Topics Map > Communication and Collaboration

Campus Mailing Lists, Unsubscribed from List

I am getting email(s) saying that I unsubscribed from a listserv, but I didn't unsubscribe. What's happening?

Example Email Subject and Body:

Subject: Unsubscribed from SympaListName

Body: Your email address (NetID@illinois.edu) has been removed from list SympaListName@lists.UnitName.illinois.edu

The Issue:

The likely cause is an email with an auto unsubscribe link was forwarded to someone not on the list and they clicked the auto unsubscribe link which is linked to the original Recipient.
The ‘auto’ unsubscribe link in a footer is dangerous for two reasons:

  1. It contains a one-time password that ‘anyone’ can click and affect change. 
  2. If the email is forwarded and the URL is checked by a filter, then that can trigger an action.

The Solution:

List owners it’s best to use the manual unsubscribe link in a footer as described here. This approach requires the user to log in and click the unsubscribe button for the list.

For example:

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

This message was sent through the [% listname %] mailing list

Post to list: [% listname %]@[% robot %]

Manage your settings or unsubscribe: [% wwsympa_url %]/info/[% listname %]

---------------------------------------------------------------------------



Keywords:
Campus Mailing Lists, Unsubscribe, subscribe, sympa, lists 
Doc ID:
114854
Owned by:
Sympa S. in University of Illinois Technology Services
Created:
2021-11-15
Updated:
2024-09-09
Sites:
University of Illinois Technology Services