If you're posting to a public forum that's archived on the web, or include
an email address in a web page, the bots will collect it. The only
suspicious thing in Michael's case is that it went so quickly. Normally, the
collectors sell their address collection to the spammers, which takes a
while.
One method I've seen was changing the address slightly, so that any human
would instantly recognize what's meant, but bots will not. For example
name at isp.com
or
[log in to unmask]
The financial value of an individual email address to spammers is so small
that looking at each of them would be too cumbersome. I hope..
Herbert
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Ian Chivers [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
> Sent: 24 September 2003 18:44
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: Fortran Resources (September)/spam problem
>
> there are other possibilities.
>
> I have four email accounts. one is
>
> [log in to unmask] and [log in to unmask]
>
> these are/were the list owner account. needless to say i get lots of
> spam on these accounts.
>
> the second is via a dial up internet provider. in my case ntl.
> i use this account when working privately. this also
> gets loads of spam.
>
> i have a third from my broadband supplier. i don't give this one
> to anyone.
>
> i have had one flurry of spam to this account.
>
> in security documents i've seen accounts of spammers trying
> combinations of names based on ip provider addresses.
>
> i would be interested in other peoples experiences here.
> i'm currently in discussions with springer on a linux book
> and will be covering security - and spam of course.
>
> if you have a pc running windows i find zonealarm
> very good as a firewall. it is free for personal use.
> just try a google search on zonealarm for more details.
>
> to test the security of a pc at home running windows
> try shields up by steve gibson.
>
> hope this is of some use.
>
> n Wed, 24 Sep 2003 16:16:21 +0200 Michael Metcalf
> <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>
> > Dear colleagues,
> >
> > Yesterday I added the following to the Fortran Resource
> listing:
> >
> > "Personal note: As my preferred e-mail account is being overwhelmed
> with
> > spam, might I ask you to use my alternative address,
> > [log in to unmask], with immediate effect. Thank you. Mike
> > Metcalf"
> >
> > Since last evening, I have started receiving the offending spam at
> *both*
> > e-mail addresses. At least on the new one I can apply a filter, but
> that
> > does not stop my mailboxes from filling when I'm absent, nor cure
> the source
> > of the problem. Is it possible that one of you is the inadvertent
> sender of
> > these messages? The sender would fulfil the following conditions:
> >
> > 1) added my t-online address to his/her address book yesterday; and
> >
> > 2) has a more-or-less permanent broadband connection to the
> internet; and
> >
> > 3) has not checked for viruses, worms or whatever for some time.
> >
> > I invite anyone fulfilling these 3 conditions to check their PC, and
> to
> > contact me, just so that I know.
> >
> > With many thanks,
> >
> > Mike Metcalf
>
> --
>
> Ian
>
> [log in to unmask]
>
> Home page
>
> http://www.kcl.ac.uk/kis/support/cit//fortran/
>
> comp-fortran-90 home page
>
> http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/lists/comp-fortran-90.html
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