question about 'Joe jobs'

[jack]

Having never heard of this nasty trick before today, I have a question: the bounced messages result from the spammer sending a message to a non-existent email address, right?

So does this mean that spam is being sent to valid email addresses that do not bounce? E.g., friends, neighbors, (and customers?) -- all appearing to be 'from' us? Not good...

I admit I don't examine the return address very closely on any received spam, but if it was a name I recognized, it might get my attention. Others might do the same with my name -- hopefully, they would tell me about it, not quietly label me a spammer!

[Kevin]

If you are getting spam because a spammer used your address as a From: then it is a good bet some of the spam got through.

The good news is that most automated anti-spam systems key on the IP address they received the message from not the From: line in the header which everyone knows can be forged.

[jack]

If you are getting spam because a spammer used your address as a From: then it is a good bet some of the spam got through.

The good news is that most automated anti-spam systems key on the IP address they received the message from not the From: line in the header which everyone knows can be forged.

Would that were true, Kevin -- not everyone understands, and a few are bound to be offended. These jerks are causing real damage in some places, including a number of cases I'm aware of where people pulled the plug on their internet and email use because they couldn't stomach the spam, pop-up in your face ads, etc., and didn't know how to deal with them. I strongly suspect their next target will be the new more sophisticated cell phones -- won't that be fun!!!