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I've started to notice something strange (and its not just that funny smell coming from the Mod board). It seems that certain very lucky people seem to be on the recieving end of a whole lotta spam. I've never recieved a single piece of spam on my most recent account, and have recieved maybe one or two pieces _ever_.
So I'm wondering; What the heck are these people doing that they get on so many mass mailing lists? What makes some people huge repeat targets, and others totally immune?
If you use a common email address like hotmail then you'll get plenty of random spam, also if your account has been around for a long time and you use it for anything other than direct communication with close friends. Even then you'll get spam, but not huge amounts of it. I use my email for anything I need to register for online because it's signed up under a false name and isn't my main account. This works out nicely, I just empty my hotmail account every now and then and I can avoid spam on my personal account. :D
-Prelude
... and using your email address in news group posts is a sure way to get collared too, imo.
It is strange though, I have 2 hotmail accounts, but I've decided to give up on one, as I was getting 30+ spams a day on it, none of which I'd actually asked for. Oh well.... it's free anyway, so I guess it's no big deal, just a bit inconvenient. :mad:
Some time ago, I came up with a very nice solution to the spam problem.
Register an email account that gives you an unlimited number of addresses.
[email protected]
http://www.cjb.net offers this service for free.
Then, each time you give out your address or sign up somewhere, give out a new address. If some company leaks the address, it's easy to block that particular address.
It make sorting email much easier, too.
Every post from this forum goes to [email protected]
It's very funny to see which institutions that leaks the most (usenet and icq are at the top for me).
>>If you use a common email address like hotmail
Yes, but thats what I dont understand. I've got friends that use local ISPs which provide e-mail services, who still get large quantities of spam. IslandNet being the server in mind. And yet, my brother has a hotmail account and has never recieved spam.
>>and using your email address in news group posts
Which is something that I do. I sign up for all kinds of things with my only active account (unless its obviously some really Bull site, which I have a dummy account for). And yet, no spam for me.
Thats why I'm confused. ---> :confused: <--- (see? confused.)
It almost seems random. Luck of the draw I guess. :)
i rarely get spam, i have two accounts. i just watch out where i just my email address, and if i see fine print saying they'll send me ads, i wont put my personal email down there
if i do get any spam, ill just find the unsubscribe address. works pretty well.
If you put your email address on a public website, a spambot can detect it, and add it to its list...
it happened to me.
I have a couple of online email accounts.
One with a short name gets so much spam it fills up over the weekend.
The other with a 10 + char name has never got a spam.
I think it also depends on the registration details you give when you sign up for an email account. Say for example, if you gave your nationality as Indian when you registered, you tend to get more spam from India, and so on .... If you can avoid this, I think a lot of spam can be avoided.
>>And yet, my brother has a hotmail account and has never recieved spam.
I wonder how ANYBODY maneges to stay away from spam in their Hotmail aco......... Seriously didn't think it was possible :)
I've given up on my email account from Hotmial, only use it for the messenger now and signing up for something that will likely lead to spam. My yahoo one doesn't get any spam, except for the random one every 2-3 weeks or so.
Q: Is it a good idea to unsubscobe fromt eh mailing lists, or as someone suggested, that only tells the senders you're alive and reading their email?
I have two hotmail accounts that I use for UseNet etc. One gets 10-20 spams a week, the other, none. The one that gets the spam is a relatively short name, the other a long name. I guess there are scripters out there that send all combinations of characters to hotmail, like, a@hotmail, b@hotmail etc, but the stop bothering after say 8 characters. The content of the message title is also dynamica, i.e. I get, (account name disguised to prevent spam)...
To: [email protected]
Subject: Account due for closure (Account abcd)
... and so forth. Of course, the mail content is always the same, fake degrees/diplomas, instant cash schemes, porn sites, wonder cures for all ailments...
The bigger question really is who actually bothers looking at any of these sites/products. Surely people aren't that gullible, or if they are, where can I get a list of their addresses?
My hotmail account is fine, rareley get spam.My main account though is another story.:mad:
>>The other with a 10 + char name has never got a spam.
>>The one that gets the spam is a relatively short name
Hmm, I think you're both on to something there. I think I'll do some polling of friends to see who gets bad spam and what length their user name is. lightatdawn is 11 characters and my brothers spam-free hotmail account is 11 also... I suppose special characters and numbers would help as well. Hmm... Makes sense.
My frequently spammed hotmail account is 9 characters (plus @hotmail.com).
Mine too, and I get spam everyday!Quote:
Originally posted by Hammer
My frequently spammed hotmail account is 9 characters
cproggie oughta offer free POP3 email for anyone with 1000+ posts! :D
Some recently revieved mail:
And I signed up for taht account w/ a fake name and everything.Quote:
from: K.S. Savimbi
This letter may come to you as a surprise due to the
fact that we have not yet met. The message could be
strange but real if you pay some attention to it. I
could have notified you about it at least for the sake
of your integrity. Please accept my sincere apologies.
In bringing this message of goodwill to you, I have to
say that I have no intentions of causing you any
pains.
I am Mr. K.S.Savimbi, son of the late rebel leader
Jonas Savimbi of Angola who was killed on the 22nd of
Febuary 2002 . I managed to get your contact details
through the internet myself Time is of the importance
and I was desperately looking for a person to assist
me in this confidential business.
My late father, Jonas Savimbi was able to deposit a
large sum of money in different banks in Europe My
father is presently dead, and the movement of his
family members (including me) is restricted. We are
forbidden to either travel abroad or out of our
localities. Presently our movement are monitored.
Right now there is a rush for all my Father's wealth
but home and Abroad by the Government who are claiming that
most of the wealth was got by Arms smuggling and therefore
illegal and by my father,s extended family and relations.
You can know more about my father by checking his profile at
URL below: WWW.kwacha.com/edoc2.htm
His wealth has been estimated to be $500 million to over
$1 billion and being close to my father I happen to be in
possesion of documents and information of some of the wealth.
Approx. $250 million and only my trusted mother knows that
I have this information.
Presently, the US$30,000,000.00 (Thirty Million usd
Dollars) cash my father transfered to Europe before his
death is deposited with some security firms in Europe and Africa.
Before you can get access to it I have to give you the
password I am therefore soliciting your help to travel
to Europe to recieve this money and transfer
into your account before my government get wind of
this fund .You know my father was a rebel leader in
Angola before his death My reason for doing this is
because it will be difficult for the Angolan government
to trace my father's money to an individual's account,
especially when such an individual has no relationship ,
I decided to keep that money for my family use.
At present the money is kept in a Security Company in
Amsterdam,Netherland.
I am currently and temporarily living in Lome,Togo.
with my family for my refugee status.I intend to
communication with you as regards this transaction
on a satelite phone to avoid intervention by anybody.
Moreover, the political climate in Lome,Togo. at the
moment being so sensitive and unstable.With this
password and information and I will send you a
power of attorney to the security firm, When you
are ready I will give you the information needed
before you can get access to the fund you will then
proceed to Amsterdam,Netherland, where the US$30,000,000.00
will be given to you as payment.
PLEASE YOUR CONFIDENTIALITY IN THIS
TRANSACTION IS HIGHLY REQUIRED.
Yours sincerely,
K.S. Savimbi.
Ah, the African scam. I haven't seen it with that name before. The original was from Nigeria and incredibly, some people were duped into playing along!
What do you mean were? 419 scams from africa, (Nigeria usually) are still estimated to bring in over $10 Million a year. It is by some reports the fifth largest industry in the nation. There is even a special division of the FBI and Secret Service assigned to investigate them.
>Q: Is it a good idea to unsubscobe fromt eh mailing lists, or as someone suggested, that only tells the senders you're alive and reading their email?
It's generally a bad idea to respond to spam by sending them an unsubcribe email. They are sending you spam, they know that you haven't asked for it, and they don't care if you don't want it. Sending them an unsubscribe message simply confirms that you are receiving and you will go straight to the top of the Spam list.
Some b@st@rd sends me the same spam message every day, usually twice. I visited the site to find an email address or any contact information. There were none. A WhoIs query simply revealed someone in China, but again no identifiable information.
If you put your address on a website, it may be worth considering somesort of armouring of the address, i.e
me(at)somewhere(dot)com
This would ruin the chances of all SpamBots, while allowing people to decode your address if they want to. Certainly don't include mailto: in your http code, as this is easily parsable.