Help! My email is being spoofed

[SheepGuy]

Some scumbag is using my e-mail address to spam who-knows-what in Russian, so far only to people in Russia. This happened to me a few years ago with an e-mail addy I wasn't using and the easiest solution was to shut down the address.
This time though, it's an address I use every day so that's not an option.

A few years ago, nobody seemed to have a solution, I'm hoping that's changed and hoping someone here can help.

[Cleo]

If you find a solution please share. It isn't happening to me right now a lot but it does seem to happen much too often.

[stuveltje]

no solution yet i believe, i got my ass kicked by a sponsor because some moron used my email and sponsor url, beats me why, i told the sponsor to stuff it in their ass, thats all i could do, it wasnt me, they didnt believe me, thats the only asnwer i had.

[Greenguy]

This happens to me weekly now. I have no idea how you can stop someone from typing your email address into the script they use to spam.

[Cleo]

Too bad Dexter doesn't go after spammers...

[SheepGuy]

Damn, I thought that was likely the case
Even if there is no way to stop them, some form of revenge would make me feel better.

[Twiceshy]

Hmm isnt there a way to find the isp they use and report them ? but then again if its a bunch of russians i doubt there is anything you can do

[Jarmusch]

Originally Posted by Cleo

Too bad Dexter doesn't go after spammers...

that would be against the code of Harry..

[Toby]

Originally Posted by Twiceshy

Hmm isnt there a way to find the isp they use and report them?

Most of these spammers are more sophisticated than that. They don't use a fixed ISP to send out. They have a network of remote controlled bot programs running on infected PC's all over the world that sends out the spam. Same idea as a DDOS attack.

I get hit with these from time to time as well. Usually the best I can do is find some common element to use as a filter to send it all into a junque folder.

[dmeat]

-- From Wikipedia
JE-mail spoofing is a term used to describe fraudulent e-mail activity in which the sender address and other parts of the e-mail header are altered to appear as though the e-mail originated from a different source.

You may also want to check:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_job

Bottom line : Unfortunately, not much you can do about it (like everyone has already told you)

[Greenguy]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_the_Plumber

[cd34]

SPF records CAN help, but, they do have some issues along with it that make them a little difficult. I've seen spammers avoid domains that have SPF records because the major mailbox companies (gmail, hotmail, yahoo, etc) will drop mail instantly if the SPF record isn't set.

The potential issue you have is that you may need to change the way you send email a little, or, you might face having a 'permissable sender' list that is not going to be restrictive enough.

Or, you may run across spammers that don't care/don't check and they use it anyhow.

http://www.openspf.org/

[RedCherry]

They do this to me almost constantly, and I hate it. I've got most of the terms blocked on my email so I don't see the bounced mail, or it goes to my junk folder, but can't stop it, unfortunately.

[Jarmusch]

I was under the impression that most of these spoofed emails were sent only to the owner of the email address as a way to get his attention and make him open the email. I too get a few of these now and then but I made a filter that sends any email with my address in the 'From' field straight to the trash and never worried about it.

Is there a way to know if these spam emails are actually being sent to others with your email address on it other than receiving complaints?

[SheepGuy]

Originally Posted by Jarmusch

Is there a way to know if these spam emails are actually being sent to others with your email address on it other than receiving complaints?

You'll see a bunch of "your message could not be delivered" type messages.

[Jarmusch]

Originally Posted by SheepGuy

You'll see a bunch of "your message could not be delivered" type messages.

Ouch.. I've only been receiving fake spoofed emails then, thank god!

[lassiter]

Originally Posted by Jarmusch

I was under the impression that most of these spoofed emails were sent only to the owner of the email address as a way to get his attention and make him open the email.

Maybe there's a few like that, but nah. The reason you often will see your own address as the "from:" sender on a lot of spam is because the less-bright spammers misconfigure their spamming programs and end up putting the "to:" addresses (from their CDs full of email addresses) in the "from:" field as well. Which is silly, since you probably would know if you'd sent yourself an email advertising "V-*i -@--Gr-*a."

Plus you may get things that appear to be coming from "ineedhits" - which is a spamming service, but often the user isn't bright enough to alter the default "from:" field with his own set of fake addresses, so it becomes easy to tell it's an obvious spam ploy.

[PG]

there is little that you can do but to wait it out. If you contact the fuzz they will file it in the circular file.

[Greenguy]

Originally Posted by PG

there is little that you can do but to wait it out. If you contact the fuzz they will file it in the circular file.

Wow. You are one helpful mother fucker!