care by including them in
your abuse report message.
What
is My IP Address.net -
A website that includes a free utility that will "check the headerof
spam email which you supplied, to trace the route of relaying servers,
and then try to determine the source of the email as well as the
contact person where you can complain to. It also shows the whois info
of the source server."
Step 3.
Forward the offending e-mail to the abuser's ISP. Don't forget to copy and paste the
headers above the e-mail.
Step 4. Report findings to the proper authorities.
a. If it is UCE, 'CC' the above-described e-mail to
the U.S. Federal Trade Commission's Bureau
of Consumer Protection.
b. If it is a virus, denial of service and/or hack
attack, report it to the Department of Homeland Security's Computer Emergency
Readiness Team.
using the secure form by clicking the 'Report an Incident' button.
For more information
please consult Spamcop.net. They've been in the fight
for a long time.
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