[ChrisF79]

Every day I come home to the same 10 emails or so promoting some random adult site. They always have a random username@yahoo.com. When clicking the link to remove myself from their list, a page comes up with a php script telling me that my email has been deleted. However, this hasn't worked yet as the email continues to pour in from this one spammer. I've tried bouncing the messages back and they are undeliverable as the spammer is not using a legitimate address. I did a WHOIS on the domain they're promoting and it is a company out of the Netherlands. How can I make these emails stop? I'm sure this will continue to happen in the future with other spammers, so knowing how to combat it would be a big help.

[d00d]

In reply to:

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When clicking the link to remove myself from their list, a page comes up with a php script telling me that my email has been deleted. However, this hasn't worked yet as the email continues to pour in from this one spammer.

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Do not click those links. That will only confirm that your email is valid and checked by someone for the spammer. It will result in more spam.
The best you can do is set up a spam filter (I find Mail.app's to be excellent given consistent training) and bounce on the off-chance that it may reach them.

[pdrayton]

In reply to:

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. When clicking the link to remove myself from their list, a page comes up with a php script telling me that my email has been deleted. However, this hasn't worked yet as the email continues to pour in from this one spammer.

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d00d is right, never reply to or click on an unsubscribe link to spam email!
Also, make sure mail is set so that it doesn't automatically display images, and don't click "view images" when opening spam, either! Viewing those images lets the spammer know that your email address is active.

[ChrisF79]

Thanks for the fast reply. The problem is, when I bounce them, I still get underliverable messages anyway so its still an issue of my inbox filling up. Are you basically saying there's no way to get them to stop?

[MacSis]

Once they get a valid working email address, they share it with their spammer friends, for a price.
Sad to say, you might need to get a new email address. Once the spam starts flowing, it is hard to filter it as the spammers seem to know just how to incorrectly spell to avoid the filters.

[d00d]

In reply to:

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Are you basically saying there's no way to get them to stop?

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Pretty much. This is why spam has become a focus of attention. Even Microsoft is actively fighting it because it costs them big money in bandwidth and storage costs to receive the massive amounts of spam that get sent to Hotmail addresses.

[ChrisF79]

It is insane... I created this email address and never put it in any forms on the web for just this reason. I have another email address I use for that purpose.

[doggdamac]

Have you tried reporting & forwarding the emails to your ISP (every one, every time), so they can go after them ?
And if you believe those "remove me" links really do anything, then perhaps you would be interested in some prime beachfront property I have for sale in Kansas /forums/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
j/k!

[PeterG]

I've been looking for so long,
How much $$$$.
Peter /forums/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

[pdrayton]

In reply to:

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I created this email address and never put it in any forms on the web for just this reason

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Spammers have software that guess potential email addresses.
That's why you never want to click the link to ask to be removed or click on "view images"... it lets them know they guessed correctly and have a working email address. Unfortunately you have unwittingly sent a message to all spammers worldwide that your email address is real and that you actually look at the emails.
Spammers make money off of the 2% - 3% of people who actually respond to their spam and also by selling the email addresses they discover to be active (as mentioned above).
Best to just train Apple Mail to learn what is spam and let it do the work for you. Then set your preferences so that your "Junk Mail" folder empties automatically after a week or so. Peek at least once a week into the Junk Mail folder to ensure no emails you want are winding up in Junk Mail.
I have an account with Mail4Me.com (no longer taking new members since it was acquired by AOL). Pretty cool because it lets you create unique email addresses that you can use it with individual online stores so you can keep track of order confirmations and newsletters without clogging your regular email app. I used a unique email address (it has dashes, letters and numbers... really long) to sign up for updates to the Kerry for President campaign... and they sold that unique email address, along with my name, to spammers!
Needless to say, I didn't vote for the bozo!

[doggdamac]

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've been looking for so long, How much $$$$.

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$10mil per sq.in. /forums/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

[macnuke]

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$10mil per sq.in.

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save money...build vertically

[PeterG]

Done, "virtual", sounds even better and cheaper. /forums/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
Peter /forums/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif