Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

jtara

macrumors 68020
Original poster
Mar 23, 2009
2,008
536
This morning, so far, I've received 15 copies of an email advertising what I presume are illegal, unlicensed software bundles.

I won't copy the email here, as it will surely trigger MacRumors' spam filter. The mail is sent from various nonsensical email addresses (example: @crossroadscommunitychurch.us) and promises unrelistic prices on products such as Adobe Create Suite 6 Master Collection, Final Cut Pro, etc.

The emails claim to come from "ProOEMSoftware Newsletter", but contain links to two different sites with different names.

I received this email on two separate throwaway addresses that I used to register at MacUpdate (one personal, one company). Because each of these two addresses has been used ONLY to register with MacUpdate, and I am receiving this email on BOTH of these addresses, I have to assume that somebody has gotten hold of MacUpdate's mailing list.

Since I use a throwaway email service (Spamex.com) for all of my signups, I've now disabled these two addresses.

For those unfamiliar, Spamex is a Disposible Email Address (or DEA) service. You can create a different email address for each website or mailing liist you sign-up for, so it enables you to track the source of unwanted spam, or block email when you no longer want to receive it.

One has to wonder, then, about the integrity of MacUpdate in general. And one will continue to wonder until/unless some statement is made by MacUpdate.

03/15/2013 11:29 -0500 Address disabled by user
03/15/2013 11:24 -0500 Received Message from GeOPpPVo@crossroadscommunitychurch.us
03/15/2013 11:03 -0500 Received Message from ZbIFDZhFR@rufflesandroses.com
03/15/2013 10:47 -0500 Received Message from agcrOVELc@achieversenrichment.us
03/15/2013 10:34 -0500 Received Message from LhfpgwjK@zone3.intas.net
03/15/2013 04:50 -0500 Received Message from tIzCGZDuSa@hangerheaven.com
03/08/2013 00:49 -0500 Received Message from no-reply@macupdate.com
03/06/2013 03:52 -0500 Received Message from no-reply@macupdate.com
03/04/2013 12:57 -0500 Received Message from no-reply@macupdate.com
01/09/2013 23:45 -0500 Received Message from no-reply@macupdate.com
01/02/2013 23:45 -0500 Received Message from no-reply@macupdate.com
12/24/2012 00:32 -0500 Received Message from no-reply@macupdate.com
 

SandboxGeneral

Moderator emeritus
Sep 8, 2010
26,482
10,051
Detroit
This morning, so far, I've received 15 copies of an email advertising what I presume are illegal, unlicensed software bundles.

I won't copy the email here, as it will surely trigger MacRumors' spam filter. The mail is sent from various nonsensical email addresses (example: @crossroadscommunitychurch.us) and promises unrelistic prices on products such as Adobe Create Suite 6 Master Collection, Final Cut Pro, etc.

The emails claim to come from "ProOEMSoftware Newsletter", but contain links to two different sites with different names.

I received this email on two separate throwaway addresses that I used to register at MacUpdate (one personal, one company). Because each of these two addresses has been used ONLY to register with MacUpdate, and I am receiving this email on BOTH of these addresses, I have to assume that somebody has gotten hold of MacUpdate's mailing list.

Since I use a throwaway email service (Spamex.com) for all of my signups, I've now disabled these two addresses.

For those unfamiliar, Spamex is a Disposible Email Address (or DEA) service. You can create a different email address for each website or mailing liist you sign-up for, so it enables you to track the source of unwanted spam, or block email when you no longer want to receive it.

One has to wonder, then, about the integrity of MacUpdate in general. And one will continue to wonder until/unless some statement is made by MacUpdate.

03/15/2013 11:29 -0500 Address disabled by user
03/15/2013 11:24 -0500 Received Message from GeOPpPVo@crossroadscommunitychurch.us
03/15/2013 11:03 -0500 Received Message from ZbIFDZhFR@rufflesandroses.com
03/15/2013 10:47 -0500 Received Message from agcrOVELc@achieversenrichment.us
03/15/2013 10:34 -0500 Received Message from LhfpgwjK@zone3.intas.net
03/15/2013 04:50 -0500 Received Message from tIzCGZDuSa@hangerheaven.com
03/08/2013 00:49 -0500 Received Message from no-reply@macupdate.com
03/06/2013 03:52 -0500 Received Message from no-reply@macupdate.com
03/04/2013 12:57 -0500 Received Message from no-reply@macupdate.com
01/09/2013 23:45 -0500 Received Message from no-reply@macupdate.com
01/02/2013 23:45 -0500 Received Message from no-reply@macupdate.com
12/24/2012 00:32 -0500 Received Message from no-reply@macupdate.com

Have you contacted and notified MacUpdate about this?
 

jtara

macrumors 68020
Original poster
Mar 23, 2009
2,008
536
I have contacted MacUpdate with no response so far. I contacted the emails listed for both support and Misha (COO). I'll update here if I get any response. (I was careful to send the email with my real email address, since I've disabled the emails associated with my MacUpdate accounts.)

I will not be using MacUpdate Desktop going forward, and have removed it from my computers.
 

jtara

macrumors 68020
Original poster
Mar 23, 2009
2,008
536
Still no response from MacUpdate.

Very disappointed that MacRumers would protect a major advertiser like this by burying this.

On a site where they aren't an advertiser, this would be news...
 

Mackilroy

macrumors 68040
Jun 29, 2006
3,906
539
How do you know MacRumors has buried this? Have you informed them of what's going on?
 

SandboxGeneral

Moderator emeritus
Sep 8, 2010
26,482
10,051
Detroit
Still no response from MacUpdate.

Very disappointed that MacRumers would protect a major advertiser like this by burying this.

On a site where they aren't an advertiser, this would be news...

What are you talking about? MacRumors has no affiliation with MacUpdate.
 

Old Muley

macrumors 6502a
Jan 6, 2009
761
188
Titletown USA
I just checked and I've received 3 email messages from MacUpdate in the past 48 hours. Two were the usual "Daily Software Newsletter" and one was notice that one of my apps has been updated. No sign (so far) of this spam message.
 

jtara

macrumors 68020
Original poster
Mar 23, 2009
2,008
536
Sorry, I thought this post was sandboxed. I saw the post from "sandboxgeneral" and then couldn't find the post in the forum I'd posted it in.

I realize Macrumors has no "affiliation" with MacUpdate, except that I believe MacUpdate is an advertiser.

OldManMac, do you mean a regular update, or a spam message?

I'm guessing the spams were sent only on the 15'th, based on below. Unfortunately, Spamex doesn't show the sender when it rejects messages, but I am assuming the one on the 21'st is a weekly update.

03/21/2013 01:16 -0500 Rejected Message (Disposable Email Address disabled or deleted)
03/15/2013 14:33 -0500 Rejected Message (Disposable Email Address disabled or deleted)
03/15/2013 14:30 -0500 Rejected Message (Disposable Email Address disabled or deleted)
03/15/2013 14:19 -0500 Rejected Message (Disposable Email Address disabled or deleted)
03/15/2013 14:03 -0500 Rejected Message (Disposable Email Address disabled or deleted)
03/15/2013 13:47 -0500 Rejected Message (Disposable Email Address disabled or deleted)
03/15/2013 13:44 -0500 Rejected Message (Disposable Email Address disabled or deleted)
03/15/2013 13:37 -0500 Rejected Message (Disposable Email Address disabled or deleted)
03/15/2013 13:29 -0500 Rejected Message (Disposable Email Address disabled or deleted)
03/15/2013 13:19 -0500 Rejected Message (Disposable Email Address disabled or deleted)
03/15/2013 11:29 -0500 Address disabled by user
 
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.