Help With Email Spam...

[Endora]

Hi Anyone~

My question is about e-mail spam. Of late it's been really proliferous. I am wondering if that is something everyone just has to deal with or if there is something I can do.

I do have my email addresses linked to prompt mail...and one feedback form for my site.

I just really dislike getting spam from "myself"....and so I thought someone here who knows alot more than I do (which is everyone...) may have some ideas for me if there are any ...

Thank you!


:) Endora

[Chris]

Use SPAM Assasin that you can activate via your C-Panel. I used that, combined with Eudora to filter anything out that has "*****SPAM*****" as the subject to go to the "SPAM" folder that I setup so I don't have to deal with it.

The program works quite well for finding out what's SPAM, and what's not. I suggest that you give it a try and use a program such as Eudora to filter out the subjects.

[Ailish]

Don't put email addresses on web pages, directly. That's a sure way to get tons of spam. Sara showed me a page that describes how to encode the address so that visitors to your site can use it, but spam-bots can't. It's at http://innerpeace.org/escrambler.shtml

So far, so good. I also use a cut-out address, so that the address that's on the web page is set as a forward to my real address. If, down the road, something happens, and can just drop the forward without changing my real address.

Ailish

[Endora]

Chris- Thank you! I actually did have that enabled.. (spam assassin) however, it also strips my own newsletter that I do and treats it as *spam* even though obviously it's not.

So, because I need to receive my news as I designed it - I stopped using spam assassin....

My main thing is the spam going to people purportedly from my domain. And if its especially noxious (xxx@mydomain.com) it is just a big drag.... I am an herbalist you know???? :)

Ailish- You know- I heard of that - encoding especially to prevent spamming of your email addresses. I have this actually, however, I would have to re-code EVERY single place email contacts appear (which is nearing 200 pages probably) and, also, it appears to require several areas of adjustments to do it so it would work properly keeping bots out and actual emails in. I was wanting to see if there was an easier way.

I am going to look at the link you suggested. The forward thing will not work... I already changed my emails just recently and already.... (URG)- ALOT of spam.

However, I do not get spam off any other site I manage- only THIS particular one....perhaps because it's more visible (rank, visits etc...)??? I didn't know if perhaps that had something to do with why this site especially gets so much spam from me, to me, and more....


You both have been a big help. I will keep trying. I feel like I am just prime for spam for some reason- its been insane lately really...
;)

Thank you... Endora :)

[Chris]

Don't forget about WHOIS databases... WHOIS databases to pigs are what matches are to gas. They don't go well together.

[Tal]

there are many ways your email addy can get spammed, some of the reasons are listed above, others are e-mail harvesters, search engine bots, and the like. If you have a popular site the more links to you site from other sites will get you indexed by most other SE directories and it becomes a domino effect. If you are getting spammed post the full header output so we can help you debug this problem.

[Endora]

Hi Tal~

Ok thank you. Here's the thing.... I get notices that "Your e-mail is being returned to you because there was a problem with its delivery. ..." - This occurs because the mail is getting sent to me as spam- then in turn- apparently being sent out to spam others enveloped under my domain addresses.

I already talked to Steven about this numerous times and he explained to me that this is how people spoof headers to make it look like you are the originating source when you are not.

The thing that bothers me though is WHY am I getting return mail to me - mail that I am NOT sending??? I get the original message and also the daemon saying that mail can't be recieved either due to no such address etc...

In some cases- the header clearly show another ID as the originating source- but in others- they really do look like I am the one sending it even though I am not and I am wondering how to prevent this.

I do have a popular site for my subject- and a very high reciprocal link ratio. Thus, you are correct that based on numbers- this domain is more visible and more spam potential exists.

If you want- I am happy to post some examples here if that will help you see what I mean and then maybe give me some ideas??? I did not want to do that without it being ok with insider to do that on their forum.

Tal- thank you. Steven has been very good about trying to answer my many inquiries about this...it seems though that I get new varieties of spam all the time and don't understand them all.

Ty- Endora

[Ailish]

About six months ago, there was a very common email virus called Klez. It's pattern was to pick one name at random from your address book, and send itself (in various guises that look like spam) to all the other addresses in your address book. And then do it again, repeatedly.

I got a number of bounced returns that way, from messages I'd never sent, simply because someone who'd once sent me mail had their computer infected.

The situation you're describing sounds like that may be what's going on. So, either someone you know could be infected, or maybe your computer has a case of Klez. Good luck.

Ailish

[Endora]

Ailish-

That never even occurred to me...what you describe IS what has been happening so it appears... I will see if there is anything I can do about it- otherwise- just suffer for awhile (?) :rolleyes:

Thank you everyone for all your help and insight.

Endora

[SmackDaddy]

I know I am a bit late on this....but I got a helluva lotta spam from advertising my site through some of the "free" submission services which submit to FFA sites.....arg.....never again!!!! :mad:

Not one hit came from it all........but the SPAM was abundant.....so not sure if you have "advertised" your site lately, but that could be something else to consider, eh?

[Endora]

Hi SmackDaddy-

No- I have never submitted my site to those "anywhere" / free submit services. I manually submitted to ODP, Yahoo, and specific other related networks like avatar.... However, your idea would probably be a big reason why I would get spam.....had that been the case....

Thanks for the input though- and I will remember that too for future reference!~ Xo- ENdora :rolleyes:

[michael]

Hey there
I have come across two programs that you may want to try out one is www.cloudmark.com as well another is www.mailwasher.net. The reason I would reccommend these is that I have an old email account that my isp gives me which I still use occasionally but since it is 3 years old i get loads and loads of spam. So these programs might be a help to those who suffer from spam.

Sorry for the sales pitch but these programs do make a bit of difference

Regards

Michael Laing

[lucas]

i've been using cloudmark, and while i don't get a lot of email spam, it seems to work when i do.

[Endora]

Thank you Michael-

I appreciate the input actually! I would not really have know of them otherwise....

Thank you again. E!~