Just think you should know about issues....

PsysimUK

New Member
Hello 'freesteam.org'

I will start by saying I am happy with the service you provide and find it useful. I have returned to steam after many years without.

I think its important for people to know about the service there users are recieving, which is my reason for this thread. I will make it clear now that I am not complaining about freesteam. I think freesteam needs to be aware of the issues I had just trying to register.

When registering for freesteam I found myself blocked by 'stopforumspam.org' and that my fixed IP and email address had been entered into there database. Firstly I would like to make it clear that I am not a forum or email spammer, I paid for a fixed IP address which I know is not used for unsolicited spam.

So I persisted in my attempts to join this community by contacting 'stopforumspam' with an appeal, which is something the services does not support (as addressed in the appeal) in any way...
(ip address removed for my own security)

" On 08/12/2011 21:39, Simon P******* wrote:
I have made it into your database as a spammer of forums. I have never spammed forums. I am from the uk, my IP 81.*.*.*, but find someone with a polish IP (according to your database) has been falsely using my email address. This is a flaw in your system if it can be abused in such a way. You are saying don't ask for removal? What if your system is at fault? I would like my address removed, but more to the point, you need to be aware of this issue. I am now blocked from services as an innocent person. Please fix this issue.

Kind regards, Simon."

The reply I got was....

" Stop using Opera and you will stop appearing from Poland. You contacted us from a Polish IP. "

At this point I installed FireFox, as it would seem this anti-spam service does not support Opera. At this point it seems my requests had been ignored as I was still on there anti-spam database. Again I send them an email, I am confused at this huge oversight...

"On 09/12/2011 10:33, Psysim wrote:

Really? You are honestly confirming its because I am using opera? Well again, thats a shortfall on your behalf if opera is not compatable with your service. So now you are telling me that because your system considers polish and opera users as spammers that I must use alterantive software to use other peoples services? I think I should make services aware of how you are hindering there communities with a lack of flexability. Seriously, this is YOUR shortfalling, I think freesteam, along with many other companies need to find another form of spam protection. So, what about my email address that is still spammed? I installed firefox for you, now meet me half way and release my email address..."

I got a reply and it was clear my previous communications had not been read, they replyed with this after I had informed them that the browser was no issue.

" Opera has a mode called Turbo, which sends all your requests to the Opera corporation, who process it, crunch it down and send it back. They do this from Poland and Norway.

At the end of the day, we don't care what browser anyone uses, we just see spam spewing onto our boards from anonymous proxy servers such as the one that Opera provides.

We help block at least 3 million spam posts a day and you say that we are the problem? Dude, get a grip on reality there.... we provide last seen, counts and all sorts of data. How freesteam use it is THEIR decision, not mine and certainly not yours. If you don't like it, then don't use the service that they provide to people for free."

At this stage I got the 'whois' information and tried to call them, they abruptly hung up without wishing to discuss the issue. I then sent a final email, this time a little ruder and more forceful....

"Go back and read the email before telling me to get a grip. I HAVE INSTALLED FIREFOX TO SATISFY YOUR BROWSER REQUIREMENTS.....

I am asking for my EMAIL and IP to be removed as they are wrongfully in your database. One question, how many times do I have to repeat myself...

AGAIN, PLEASE REMOVE.... [email protected] & 81.*.*.*

You added my ip address to your database this morning after I moved from opera, so turning off turbo is a bit usless now. I have never used your boards, god I tried to sign up to complain but your thugish database won't allow such things. You have blocked 3 million people but I highly doubt they were all spammers....

So what your saying is its my problem but your fault, I am sure people using your service would love to hear that! "

Finally I get some satisfaction.... " Ive had enough, dont email me again, i will just bin your emails. " and my details get removed....

This isn't a complaint about freesteam, more an opertunity to inform them of how potential community members are abused by a system that's filled with faults and badly administered. I am sure he did have enough of my emails, but I also had enough of him not actually reading them.

Anywho, thanks for freesteam, I hope this can help you improve the service in the future.
 
Thanks for telling me about this, the reason you did get flagged to start with is because Opera does send data through a proxy, which of course can be shared by thousands, with turbo mode on, but it also sends your original IP address in the header of the requests the site gets, which is how I'll assume you got your own IP on their blacklist as well.

But seeing their response or lack of I'll just use another service now.
 
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