RSS - MAPS Relay
Spam Stopper

I don't understand what this is, and I need you to fix it!

If you send us email about this, we're just going to point you back to this page. All the info you need to resolve this issue is contained here. Please read this page and then contact your ISP (internet service provider -- the people you pay for internet access) like this page recommends.


Help! What the heck is going on?

If you tried to send email, and that email was returned to you with an error message, and that error message pointed you to this web site, then here is what probably happened.

The email server that you are using is probably on our RSS list.

Sites are added to the RSS because they are insecure ("open relay") email servers that have transmitted spam to our users.

Lots of email administrators choose to use our list to refuse mail from those servers, until they are fixed to stop relaying spam to our users.

We are not calling you a spammer. We are not able to read your mail.

But I want my email to go through! How can this be fixed?

You should contact your ISP (the company you pay for internet access). Write them or call them and tell them that you're having trouble with your email, explain to them that you received this error message, and ask them to visit our web site.

If the server is owned by your school or employer, then contact the folks that run the server and explain the same thing to them.

We know that email is important to you, and we want to help your ISP resolve the problem of your mail bouncing. Correcting this problem is usually a very simple process, involving your ISP changing a few lines of one configuration file, or ticking a checkbox on a configuration form.

What is a spammer? What is spam?

There is a very good site at http://spam.abuse.net that explains all about spam and why it is a problem. Please be sure to visit this site if you are curious and want to learn more, they've got lots of useful answers to common questions.

What do you mean "open relay"?

Third-party relay, also known as "open relay" or "insecure relay" is where a mail server will route mail for anybody in the world. Spammers hunt for and abuse these servers to try to cover their tracks, because they know their spam is unwelcome and unwanted.

For more information about third-party relay, please visit this site. They've got a great overview.

Why do you help people refuse mail from these servers?

Because lots of people want to refuse mail from these servers. They've relayed spam, they're still able to relay spam, and folks don't think it's fair that the server be allowed to keep throwing this unwanted garbage at us.

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[ MAPS LLC | RSS | RBL | DUL | TSI ] Updated 8/9/2000.