Chinese Spammer Targets Boston Bombings

Published Apr 16, 2013 00:00 AM
PUBLIC - This article does not require an IPVM subscription. Feel free to share.

UPDATE: Cantonk, the spammer, says our article is illegal and demands it be removed immediately.

That was fast... and disgusting. One of the biggest Chinese surveillance spammers wasted no time in sending out a promotion capitalizing on the Boston bombings.

I am their 'dear American friend' who never subscribed to their spam, gets bombarded with it every week and whom they will never let me unsubscribe.

Illegal

What they are doing is illegal under US law (see the CAN SPAM act).

Report

Please join me in reporting this. Here's how:

Additionally, you can file a complaint against the FTC.

Finally, if you have any other recommendations about how to stop systematic spammers like Cantonk, please leave a comment or contact us.

UPDATE

Cantonk has responded via email, saying:

"Please delete your article shown on your website.What you have done is ILLEGAL under LAW of ANY COUNTRY!!"

IPVM stands by its position.

Comments (19)
U
Undisclosed
Apr 16, 2013
You could just BUY something from them.... I mean, considering all the advertising dollars they're throwing at you, ya kinda owe it to them at this point, don't ya?
U
Undisclosed
Apr 16, 2013
I make jokes.... Consider my complaint to the FTC filed. Although I WILL miss their Valentine's Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas cards featuring Corgi puppies... My God they love those things.
BH
Bohan Huang
Apr 16, 2013

I think we can all complain to Google, Hotmail, Yahoo, and Major ISPs to blacklist them for Spam.

Also for users of HOtmail, Yahoo, GMail, etc... If we all mark there mail as spam then future email will have higher likely hood of being blacklisted.

BH
Bohan Huang
Apr 16, 2013

It's very embarrassing that in this day and age a company cannot find someone with basic English grammar capability to write an official company marketing piece being sent out to millions of people... sigh...

Even more embarrassing that a $3 billion dollar company like Dahua Technology posts press releases full of horrific grammatical atrocities.

Stop to some Russian and Swedish reps last week - perfect English - written and verbal - incredible.

JH
John Honovich
Apr 16, 2013
IPVM

Bohan, evidently they rotate email addresses. I have emails from Candy, Kevin, Celine, Alice, Elia, Shirley and Monica. I am just stunned their whole domain has not yet been blacklisted. It looks like they are sending it directly and not going through an email mailing list service.

BH
Bohan Huang
Apr 16, 2013

You know its going to be trouble when you start receiving mail from Candy! or Fancy (no joke)!

MI
Matt Ion
Apr 16, 2013

You can also click the "This is Spam" button on Gmail/Hotmail/etc. - enough people do that, it WILL make a difference.

Gee, nothing from BRS Labs yet? :P

MB
Marc Beningson
Apr 16, 2013

Matt, I've been waiting for the BRS message but perhaps John has intimidated them?

MB
Miki Bata
Apr 17, 2013

John, I simply wrote them an email kindly asking them to remove all addresses in our domain from their database. They did. :-)

JH
John Honovich
Apr 17, 2013
IPVM

Miki, they responded to you? Wow! Can you ask on my behalf? :)

MI
Matt Ion
Apr 17, 2013

Well, at least Cantonk isn't alone in their oppotunism...

MB
Miki Bata
Apr 17, 2013

In all honesty, I was quite surprised my self, however I got a really polite reply even:

Okay dear manager, we will remove all @aspectis.hu addresses, sorry for any inconvenience for you. Tory

So, yeah, it works :-)

JH
John Honovich
Apr 17, 2013
IPVM

Miki, ok, I just tried again. We'll report if I get any response.

Btw, for those of you asking about BRS Labs, they evidently sent a transcript of a US politician calling for more cameras after the bombings. See this piece and acknolwedgment at Security Today.

MB
Miki Bata
Apr 19, 2013

Unfortunately it didn't work :-) Just received an email from Crystal :-D

JH
John Honovich
Apr 19, 2013
IPVM

Yes, I got an email back from Alice saying she was sorry but she did not comment on whether or not my email was being removed. I fear that I am going to get an email from Crystal or Jade or Doug any moment now...

Avatar
Marty Major
Apr 19, 2013
Teledyne FLIR

...ask the sender of that reply threat if they can do all the Cantonk spam from now on, as they appear to at least be able to (almost) converse in proper English. [I would've changed 'Law' to 'the laws'] : )

JH
John Honovich
Jul 29, 2013
IPVM

Update: After a few months of respite from Cantonk spamming, they are back. Alice has repeatedly emailed us, asking most recently, "Could I do your security favour?" in the subject line.

It's unbelievable with these people.

AB
Anthony Brown
Jul 29, 2013

After multiple requests to unsubscribe my email address from their spam, I have received several contact requests from Judy from Cantonk via SKYPE, presumably because I have my Skype user name in my email signature. I have since blocked her and reported her user as spam.

JH
John Honovich
Jul 29, 2013
IPVM

Via Skype? That's just aweful! What are they thinking!