Spoofing emails

[Rocky]

Hello. Every now and then I get spam from someone using my email address as
a return address! How common is this? And aside from going through the
headers and finding out the domain, what can be done to stop it? I end up
blacklisting these messages, and then realize they were using my address
once I get a message back saying the account no long exists.

Thanks

 

[R. C. White]

Hi, Rocky.

Unfortunately, it's all too common. :>(

About the best we can do for now is use the best firewall/antivirus/antispam
programs we can find. I use Norton Internet Security, but it's not perfect.
Some of my best friends wind up with the [Norton AntiSpam] label in the
front of the Subject line.

I basically handle online spam the same way I do junk mail the postman
brings. At least, he seldom brings me mail from myself!

RC

 

[Rocky]

Thanks! I figured that was the case. Just upsets me that others may think
that garbage is coming from me. Receiving spam is one thing, but when they
use you to disguise themselves, that's a low blow.

Thanks again for your help.

Hi, Rocky.

Unfortunately, it's all too common. :>(

About the best we can do for now is use the best firewall/antivirus/antispam
programs we can find. I use Norton Internet Security, but it's not perfect.
Some of my best friends wind up with the [Norton AntiSpam] label in the
front of the Subject line.

I basically handle online spam the same way I do junk mail the postman
brings. At least, he seldom brings me mail from myself!

RC
--
R. C. White, CPA
San Marcos, TX
(e-mail address removed)
Microsoft Windows MVP

Hello. Every now and then I get spam from someone using my email address as
a return address! How common is this? And aside from going through the
headers and finding out the domain, what can be done to stop it? I end up
blacklisting these messages, and then realize they were using my address
once I get a message back saying the account no long exists.

Thanks

 

[Jim Macklin]

There is a lot of spoofed and outright criminal email. I
got something the other day from yahoo-service that wanted
my bank account and credit card info. Something about them
not being able to renew my account using my credit card.
Luckily I don't have a paid account with Yahoo, don't have a
credit card and so it was easy for me to know it was a scam
to steal identity and or money.

I sent a copy to Yahoo abuse.


| Thanks! I figured that was the case. Just upsets me that
others may think
| that garbage is coming from me. Receiving spam is one
thing, but when they
| use you to disguise themselves, that's a low blow.
|
| Thanks again for your help.
|
| | > Hi, Rocky.
| >
| > Unfortunately, it's all too common. :>(
| >
| > About the best we can do for now is use the best
| firewall/antivirus/antispam
| > programs we can find. I use Norton Internet Security,
but it's not
| perfect.
| > Some of my best friends wind up with the [Norton
AntiSpam] label in the
| > front of the Subject line.
| >
| > I basically handle online spam the same way I do junk
mail the postman
| > brings. At least, he seldom brings me mail from myself!
| >
| > RC
| > --
| > R. C. White, CPA
| > San Marcos, TX
| > (e-mail address removed)
| > Microsoft Windows MVP
| >
| > | > > Hello. Every now and then I get spam from someone
using my email address
| > as
| > > a return address! How common is this? And aside from
going through the
| > > headers and finding out the domain, what can be done
to stop it? I end
| up
| > > blacklisting these messages, and then realize they
were using my address
| > > once I get a message back saying the account no long
exists.
| > >
| > > Thanks
| >
| >
| >
|
|

 

[Greg Kamer]

I got something similar from ebay... The page sure looked "official"
however, they were asking for a ton of information, just to update my
account.

Sent it on to ebays fraud department. You really gotta be careful
nowadays...

 

[Jim Macklin]

What is the URL/email address for eBay's fraud department,
they don't seem to want it easy to find?


| I got something similar from ebay... The page sure looked
"official"
| however, they were asking for a ton of information, just
to update my
| account.
|
| Sent it on to ebays fraud department. You really gotta be
careful
| nowadays...
|
|
in message
| | > There is a lot of spoofed and outright criminal email.
I
| > got something the other day from yahoo-service that
wanted
| > my bank account and credit card info. Something about
them
| > not being able to renew my account using my credit card.
| > Luckily I don't have a paid account with Yahoo, don't
have a
| > credit card and so it was easy for me to know it was a
scam
| > to steal identity and or money.
| >
| > I sent a copy to Yahoo abuse.
| >
| >
| > | > | Thanks! I figured that was the case. Just upsets me
that
| > others may think
| > | that garbage is coming from me. Receiving spam is one
| > thing, but when they
| > | use you to disguise themselves, that's a low blow.
| > |
| > | Thanks again for your help.
| > |
| > | | > | > Hi, Rocky.
| > | >
| > | > Unfortunately, it's all too common. :>(
| > | >
| > | > About the best we can do for now is use the best
| > | firewall/antivirus/antispam
| > | > programs we can find. I use Norton Internet
Security,
| > but it's not
| > | perfect.
| > | > Some of my best friends wind up with the [Norton
| > AntiSpam] label in the
| > | > front of the Subject line.
| > | >
| > | > I basically handle online spam the same way I do
junk
| > mail the postman
| > | > brings. At least, he seldom brings me mail from
myself!
| > | >
| > | > RC
| > | > --
| > | > R. C. White, CPA
| > | > San Marcos, TX
| > | > (e-mail address removed)
| > | > Microsoft Windows MVP
| > | >
| > | >
| > | > > Hello. Every now and then I get spam from someone
| > using my email address
| > | > as
| > | > > a return address! How common is this? And aside
from
| > going through the
| > | > > headers and finding out the domain, what can be
done
| > to stop it? I end
| > | up
| > | > > blacklisting these messages, and then realize they
| > were using my address
| > | > > once I get a message back saying the account no
long
| > exists.
| > | > >
| > | > > Thanks
| > | >
| > | >
| > | >
| > |
| > |
| >
| >
|
|

 

[Box134]

I got the same thing in a phony PayPal e-mail which directed me to a
genuine-looking PayPal site. What made me suspicious was I've never used
PayPal!

 

[R. C. White]

Hi, Rocky.

Amen!

So, how do you suppose Microsoft feels about all those Swen-virus-carrying
messages "from" MS that we see here and in our email dozens of times a day?
And they look SO genuine! :>(

RC
--
R. C. White, CPA
San Marcos, TX
(e-mail address removed)
Microsoft Windows MVP

Thanks! I figured that was the case. Just upsets me that others may think
that garbage is coming from me. Receiving spam is one thing, but when they
use you to disguise themselves, that's a low blow.

Thanks again for your help.

Hi, Rocky.

Unfortunately, it's all too common. :>(

About the best we can do for now is use the best firewall/antivirus/antispam
programs we can find. I use Norton Internet Security, but it's not perfect.
Some of my best friends wind up with the [Norton AntiSpam] label in the
front of the Subject line.

I basically handle online spam the same way I do junk mail the postman
brings. At least, he seldom brings me mail from myself!

RC

Hello. Every now and then I get spam from someone using my email

address
as

a return address! How common is this? And aside from going through the
headers and finding out the domain, what can be done to stop it? I

end

up

 

[Alex Nichol]

Thanks! I figured that was the case. Just upsets me that others may think
that garbage is coming from me. Receiving spam is one thing, but when they
use you to disguise themselves, that's a low blow.

What happens is that some machine that happens to have you in its
address book has got infected with the Klez virus or one of its
successors, which sends itself to all the addresses in the book,
pretending to come from one it has selected at random - in this case
you. Unless you are in a position to send a warning of possible
infection to every person who *might* have you in the book, there is
nothing useful you can do. A possible text to send to anyone who
accuses you of distributing a virus is:

"You seem to be unaware that the SoBig virus and others send themselves
out to an address from the infected address book (in this case you) , at
the same time setting the apparent source as a different random
selection (in this case me)

So the one thing you can certainly say about any message containing it,
is that it does *not* come from the place it appears to. It is from an
infected machine that has both of us in the address book - and that will
be impossible to identify.

So please don't bother apparent senders by sending them messages of
complaint. They quite likely are not infected"

 

[Rocky]

Thanks

What happens is that some machine that happens to have you in its
address book has got infected with the Klez virus or one of its
successors, which sends itself to all the addresses in the book,
pretending to come from one it has selected at random - in this case
you. Unless you are in a position to send a warning of possible
infection to every person who *might* have you in the book, there is
nothing useful you can do. A possible text to send to anyone who
accuses you of distributing a virus is:

"You seem to be unaware that the SoBig virus and others send themselves
out to an address from the infected address book (in this case you) , at
the same time setting the apparent source as a different random
selection (in this case me)

So the one thing you can certainly say about any message containing it,
is that it does *not* come from the place it appears to. It is from an
infected machine that has both of us in the address book - and that will
be impossible to identify.

So please don't bother apparent senders by sending them messages of
complaint. They quite likely are not infected"