Just a heads up. Based on our experiences with marketing automation, we would like to share this important information.
Whenever you place forms on your website to capture personal data of unknown people (contact forms etc) - NEVER auto respond via automation with data from the form. Its an old method spammers use to distribute spam mails via 3rd party forms to a wide audience. At your cost and your reputation.
How does it work?
- Spammer tests your form, if it auto responds with data from the form.
- Spammer send loads of submissions with the wrong e-mail address - the e-mail of the spam victim - and a spam message.
- Your auto response automation delivers the message to the spam victim, with your sender address and the spam message.
No matter which fields you use for responding - your response should not be personalised until you know that contact later in the process.