SpamCop & SpamHaus block Verizon Email

Michael · Last edited by Michael on Tue Jun 14, 2005 10:16 am; edited 1 time in total

Interesting problem came up today, that may AFFECT anyone using NationalAccess or BroadbandAccess.

I have a client whom we host their web site and email.

They purchased an EVDO card for use on a PC Tablet. We configured Outlook to handle email, all is well.

The user tried sending emails and they were blocked at our email server. We use the following spam services to block email:

http://www.Spamcop.net
http://www.SpamHaus.org

Basically, when there is an incoming email, the IP Address of the incoming message is first looked up at the above services (there are also others that provide this service). If an IP Address is listed on these services, the message is considered spam and is not even accepted by the mail server, it is immediately bounced.

How do IP Addresses get on these lists? Someone sends out spam and the spam is reported to these services (or others). In the headers of the email, it is very easy to determine the originating IP Address and then the originating IP Address is added to the list. Any future email coming from this IP is blocked. For the most part, this works great.

However, if spammers are using Verizon BroadbandAccess or NationalAccess, they may be getting IPs blocked and it may be an IP that you get in the future.

This could be a big problem.

The IP Address that had a problem this morning was 66.174.76.201. This IP address resolves to njbrventuri1.myvzw.com. So, this problem may currently be related to Venturi, however, at some point it will not matter if the user is using Venturi or not. I send email from my laptop (NOT using Venturi) and going through the same email server, I have never had a problem.

If someone knows all the IP Address Ranges that Verizon uses, that could help, as administrators can enter these IP Addresses in their mailservers whitelist (IPs that are OK), and it will skip the IP Address check with the spam servers.

Just an FYI... This really isn't just a problem with Verizon. I have people that cannot send me email when at Starbucks, since their email servers are added to the spam lists as well. Which means, that spammers are using Starbucks too to send us all that junk mail.

After I get the IP Ranges from Verizon, I will post them here, so it may help some future administrator deal with incoming mail that originates from Verizon's EVDO network.
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kittyv · EVDO User Joined: 18 Mar 2005 Posts: 31

Hmmm... This may be essentially the same type of problem as the one I posted about in a separate topic. I can't send email at all from my Verizon EVDO account. I get this message (IP can change of course)

Message has not been sent server reply -- http:cbl.abuseat.org/lookup.cgi?IP=66.174.90.208

Michael · Posted: Tue Jun 14, 2005 9:17 am Post subject:

This is EXACTLY the same issue.
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kittyv · EVDO User Joined: 18 Mar 2005 Posts: 31

Any solutions? I filled out the form at the website referred to in my earlier message but that didn't help.

Michael · Posted: Tue Jun 14, 2005 10:12 am Post subject:

Spammers are going to use Verizon's BroadbandAccess to send out spam . The Verizon IP will get added to the spam services list, anyone in the future that gets this IP, could be blocked from sending email (this is what is happening).

I was looking at the solution of adding Verizon IPs to our mail server (your IT department may not want or be able to do this).

Here is a BETTER solution.

Call Verizon Wireless Data Support @ 866-788-9387

Ask for access to their outgoing SMTP mail server, you will need to know your 10 digit Verizon phone number for your PC Card. This process will take 6 - 12 hours to be added. Once you are added, you will change your mail client, to use Verizon's outgoing mail server (vs. the one you are using now).

This mail server uses authentication.

Your username will be xxx@vzwmail.net (xxx = your 10 digit phone number)

password = verizon (lowercase - this can be changed by you later)

The outgoing SMTP server is smtp.vzwmail.net

If you have a PC Card that supports SMS and you pay for the text messaging option, you do not have to call Verizon, you can activate authenticated email at:

http://www.VText.com

(there is still a 6-12 hour delay for your authenticated information to reach all the mail servers). Also, once you have your account, you can use VText.com to change your password.

BTW, if you PC card does not have SMS, but your Verizon phone does, you can use your Verizon Phone number to received the SMS temporary password.

The only way to know if the change has taken place, is to change your outgoing mail
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Michael · Posted: Tue Jun 14, 2005 10:37 am Post subject:

I have seen this problem with 4 different users. It appears that ONLY the Venturi servers are added to the spam black list. I have just confirmed that disabling Venturi, does solve the problem. This may not solve it in the future, but it does NOW.

A very QUICK fix, may be to disable Venturi (look in task bar, looks like a little tornado, click on it and click OFF). This only a temporary solution, and may not work in the future. It appears that spammers have only been using Venturi servers.<br><br>
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illiterate · EVDO User Joined: 30 Apr 2005 Posts: 97

further evidence that venturi is the devil.

kittyv · EVDO User Joined: 18 Mar 2005 Posts: 31

FWIW, disabling Venturi worked for me as well.

Michael · Posted: Wed Jun 15, 2005 11:32 am Post subject: