Is there a program I can get that will check my spam folder then (with my approval) will duplicate about 50 times, at least, and send them back to the sender? Or is there some legal remifications that let them crap up my inbox but not let me do the same? Thanks.
There is no point in replying to spam. In the first place, do you really think you are the first person in the world who ever thought of this? Well, you're not. Spammers often use fake or hijacked return addresses, so you'll just fill up your inbox with "bounce" messages (returned undeliverable mail), or angry responses from people who have no idea what the hell you are talking about. Also you just became a spammer who misuses network resources. Spam is spam no matter what the reason for sending it. One of the people whose email addresses was hijacked could report YOU as a spammer, or even send YOU 50 messages! If the address is really the spammer's (unlikely) and your "counterspam" actually gets through, guess what? The spammer now knows your email address. Previously you were just an entry on a list of thousands of possible targets, but you just told him that your email address is a live one, where messages are opened and read. He will now add your email address to his list of good ones, which he can sell. So don't bother. Report it as spam to your ISP or to Spamcop. http://spamcop.net/anonsignup.shtml Many people think it is a good idea to get a "throwaway" web email address such as Gmail or Hotmail to use for purposes such as signing up to forums, etc. Never let your email address appear on a web page. That's just asking for spam. Guard your ISP email address carefully and only give it to selected people. PS "Expecting the unexpected" just means "being prepared for events which fall outside your expected range or may not have been foreseen". That does not imply detailed knowledge of those events, which would then be "expected", and not "unexpected"
There is an address for reporting spam to the FTC, at least in the USA. I use it for especially deceptive and misleading spam. Read the FTC website regarding spam. Address: spam@uce.gov Site: http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/edcams/spam/index.html
Wouldnt they know that anyways because the email went through without any errors? Sure they dont know if the emails are read, but they do know its valid. That was just a little thing that was not meant to be taken seriously, or analyzed. It was just a play on words. I now realize how stupid of a question this was but you gotta cut me some slack; I am normally tired when I post a question... which is why I should probably stop posting questions late at night. Anyways, I will look into those sites next time I empty out my spambox. P.S. I use sbcglobal that allows me to make "fake" (temp) emails that I can make and delete at any time. I use them for signing up anywhere so I dont know how the * everyone got my email, except from just a random script emailing every possible email.
What, because they didn't get a bounce? Many email addresses are for automated services where junk mail is just deleted. An email address belonging to a real live preferably domestic customer is a prize. Quite a lot of spam email is designed to harvest such addresses. Typically it tells you that you have been enrolled on some list or other, and there will be a "click here to unsubscribe" link. If you are silly enough to do that, you tell the spammer (1) that you exist, (2) you are the kind of person who clicks on links without thinking. Another way they do it is to include a 1x1 pixel GIF (called a web bug) in the message, hosted somewhere under the control of the spammer. Colored white, you won't see it. If you merely open the email message the server records where it is hosted will tell the spammer your IP address. That also tells the spammer you aren't blocking images, and that you view email as HTML... next stop trojan town...
Wow, you really know how it works eh? Should I be worried...? Lol. Personally, I dont open spam. I just delete it. If I were to ever have to open a questionable email, I would download it, move it to a secure environment, such as a virtual machine with all outside connections blocked like ethernet and even USB, then open it up with HTML disabled then enabled(if ok) after checking out the script. EDIT- actually, come to think of it, that is more of an inginuity thing. Its more of know what tools you have at your disposal and how to use them effectively, sepperate or in conjunction.
