From: Eric Murray <ericm@lne.com>
Date: Wed, 9 Oct 1996 08:38:20 +0800
To: gtoal@vt.com (Graham Toal)
Subject: Re: Anonymous E-mail
In-Reply-To: <199610081737.MAA00313@admin.vt.com>
Message-ID: <199610081926.MAA00989@slack.lne.com>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain


Graham Toal writes:
> 
> Do not email this site again. 

Graham, why would cypherpunks care about yet another net-scam?

>  I think the cypherpunks will have a good laugh at this one.

Oh.

> > From isp@PINmail.com Tue Oct  8 06:29:37 1996
> > From: isp@PINmail.com
> > To: Internet Service Provider <isp@PINmail.com>
> > Date: Tue, 8 Oct 1996 16:43:35 +0000
> > Subject: Anonymous E-mail
> >
> > Dear Internet Service Provider,
> >
> > Sorry for bothering you, but we would like to introduce a new Internet
> > service which may be of interest.
> >
> > PINmail utilizes our proprietary software to make it easy for users to
> > send anonymous e-mail and newsgroup postings through the World Wide
> > Web.  
> >
> > Private and confidential.  Easy to use.  Low annual cost.  No software
> > installation and upgrade headaches for your subscribers.  And no
> > customer service nightmares for you.
> >
> > Please take a look at http://www.PINmail.com/
> >
> > We are now seeking to establish mutually beneficial business 
> > relationships with aggressive Internet Service Providers (ISPs) 
> > to develop distribution channels for PINmail.
> >
> > Our Distributor Program offers you an opportunity to provide your
> > subscribers with an exciting value-added service, and create a
> > potentially lucrative revenue stream for yourself.
> >
> > For each new PINmail client with your domain name in his/her e-mail
> > address, we will pay you $5 (US currency).
> >
> > You have the option to retain the $5 for yourself, or rebate it
> > partially or entirely to your customer(s).
> >
> > ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS SIGN-UP AS A PINmail DISTRIBUTOR.  THEN
> > EVERYONE WITH YOUR DOMAIN NAME IN THEIR E-MAIL ADDRESS 
> > WHO REGISTERS WITH PINmail WILL EARN YOU $5!!!  
> >
> > EVERY SINGLE ONE, NO MATTER THE SOURCE!!!



Heh.  Ok, now I'm laughing-

someone with slightly less scruples than I, and a little more time, and
their own domain name & server, might consider writing a small
program to create a few thousand accounts.  Then sign them up with PINmail.
Every email address that's registered to PINmail gets you $5, right?



BTW, I think Graham's point is that they're probably neither really
secure nor really anonymous.  I don't know; I haven't checked them
out.  I do think it's interesting that they seem to think that there's
money to be made this way.  Even if their system is trivial to crack
they'll help make anonymity more noticeable to the general (net) public.
If they are easy to crack, some CP will do it and post the crack
with pointers to really secure anonymous services.

-- 
Eric Murray  ericm@lne.com  ericm@motorcycle.com  http://www.lne.com/ericm
PGP keyid:E03F65E5 fingerprint:50 B0 A2 4C 7D 86 FC 03  92 E8 AC E6 7E 27 29 AF