Question re junk mail

[kiwiliz]

Here is the situation. I stayed at my sister's place in NZ and went on her computer mainly to do my study. But while I was there I checked my dating site. (hey, I might get lucky, lots of people do) .
Now she is getting lots of spamin her email.

Is this co-incidence? or did my visiting different sites, not through her email account at all, just through Explorer, let spam get attached to her email?

[CaptPorridge]

Originally Posted by kiwiliz

Here is the situation. I stayed at my sister's place in NZ and went on her computer mainly to do my study. But while I was there I checked my dating site. (hey, I might get lucky, lots of people do) .
Now she is getting lots of spamin her email.

Nothing to do with you. She's just really into penis enlargements and is worried you peeked at her email, so she's blaming you. Classic tactic I've often used myself:

"Hey, why am I suddenly getting all these penis enlargement emails? What the hell did you do to my computer?"

Works every time.

[Qinella]

Coincidence. There's no way that you logging in to a dating site would cause her to get spam. With the spam I get on my various email addresses, I can trace back to exactly what I did that caused me to start getting it. Every instance involves me entering my email address on a website that sells it to spammers or makes it accessible. Example: putting something for sale on Craigslist. Instant spam.

[freethought]

Originally Posted by kiwiliz

Here is the situation. I stayed at my sister's place in NZ and went on her computer mainly to do my study. But while I was there I checked my dating site. (hey, I might get lucky, lots of people do) .
Now she is getting lots of spamin her email.

Is this co-incidence? or did my visiting different sites, not through her email account at all, just through Explorer, let spam get attached to her email?

well, actually, it is possible.

Certain websites will sell your info, including ISP info and IP address. So what can happen is that her account is linked to those things and spam is now being thrown her way. This is common if she is using an email account from the service provider.

Happens a lot.

[Qinella]

Originally Posted by freethought

well, actually, it is possible.

Certain websites will sell your info, including ISP info and IP address. So what can happen is that her account is linked to those things and spam is now being thrown her way. This is common if she is using an email account from the service provider.

Happens a lot.

Yeah, that's a possibility if she's using the ISP email address. Do people actually do that still? O.o

[CaptPorridge]

Originally Posted by Qinella

Do people actually do that still? O.o

We are talking about New Zealand

[Cherry]

Anybody else get spam which isn't even selling anything? I get these all the time.

bleed ing brown er
resta rts kneel s compl icati ng stamp ers count erwor d inter
vened malef ic efflu via fecul ent shriv e recon firm sacch arini
ty padsa w every place papul e stipu lator binuc leate isoph one
freeb ooter s accum bency phile mon milli gram explo iting latel y
bruis e sente nces devol ves sides offen sives gals devol ves
recon firm outly ing deute ride corte xes redar gue testa cy bruis
e dewsb ury taute n sides predi gest resta rts anest rus scull
ery sirup hides scull ery prosc ripti on inimi table phars alus
dekam eter apper taini ng toxop hily cloud iest enoli zes anest rus
indir ectne ss hydro phile

That one's from revulsive@vbict.nl

What's the purpose? Just to annoy people? Or is that what viruses look like? I can only read that particular account on my phone, so I wouldn't know.

[kiwiliz]

Originally Posted by freethought

well, actually, it is possible.

Certain websites will sell your info, including ISP info and IP address. So what can happen is that her account is linked to those things and spam is now being thrown her way. This is common if she is using an email account from the service provider.

Happens a lot.

Okay so actually I have both sisters complaining. I stayed at both and now both are saying they are getting increased spam through their email account...so the dating site, which swears on their page that they dont' collect ISP addresses collected both sisters? and sold them on two separate days?
If I am to blame I will accept it but I couldn't work out how when I didn't go anywhere near their email accounts.

And what is the ISP email address?

[Qinella]

Originally Posted by kiwiliz

so the dating site, which swears on their page that they dont' collect ISP addresses

Oh, shit. This is a red flag.

Care to share which sites exactly you're using?

And what is the ISP email address?

Like if my ISP is Earthlink, my email address could be qinella@earthlink.net. A lot of people used these types of email addresses back in the 90s and early 2000s. As Porridge points out, Kiwis may still be using ISP email addresses. lol

I really feel bad for Kiwis and Australians with their Internet woes. It's some right bullshit.

[kiwiliz]

I only used NZDating. Thought I might get chatting to someone so I could go out to dinner with when I got home.

And yes, after using this internet the ones back in NZ were so slow!

Yes, they do use the ISP as the email address. I didnt' know there was any other way to go about it if you used that ISP.

I dont' get that much spam on my account, I think the provider must have a higher spam filter setting?

Dam, dam, dam, so my fault after all...bugger

[Qinella]

Originally Posted by kiwiliz

I only used NZDating. Thought I might get chatting to someone so I could go out to dinner with when I got home.

And yes, after using this internet the ones back in NZ were so slow!

Yes, they do use the ISP as the email address. I didnt' know there was any other way to go about it if you used that ISP.

I dont' get that much spam on my account, I think the provider must have a higher spam filter setting?

Dam, dam, dam, so my fault after all...bugger

Yep, sounds like it's partly your fault. Partly their fault, too, for having such lame email addresses. Share with them the miracle of Gmail.

[dogshed]

Originally Posted by kiwiliz

Okay so actually I have both sisters complaining. I stayed at both and now both are saying they are getting increased spam through their email account...so the dating site, which swears on their page that they dont' collect ISP addresses collected both sisters? and sold them on two separate days?
If I am to blame I will accept it but I couldn't work out how when I didn't go anywhere near their email accounts.

And what is the ISP email address?

Maybe one sister mailed spam to the other.

[kermo]

Speaking of spam spreading, my crappy, infrequently used hotmail account was recently hijacked. Everybody on my hotmail list got sent viral attachments, including former employers, ex-boyfriends, etc. I've deleted my contact list, so I hope it can't happen again.

I am not sure if it's virus, since I'm using a Mac AND I have some highly inconvenient security software installed (e.g., NoScript.) I've changed my password, in case I logged in on an infected computer, and I've also heard that it's hotmail itself that gets attacked by the hackers.

Anyway, if you were on that list, my apologies!

edit: I just looked at it again, and I think it went well beyond the contact list. Poor Dave Sperling got hit too!

Here's another junk mail quandry I've run into:
HBC.com (the corporation that controls quite a few large department stores in Canada) has a very weaselly opt-out scam going. If you sign up for a gift registry, they make you give all kinds of information, and then advice you to contact privacy.hbc.com if you don't want any special "offers."

I sent them an email asking to be removed from the spam list, and got this:

Thank you for your email regarding the use of your personal information
for marketing purposes.

Your feedback is appreciated. However, to comply with your request, we
require the information below. Alternatively, you may call the Hbc
Privacy Office at 1-866-225-8251.

From the list below, please indicate the channel(s) that you do not want
to receive offers from:

Hbc mail
Hbc telephone calls
Hbc email
Hbc credit statement offers
Hbc selected partners

Please supply the following information:

Full Name:
Current Address:
Telephone Number:
Previous Address if current address has been changed in the last 10
years:

Please answer the following questions:

"Do you have an Hbc credit card?" (This includes Hbc, Zellers, and The
Bay.)
"Do you have an Hbc Rewards card?"
"Have you registered for gifts at a Bay or Home Outfitters in the past
10 years?"
"Have you purchased any Home Furnishings, Large Appliances, and
Electronics?"
"Have you signed up for an Hbc.com membership or the eNewsletter?"
"Have you enrolled in the Preferred Client Program at any of our Bay
stores?"
"Have you recently received any promotional mail from the Bay cosmetic
departments?"

Should you have any questions, please contact the Hbc Privacy Office at
1-866-225-8251.

Thank you for your cooperation.

I sent them another email, refusing to provide any further information, and got the same form letter in reply. Privacy schmivacy.

[kermo]

Follow-up:

I dialled the number given in the email, and spoke to a woman about being taken off the list.
She explained that the additional questions were meant to help identify where the junk mail or "offers" come from. Fair enough. She asked for my address, name, phone number and email.

Here's where it gets sketchy:
She took the information, and then said "Ok, I'll make sure you don't get any more phone calls." I clarified: "I don't want any mail-outs, or any emails either. Please don't send me anything. Can you please re-read my email address to me to make sure it's spelled correctly?"

She paused, and then panicked. I could hear her breathing heavily. "Oh, my computer is frozen! I'm sorry, oh dear. It's frozen. Could you please give me that information again?"

What do you want to bet she hadn't written anything at all?

[flash ipanema]

I hope you got her name so if you do get mail again you can name names.

[kermo]

Woo hoo! Spam from the FBI! They're such jerks.

From: ROBERT S. MUELLER, III (fbi.director@btinternet.com
Attn: Sir,


Compliments of the day, I Wish to inform you that your Payment has been released and you will need to contact the payment Officer Mr. Kelvin Williams with the informations as stated below.


CONTACT INFORMATION
NAME: Mr. Kelvin Williams
EMAIL: williamskelvin112@yahoo.cn
Telephone: +2348138938981



Do contact Mr. Kelvin Williams of the ATM PAYMENT CENTER with your details:



FULL NAME:
HOME ADDRESS:
TELL:
CELL:
CURRENT OCCUPATION:
BANK NAME:
AGE:


Also please be informed that all neccesary Documents has been put in place all you will have to do is to make sure you can be able to afford $220 for the Delivery of your Funds which is to be sent to you via a Certified Bank check using FedEx International Courier Service.


we do await your response so we can move on with our Investigation and make sure your ATM SWIFT CARD gets to you.


Thanks and hope to read from you soon.


Regards,


ROBERT S. MUELLER, III
DIRECTOR, FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20535UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

[Qinella]

Go to 4chan /g/ and ask for advice on how to get out of the mess. Seriously, those /g/tards always come through as long as you present your situation in a nonnooblike way.