I smell a spammer, what should i do?

[kattouf]

Somone signed up two days ago, credit card details got verified it seems to be a woman. No domain was added to the account just using a stopgap.

I went in to check the account today and saw a php email script, an email list with just one email, and a paypal scam message file.

I will warn the host of the paypal look alike site, but what shall i do about this customer? he/she has not done anything yet, and has no email account registered (since no domain) can they still mail using php??. Should i just wait and see?

[Dean]

Yes, they can send mail without an email account using PHP.

Please, what is this account so we can check it out? We have been having a ton of trouble trying to track down this paypal scammer.

[kattouf]

I will call the owner of the credit card later today, it is only 5 am in California, to confirm whether they are aware of the purchase (i doubt it, in which case i close the account). Then will let you know

So far they did nothing, other than be in a different state then the cardholder, which is quite normal, and supply two different emails and telephone numbers.

I will pm you the account number but please don't contact them unless they do something, or you know who it is etc... i don't want them to think we violated our privacy policy..

[Curt]

If you're looking for a reason to pull the account quick, keep in mind that this person has probably committed copyright infringement on that web page, which is easily enough to toss them.

[Curt]

By the way, considering Vortech has access to all of our client information anyway, shouldn't we all be including something in our privacy policies about this? I never thought about it before, but it makes sense that they probably access our clients' data occasionally, even if just incidentally in the course of running their network.

[kattouf]

Originally Posted by Curt

If you're looking for a reason to pull the account quick, keep in mind that this person has probably committed copyright infringement on that web page, which is easily enough to toss them.

No the user in question did not host a paypal scam site here, it was with a chinese host, he did nothing wrong really, other that have a mailer script, emty list, and a scam email ready to go. So i really didn't want to suspend him unless he actually did something against the TOS. Also IP and credit card state didn't match.

Anyway the admins closed the account...

[mresell]

Waiting til they do something is going to get you in trouble tho. If they had paypal ready to go that is grounds enough. I reserve the right to close something if I see a possibility of an enfringement. What reason could you possible have to have an outgoing paypal scam email?
Also, you can always state that you may share pertinent information with other companies for processing or reasons pertaining to providing service only where required. Something to that effect. Frankly, most of that info is public info anyway. And people know you have to give info just to process a cc.