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Your home email address...

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ProfilePosted byOptionsPost Date

James

James Report 9 Dec 2004 17:18

Hi all, I gave my email address to someone on here so we didn't have to keep going through GR. Within aday I was getting spam, apparently from several different countries, all with attachments. None opened. I checked the tiscali site and they say 'do not post your email address on any notice boards as there are people out there with 'harvesting' software. I have not responded to any of these and am hoping they will get fed up with me ignoring them. Otherwise I'll get a new email address. BE WARNED. Jim

Winter Drawers Ever Near

Winter Drawers Ever Near Report 9 Dec 2004 17:27

Hi I'm with Tiscali too. I've got 22 messages on my hotmail. Don't have a clue who they are. Safer to delete?

Unknown

Unknown Report 9 Dec 2004 18:02

Jim, would it be worth letting GR know? They might be able to stop this person getting anybody else's email addresses at least. Mandy :)

Ramblin Rose

Ramblin Rose Report 9 Dec 2004 18:08

There is a programm available which will direct unwanted Spam back from whence it came.Don't know if that is any help. Rose

Angela

Angela Report 9 Dec 2004 18:56

Harvesting software is a real problem. My work email address got circulated on the internet legitimately about 5 years ago and I have never managed to get spam free since. I go for a few weeks without a problem, then it blows up again and I get up to hundred a day. My employer's policy is not to block any email addresses which means there is not a lot I can do about it. I also can't change the format of my address. So I'm stuck. I would agree that you should never post your home email address anywhere on the internet for this reason - that is unless you can set up an account that is specifically for the purpose, and which can be deleted/replaced if targetted by spammers. Regards Angela

Kim from Sandhurst

Kim from Sandhurst Report 9 Dec 2004 18:57

Jim, Really sorry to hear what is happening to you, but from experience it could get worse!! I was with NTL, and due to all the 'spam, porno' I went to another server, still dial up via NTL though, I check my NTL msgs every month and delete, as each time I have 3000 and not one for me!!!!! Funny though, I have set up 2 accounts, 1 for friends and 1 for genealogy, yesterday got 5 virus' trying to hit my machine on the 'genalogy' addy, also now receiving spam on it as well. Mind boggles as to how safe these genalogy sites are!!! Kim

Geoff

Geoff Report 9 Dec 2004 22:27

I've received spam to a username that I only use on a Rootsweb board.

PolperroPrincess

PolperroPrincess Report 9 Dec 2004 22:59

Thanks for the warning James