Yahoo Spam Magnet-Trap

I've had to rescue all the blog carnival submissions for the next Kosher Cooking Carnival from the spam box of my yahoo account.  For that reason, if anyone is hosting a blog carnival, it would be a wise decision to make sure you haven't lost any to the spam trap.  Many (most) email services think they're doing you a favor when they imprison suspect mail.  My very own yahoo emails are trapped there, too, as are all the comments to my blog posts.

Technology doesn't know everything.  We always need the human factor to fix it.  Anyway, who invented computers? 

Closing Comments On Specific Posts

I have a couple of posts that seem to be magnets for spam comments. I guess it has something to do with "key words." Just a few minutes ago, I suddenly realized that I could close comments on those specific posts. I did it on one of them, after deleting over ten comments. This isn't a case for comment moderation, since the spammers target specific posts, and comment moderation slows things down.

There are all sorts of "options," few are taken advantage of. And I still must redo my blogs on newer templates. You'd think I was working or something the way I get nothing done.

Annoying

Annoying is the least of it. What word best describes discovering my own email in my "spam" box? On yahoo mail there's a "bulk" mailbox in which spam and other undesirables are delivered. I check it to rescue innocent letters, which somehow have been miss-labeled by overly enthusiastic spam controls, or my own bad aim when deleting. "Delete" and "spam" are side by side in yahoo.

But it does seem a bit absurd at best to keep discovering my very own letters and notes and replies. I re-label as "not spam," but they don't believe me. You'd think they'd be smart enough to know that it's from my address! I wrote it, not some spam machine!!

If people don't want to get my mailings, they can just request to be taken off the list. I always cooperate.

strange letter, personalized spam?

Maybe I'm just paranoid, but I think I just got a personalized spam letter. It could be legit, but I understand that the spam scams start like this.

I'm not going to handle money for strangers, just like I tell those telemarketing fundraisers that I won't contribute by phone. When they hand up in response I feel totally justified.

Here's the letter:

Dear Batya,
I have written you a while ago and you answered. I don't remember what we corresponded on but it went well enough for me. I check out your blog weekly and have even posted on it. I was wondering if you would be able to help me out with something. My husband is about to sign a contract to work with this Jewish man on the east coast, I live on the west coast. I have never met this man,but I listen to what he has to say through my husband and I like his words so far. The words of his are enough for me to move forward. The bottom line is the work contract has to be signed for with what I am about to ask you for help with.
When my husband / if my husband signs the contract to work with this man and the price is good I was wondering if I sent you money would you be able to deliver it to people that I would like to recieve it. The first family I would like to send it to is a family that I read about on the news whose children were badly injured on a bus, I believe one of the daughters had her legs blown off, and if I recall there was another sibling hurt.Do you remember this family? I do not have any news clippings about them ,but I know you would be able to figure it out. I have no idea how much money to start with a small amount I am sure 500.00 to 1,000 dollars. And then we can see how things go. My only request is this, this all remains only between me and you. I want this to be very easy for you. I send you the money, you give it to the people. I will pay for your expense, and enought to take your family out for dinner.
The next time I come to Israel maybe we can meet, briefly, so you can see the person behind the words. Think about this and let me know. This is how simple I want to keep it. I do not want to use an organization. Me, to you, to them. If you have any questions, feel free.