Complainterator

From Spamwiki

1 Description
- 1.1 Sample of the generated complaint
2 Instructions
- 2.1 Usage Tips
3 Feedback
4 Version History
5 Downloads
- 5.1 Documentation
- 5.2 Download the latest version 22.16 full program package
6 More

[edit] Description

Website: http://www.complainterator.com
Blog: http://weblog.complainterator.com
e-mail: info@complainterator.com

COMPLAINTERATOR V.22.16 Mozilla/Firefox/SeaMonkey, Minefield, Opera and Internet Explorer (28 November, 2009 release)

Why it exists
It was back in 2006. Whenever I received a spam, I followed a manual process to have the spammed site removed.

I looked up the registrar and name servers for the spammed domain using WHOIS
I looked up each name server via WHOIS to find the registrar
I emailed complaints to each registrar.

It was a tedious manual process. Therefore I wrote a tool for my own use to automate the process. I built up a contact list for every major registrar, taken from the ICANN registration list, and updated with feedback from the registrars themselves. You feed in the domain name, and it prepares the complaint, one per name server, ready for you to

verify it,
check the registrar addressees in the To: and cc: fields,
add evidence of criminal activity,
make any last minute changes, and finally
click to send.

This is what I tried to convince Spamcop to implement, and then Ironport, but their ears were closed. SpamCop successfully targets the Internet Services Provider (ISP) with complaints about the spam sender address, and optionally the hosted web site address for the spam. Complainterator goes one and two steps higher up the chain, and targets the registrars who sponsor the spammed sites by allowing them to exist, and the name servers that allow them to be accessed. This has proven to be a far more effective means of suspending spammed web sites.

Operating environment
Browser: Windows with Firefox, SeaMonkey, Minefield, Opera or Internet Explorer
Mailer: Outlook, Outlook Express, Thunderbird, Lotus Notes, Gmail, Opera Mail, Yahoo! and all other mailers.

Email function
The email works by putting a mailto:addressee into the browser's Navigation Toolbar. That invokes the system default email program.

It then sends the keystrokes for the complaint into the Subject line and the Text body, embedding the relevant variables, just as if you had typed them. If you are using an email program that is not in the list of supported ones, you can place these semi-automatically in each box by selecting an option at start-up. Not all email systems are the same, so choose the option that works best for you.

Fallback: If the text of the complaint is not loaded there is a way out. You can find it in the Complainterator folder, under the name of the domain server, as a txt file. Open it, press Ctrl-a and Ctrl-c to copy it, then paste it into the body of the email with Ctrl-v. (Or use File > Edit > Select All, and Copy / Paste etc). However, this is not usually necessary.

Complainterator comes with a control file with most of the common registrar addressees in it. If you are reporting to a new registrar, you will be prompted to add To: and cc: addressees for new registrars, and told where to find them. Once entered, it stores them for future use.

The ZIP file contains

executable complainterator program
registrar addressee control file
readme document
Word document with detailed information
Archive folder for holding copies of generated messages
Terms of Use statement
configuration file to remember your preferred selections

Format of the control file (complainterator.contacts.txt)
One line per entry

Part 1 - the "Registrar:" line copied from the "whois" screen and generalized
A separator, the character "~"
Part 2 - TO: and CC: entries. TO: is delimited from CC: by a single space.
- One or more TO: entries, comma separated, followed by
- zero or more CC: entries, comma separated.

This is a Notepad editable txt file. You can post updates to the support forum under "Add / Change registrar" as you find them.

[edit] Sample of the generated complaint

Below is a sample of what the generated complaint for a web site looks like once it has been sent to a registrar.

To: abuse@moniker.com
cc: legal@moniker.com
Subject: Removal request: okvcvuvynbr.info
        Moniker Online Services Inc. (R245-LRMS)
Dear Registrar

This is a request for you to remove the spamvertized illegal domain okvcvuvynbr.info

EVIDENCE

Your company is the registrar for the site

ACTION

Removal instructions for 'spammed domains' are in this link
> http://www.spamtrackers.eu/wiki/index.php?title=Registrar_Advice

Once removed with that method, this Complaint Generator tool will create no more requests on this domain.

Thank you for your efforts to reduce spam and to keep criminals from abusing your terms of service.

-----
This message was generated by the Complainterator - www.complainterator.com
Wrong address? Feed back updates to info@complainterator.com
-----

Other languages for this text:

French, Hungarian, Russian

[edit] Instructions

Download, unzip, launch from the Complainterator folder. The program has a frog icon in respectful memory of Blue Security.

Key in a spammed site, like medextreme.com, and follow the directions.

[edit] Usage Tips

Anonymity

If you are concerned that your email address is being exposed to the registrars, who in turn may forward your complaint to a spammer, you may consider running Complainterator in conjunction with a Gmail account, or from a separate temporary account in your email software.

You may also request a free anonymous reporting address by requesting one from email@spamtrackers.eu (mention the desired name and where you would like the reply forwarded).

Using the program

- Do not use other applications until the Complainterator finishes.
- You must have a Mozilla/Firefox, Explorer, Seamonkey or Opera window open already
- Start the mailer program in advance to ensure it is ready to receive the text
- "F8" will terminate
- "Pause" will toggle a pause on/off
- New registrars not on file - the program will prompt you for a TO: field and a CC: field. You can get these from the ICANN listing at
- http://www.icann.org/registrars/accreditation-qualified-list.html (bookmark it!)
- Ctrl-F to find the one you are looking for.

[edit] Feedback

Feed back comments to the InboxRevenge support forum
Download the latest version from the Spamtrackers download area

[edit] Version History

Version 22.0 Improved registrar contacts file, added link obfuscation for registrars who filter bad URLS
Version 22.2 fixes for .mobi and .eu
Version 22.3 cert.br in code and contacts file, -dot- obfuscate fixed
Version 22.4 Countries added .tk .dk .kg .ae .rs
Version 22.5 longer wait times to allow for slower DNSStuff performance
Version 22.6 changes to Registrar contacts and handling of tests for cc, and gmail tabs removed
Version 22.7 accommodate new version of WHO.IS, save/restore clipboard, better advice for China (removed spamtrackers.hk)
Version 22.8 fixed an error in advice to Chinese registrars link
Version 22.13 changed to match changes in DNSstuff
Version 22.14 fixed a bug
Version 22.15 fixed problems where occasionally a report was skipped, or an extra report was produced
Version 22.16 fixed problems with obfuscated domain names where registrars filter spammed domain names with URIBL blocking

URIBL Blocking

Some registrars have implemented blocking of emails containing domain names that have been blacklisted. That means that when Complainterator generates an email and the user sends it, the email bounces back as if it is spam. To overcome this misunderstanding, Versions after 22 implemented a means of "obfuscating" the domain name so that the message still gets through. Three of the most abused registrars are supported (Beijing Innovative, 35 Technology, Hichina and Globedom.com), but more will be added on request as they become identified.