Message From jl

Hi Everyone!

We have a lot to cover, this week, so I'll keep this part short. In fact, we may have to run some of it over until next week, due to the survey I asked you to participate in last week.

I like these questions/answers - surveys. Not because I don't have to come up with material (although, that's nice too, sometimes) but because this keeps us relevant and current on what's happening NOW.

Many minds are better than one and this is the MOST helpful way to educate us all.

Before we go to the survey, let me share something important with you. In answer to another question, we mentioned using PayPal's “one-time Virtual MasterCard,” last week.

This is important, so I want to scoot it in ahead of some other things.

Here's one person's experience with this:

------------
A word of caution using the "Virtual MasterCard" computer generated card offered by PayPal.

In January of 2009, I made a purchase of $9.95 to purchase one of the "forced continuity" offers. You know the kind where you get a DVD through snail mail and then are charged a monthly fee if you don't cancel.

I thought I was being smart to use the "one" time" PayPal card. I had used this method in the past with good results. I expected the charge to be denied when the merchant submitted it for payment. Wrong!

The following month, I had a charge from this same merchant for $49.99. I contacted PayPal to dispute this charge.

I had to download a physical form and complete it with proof of my identity and fax it to the dispute department in Omaha, NE. In this form I explained that my purchase was on a "one time" card generated by PayPal and my understanding was that there could only be one charge to this card. Wrong! Again!

In the end my dispute was denied and the $49.99 charge was paid. It was an expensive lesson. I am just grateful that my bank account wasn't depleted.

You see, while the charge card is for one merchant, this merchant can charge you up to four times in a 60 day period. Read that line again. I had no agreement with PayPal to continue payments, as I would have a membership. With a membership set up through PayPal, I could have logged in an canceled that membership with no further charges.

This merchant could have charged me hundreds of dollars during this time period. They could have charged as much as they wanted to on four different occasions.

I debated whether to share this information because there are many unscrupulous merchants who would take advantage, if they knew about this "loop-hole." I have decided, obviously, to release this information in hopes that more people will be saved from my mistake.

My advice to anyone using this method of payment, immediately after using send an email to PayPal stating that the "shipment" was complete and that no other charges are to be made on this card and to please cancel.

Here is an excerpt from my correspondence with PayPal:

-----
"PayPal's Secure Card is a card number used in place of your credit or debit card number. You can generate 2 types of Secure Cards.

"Single-use cards" are designed for a single purchase on one website. You generate a Secure Card number that allows a single purchase to be completed even if it requires separate charges, for example for multi-part shipments or back-ordered items. In these cases, you may see more than one transaction associated with a single-use card.

Each single-use card has a limited duration and can no longer be used after it has been fully authorized by the merchant website or closed by you. The usage limits for any single-use card is 4 authorizations from a single merchant or an expiration date up to 2 months from the creation date, whichever comes first. You can close the card at any time before it expires."

Lesson learned!

Sandra Price
www.Digital-Products-Mart.com
------------

Thanks, Sandra!

Answers to last week's survey regarding fraudulent email are below.

Have a fabulous week and ... keep on keepin' on!

  jl

P.S. Do YOU have the iCop seal on ALL your web sites? Scammers abound in a depressed economy. You will need the credibility of your iCop membership NOW, more than ever!

Use the iCop Seal on Every Site You Own at NO Extra Cost!

Join iCop Today!

I really want to hear from you! Tell me what you think!

Click to Send Comments

Help Build Our List

Don't forget to invite your friends to subscribe to The Online Business Trade Journal!

Just forward them an issue with a note telling them why you like it and give them the following link:

http://www.i-Cop.org/trade-journal.htm

Regarding last week’s survey ... The question was the title of this column. The responses are below.

------------
Hey jl,

If they get a gmail account - it does a magnificent job of spam filtering and has a button right up top of all emails that says Report Spam, too, for any that get by. Go to:

mail.google.com/mail/signup

I also forward (the complete message source, not just the email body) to spam@uce.gov and let them have at it, too. Here's where to learn how to get that header & source info for those who don't know how:

www.ip-adress.com/faq/view_email_header/

Enjoyed OBTJ as always.

Donna Maher
www.donnamaher.us
------------

------------
jl,

You neglected the really low one with the greeting: "...in the name of God Almighty."

May they rot in hell.

Now, on to solutions.

For those who may not have a hosting account, you will still get the emails, you just won't have to look at them or delete them from your inbox. For Outlook Express users:

1. Look for a common phrase in the email like "an auditor with a bank" or "reliable foreign partner" and copy it to your clipboard.

2. Next, select "Message Rules" under the Tools tab, then select "Mai"l from the resulting list.

3. Click the "New" button, then check the box next to "Where the message body contains specific words" in the top pane, and then click the link that appears in the bottom pane and paste the selected phrase in the top pane of the next window, then click on the "OK" button. This will take you back to the main window where you started.

4. Next, in the second pane, check the box next to "Delete it" and click the "OK" button.

Now all you have to do is periodically empty your Deleted Items folder.

There should be a similar process for whatever email client you may be using.

For those who have a hosting account, your process should be similar to that on my hosting account. Here are the steps I take to not only stop spam from a specific sender, but also to block spam from an IP address range.

1. Press "Ctrl/F3" simultaneously on the keyboard which displays the email with headers.

In the header, look for the line that begins with "Received: from..." and locate the set of numbers that appears between brackets.

It looks like this: [209.237.84.29].

That is the IP address of the actual sender's computer. Copy that set of numbers (without the brackets) into the clipboard.

2. Log in to the hosting account and select "Email Options" then "Spam filters" and finally "Add New Filter."

This brings up a window with four boxes. The first box has a dropdown menu with five selections.

Choose "Any header", then proceed to the second box, which also has a drop-down menu.

Select "contains" from that menu, then proceed to the third box and paste the IP address from the clipboard, then proceed to the fourth box.

Enter "Discard" into that box, then click the "Add new SPAM filter" button.

That's it. Now whenever that computer sends more spam, it will never reach my inbox. Instead, it goes to never-never-land.

CAUTION: Do not enter something like "Bounce" in the fourth box. By doing so, you risk having that bounced email reported as spam, which will have come from your IP address, resulting in a nasty email from a very pissed off hosting administrator, and could even get your hosting account suspended.

You should periodically review your list of blocke d IP address on your hosting account for similar IP addresses. Look for entries like this: 209.237.84.28 , 209.237.84.16, 209.237.84.5, 209.237.84.237, etc.

These all represent a specific server, most likely a proxy server, and you can block all emails from that server by entering the following in the third box as described above, except this time, precede that entry with a single open bracket like this:

"[209.237.84." leaving off the last set of numbers (be sure to include the trailing period though).

Should you receive an abundance of spam where the first two sets of numbers are identical, then enter the IP address like this: "[209.237." leaving off the last two sets of numbers and again with the trailing period.

Let's say you are getting tons of spam where the first set of numbers is the same. This is common for spam originating from Singapore, Sri Lanka, Russia, Italy, etc. You get the picture. You can block all emails from that particular server by entering only the first set of numbers like this: "[209." (with the trailing period).

Okay, so you don't understand that IP address thingy. No problem. Using the method described above, select "Body" (or any of the other options) from the first box, then whatever you want from the second box, enter the phrase you want to filter (like "reliable foreign partner") and finally enter "Delete" in the last box. Now all emails containing whatever you entered will go to la-la-land.

Finally, as any experienced user will tell you, do not use Spam Assassin or similar type automatic filters. Maybe some of the SPAM will get caught with those programs, but a lot of legitimate email will as well. A lot of SPAM will still get through. Unfortunately, a lot of hosting providers don't give you a choice. My suggestion: find one that does.

It's a tedious task and will take some time before you will really see a difference, but in my opinion, it's worth the effort. Experiment with the email options on your hosting account to see what works best for you.

John Grafflin
www.jwgmg.com
------------

Yikes! That's all we have space for! I'll continue these next week since there are many things that work. I'll also have other important information for you! [ jl ]

Featuring more than 250 easy to follow, pleasurable to watch and listen to Videos of down to earth and practical tutorials on "How to Start and Explode Your Business Online"

PLUS - You get FULL Resale Rights! ALL for just 7 Bucks!

Step by Step! Go see a complete list of what's included!

www.i-cop.org/tutorial.htm

This SECOND package teaches you how to create both digital and CD products, work with scripts, conversion tactics, security, list building, PLUS two fabulous bonuses! If you have the first package - you DEFINITELY WANT this second package to learn to monetize Your web site!

www.i-cop.org/imvt-tutorial-2.htm

FREE: Instant Web Site Makers - Over 300 Web Design Templates Amazing Script Collections - Software for Autoresponders, Blogs, Content Management - Automation Tools - Business Tools ... Over 2 DOZEN Products with Resell Licenses to Start and Grow YOUR Business!

icophosting.net

Everything courtesy of, or suggested by, iCop Members! These are the tools we use! All FREE for YOU!

www.i-Cop.org/freebies.htm

Advertising is JUST GOOD BUSINESS! Publish your ad in the Online Business Trade Journal!

Ad prices are here -> Ad Rates

Just send me an email and I'll respond with easy parameters.

jlscott@i-Cop.org

Thank You For Reading!  Have a Terrific Week!

Online Business Trade Journal™ is published solely by dr. jl scott, Director of the International Council of Online Professionals (iCop) and may not reflect the opinion of all iCop members.

Material in the "Leaving You With a Smile" column may be copyrighted by unknown persons.

We accept no responsibility for your use of any contributed information contained herein. All of the information presented in the Online Business Trade Journal™ is published in good faith. Any comments stated in this newsletter are strictly the opinion of the writer or publisher.

We publish all advertising in good faith but offer no guarantees. Please do your own due diligence in ANY transaction.

We reserve the right to edit and make suitable for publication, if necessary, any articles published in this newsletter.

We reserve the right to publish all reader comments, including the name of the writer. Reported survey results will NOT use the names of the contributors.

Copyright © 2009 jl scott, ph.d., Director
International Council of Online Professionals (iCop™)
All rights reserved. No portion of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted without the express written consent of the publisher or contributors.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

To subscribe

Cancellation directions can be found at the bottom of your announcement email.