Anyone else had a huge increase of spam emails (Gmail) yesterday?

[V_R]

So I usually don't get much spam at all, a couple a day at the most, but yesterday its been more like 50, all from very random (just a string of random letters and numbers) but different addresses all very similar in subject line, style and content - 'Claim your prize', 'Russian girls in your area', 'sex offenders in your area' etc. Nothing like the stuff I usually get which is just the usual bank/inheritance etc. rubbish.

I've not signed up to anything recently and am very cautious with who I give my email too.

Anyone else??

So far I've not had anything today, so I'm hoping it was Goggles spam filter or some randomness like that!

 

[Ian]

I've not noticed an increase, but I get so much anyway already! What I have noticed in recent months is that spammers seem to be able to get around filters more easily (and the number of false positives has increased dramatically).

Do you use aliases in your gmail e-mail address? They're a pretty clever way of seeing where your e-mail address could be scraped/leaked/guessed:

https://gmail.googleblog.com/2008/03/2-hidden-ways-to-get-more-from-your.html

I guess you already know about it, but it may be useful for someone else .

 

[V_R]

I didn't know that, its genius! Will be using that for sure. Nice one Ian!

 

[Becky]

No influx of spam for me either... You're clearly just special!

 

[V_R]

I don't want to be special......

 

[bootneck02]

Since I moved to Linux I get very little or any spam.

 

[muckshifter]

nope, no spam, at all.

 

[Taffycat]

No excessive spam here either, but I like the tips in @Ian's link. They're really useful (and simple!) Thank you!

Not to wander too far from @V_R's main question (and not thinking this happened to you) but one thing I have increasingly noticed, is the way that some high street retail stores will now ask for an email address (and often your home postal code too - "Just for our records!") Why so much info for a simple, cash transaction? Yeah... rhetorical question. I daresay they get lots of nice cash for selling-on those details. And yeah, having been cought-out once, I will, in future, either give a dummy email address, or profess not to have one.

 

[V_R]

I just reply with no (at) spam.com or something similar depending on my level of sarcasm at the time. They either don't notice or they get the message.

 

[Urmas]

Anyone else??

Not me.

 

[V_R]

Since I moved to Linux I get very little or any spam.

Lol, WTF has Linux got to do with how much spam email you get then?



Anyway, been far less today - 3 so far, so I'm hoping it was some kind of glitch in the matrix or something.

90% of them are coming from address like this: @1m0cr9q0qdr5f.pmd.best2topics (dot) com

Just seems odd to go from very little to ****loads in a matter of hours....

https://haveibeenpwned.com/ - This address is on there twice, but from old breaches and I knew it was and both times the data was encrypted apparently hmmmmz......

 

[V_R]

Sitrep: Its nearly 5pm and I've had very few spam messages, maybe about 5. Looks like its almost back to normal.

Hopefully that was it. Would love to know the reason for it.......

 

[bootneck02]

May be the main reason is I do not use Gmail I use Thunderbird.

 

[V_R]

Gmail and Thunderbird are two different things. One is a provider and the other is merely a client.

Actually nevermind I cba.

 

[V_R]

Got another today, but it said this at the bottom along with the other unsubscribe stuff.....

This email was sent to (e-mail address removed)

Obviously that isn't my address. Anyone know what that's about?

 

[floppybootstomp]

Spam doesn't differentiate between mail programs or operating systems, makes no difference so I guess you're just lucky bootneck02.

To add to this thread, no, I've had no increase in spam and I get very little anyway. The bulk of mine come from America and most want to sell me holidays or car parts, which although irritating is not as offensive as being offered sex aids, a ****buddy, Viagra or a Russian bride, all of which I've received in the past.