On Tue, 1 Apr 1997 11:03:20 -0500, Cathleen <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

>Lately I've been getting
>tons of attempts to subscribe, where the person doesn't put his/her name,
>and uses the name and domain name from the e-mail address.  Using my e-mail
>address as an example:
>
>[log in to unmask]  Catht Interlog


Most likely these are not coming from a real person, but from some
automated program working from some huge list of email addresses, or else
just making things up at random.

I believe potential list subscribers should always truely identify
themselves, and any subscriptions I get that match this abusive pattern
get deleted immediately.  Usually I have not trouble.

If you are doing Subscription= By_owner, then you need to make LISTSERV do
the equivalent of an 'OK Confirm' message.  In the case of confirm,
LISTSERV sends a msg back to the potential address, asking for a reply of
the one word "OK" (with the special IDtag in the subject line).  If the
address is bogus, this attempt fails, and the bogus person never darkens
your list.

Unfortunately, when you set By_Owner, this mechanism is bypassed.  So you
have to manipulate your MAILTPL template file, to send out a short
"questionnaire" or simple OK message of your own.  Bogus addresses will
again be eliminated, and real people who want to subscribe will respond if
they want to join, so you can be sure the address and the person are real.
--
 ________________________________________________________________________
 Ben Parker ............ (Oak Park IL) .......... [log in to unmask]