There should be a button in mail programs (Yahoo Mail specifically) that can be used to flag a Phishing scam. From then on identical mails can be filtered out of everyone else's inboxes. I know there is a 'spam' button, but I'm not convinced it actually does anything.
-- simonj, Oct 23 2010

You wouldn't want to filter identical spam from everybody's mailboxes, too? I realize that Phishing is more urgent because the damage is greater, but other than that---?
-- jutta, Oct 23 2010


If you like, but it was phishing that concerned me more
-- simonj, Oct 23 2010


Gmail has had this for years (it may be a pulldown under "other actions" right now)
-- cowtamer, Oct 23 2010


It's an evolving problem. The dangerous (virulent) scams are the ones that you do not identify as scams. Further if you "trusted" your filter then any scams that got past it would be extra dangerous. Vulnerable types (noobs) would be defenseless if they were reliant on such a system.

You could describe many social networking websites as low grade phishing schemes. Robbery is simply a matter of scale.
-- WcW, Oct 26 2010


//I know the[re] is a 'spam' button, but I'm not convinced it actually does anything.//

And yet you simply propose a "Mark as Phish *button*", rather than the software by which it would cause an effect. :)
-- lurch, Oct 26 2010


well lurch the software behind it was a given
-- simonj, Oct 27 2010


I guess I wouldn't want you to filter my mail for me. Also I really get a chuckle from reading my junk e-mail sometimes.
-- WcW, Oct 28 2010


[+]
-- FlyingToaster, Oct 30 2010


[jutta]//You wouldn't want to filter identical spam from everybody's mailboxes, too?// Here is a reason for having a button for phishing, as distinct from spam: Clicking the button could forward the email to an online database, for the convenience of hobbyists who enjoy baiting online scammers.

It could develop into a competitive sport, with prizes awarded for longest duration, or largest number of emails before the victim caught on, and special prizes for embarrassing photographs.
-- mouseposture, Oct 30 2010



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