dvdrhelp.com's fault that I'm getting spam... please explain

[lordsmurf]

I'm placing this as a public message, rather than a private one to Baldrick, because maybe some of you out there are experiencing a similar situation...

I recently registered a separate e-mail alias that is SOLELY used for dvdrhelp.com. (Some of you noticed my e-mail link disappeared, as my Yahoo.com at the time was getting flooded by mail from this forum.) This new one has never been given out, and it was never made public. It exists ONLY for use with this forum, and is on my server with my domain, so it never existed before (not somebody else's old account). However, I now find myself receiving several spam message per day because of this one address.

From the registration page:
"This forum system uses cookies to store information on your local computer. These cookies do not contain any of the information you have entered above, they serve only to improve your viewing pleasure. The email address is used only for confirming your registration details and password (and for sending new passwords should you forget your current one)."

Is there a flaw somewhere? Is private dvdrhelp.com info being leaked or sold? I'm not demanding or accusing or anything else of the sort. I just vehemently hate spam and spammers and am curious how such a thing could happen.

Something is very wrong with this situation.

[Baldrick]

I don't give away any emails. Maybe some phpbb bug that I'm not aware of. I will try register with a new unused email and see what happens.

[lordsmurf]

I don't give away any emails. Maybe some phpbb bug that I'm not aware of. I will try register with a new unused email and see what happens.

Yeah, I didn't think so.

I'm thinking (1) security flaw or (2) a pilferer that somehow has (accidental) access to things he/she shouldn't!

I may change my e-mail address here (again) to see how things fair. Just remember it takes a few weeks get on a spam list.

Stinkin' spammers!

[overloaded_ide]

Yea I hate spammers too!
My box I use for forums just got a new wave of attacks also!

This is an alias box, I use fake names with it! Like when you are required to enter your name and address at a questionable site before getting info to decide if the site is decent! I used that box for that, and I use fake names I make up, then if the site is worthwhile and I want to use it I go back with my real email and real name, if it's a junk site I just leave!

Spam was lower to that box than my real box so I been using it now for most this year for forum replies from 3 sites.
SO, this new wave of spam to that box is using my REAL last name and others use my REAL first name! And spam just increased to that box at least 15 per day, and I have been no where using it recently? (no new sites)

Somehow someone is stealing info again from somewhere!
ONLY place I use real names normally is when I buy stuff online, and all those purchases use a different e-mail address than this one I am talking about!

So beware and keep security up (everywhere)!

[Solarjetman]

It is quite possible that a spam farmer has visited this site. Spam farmers are programs that visit page after page in order to collect email addresses. Or they may be viruses on other people's computers that do the same as they browse the internet.

Another option is they just happen to be random combinations. There are lots of servers that just paste together randome combinations of letters looking for a valid address. When they find one, they spam it as well.

The email address I have listed here is a junk catcher, I get about 8 spams a day. I use it to sign up for boards and such, but unless I am expecting an email to it, I rarely check it.

[Gazorgan]

Welcome to the internet :P

Go download AdAware and run it, you will be appalled by what spyware is sitting on a typical computer. On a friends machine I removed over 400 spyware referances. It's very simple to mine cookies for email addresses (which sounds like your problem).

Make sure you are fully patched (this is a weekly endevor).

[Gees]

It is quite possible that a spam farmer has visited this site. Spam farmers are programs that visit page after page in order to collect email addresses. Or they may be viruses on other people's computers that do the same as they browse the internet.

Another option is they just happen to be random combinations. There are lots of servers that just paste together randome combinations of letters looking for a valid address. When they find one, they spam it as well.

:cO seems an awful lot of trouble to send out cr@p! I wonder what kind of return, if any, these people ever see on these attempts. :c*

[Capt_Diode]

To All,

Keep in mind that Spammers also use dictionary/random type programs to send email to large servers. If the e-mail is accepted they note this as a valid account. These dictionary programs can also generate nubers and symbols but take much longer to use but are usually not used due to the time it takes. They don't want to get caught. You might want to try random characters, numbers and symbols in a new acount to test if there is a leak. My $.02

Regards,
Captain Diode
->|-

[bugster]

If you use a pop3 mail account and are sick of the amount of spam you are getting, try Mailwasher (at http://www.mailwasher.net/). It allows you to 'bounce' unwanted e-mails, as if the address didn't exist. Doesn't get rid of all spam but helps to reduce it to a trickle. Worked for me anyway, and its free. No Spyware or Malware AFAIK either.

[Doggiedaddy]

I don't give away any emails. Maybe some phpbb bug that I'm not aware of. I will try register with a new unused email and see what happens.

I do not know if this is applies to your version of phpBB, may be relevant or not?


http://www.phpbb.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=135116

[Doggiedaddy]

If you use a pop3 mail account and are sick of the amount of spam you are getting, try Mailwasher (at http://www.mailwasher.net/). It allows you to 'bounce' unwanted e-mails, as if the address didn't exist. Doesn't get rid of all spam but helps to reduce it to a trickle. Worked for me anyway, and its free. No Spyware or Malware AFAIK either.

.// you have to take the < ).> of your link so it will operate, if any one has a problem getting to the site. I know, you already knew that??

Mailwasher at
as in
http://www.mailwasher.net/
not
(at http://www.mailwasher.net/).

[thayne]

You get spam because you signed up for a free email service. They all give your email address away.

[cplevel42]

thayne wrote:

You get spam because you signed up for a free email service. They all give your email address away.

This is NOT true in all cases. Some free email services have a very good privacy policy. I'm not sure about hotmail's policy, but I have a hotmail account that NEVER receives spam. I have never given it out to anyone other than friends and family. I also use it to check my local pop email account when I'm away from home.

I have a separate email account that I use for signing up to websites etc. That one gets killed with spam.

[The village idiot]

Just checked mine.... No spam! But mine also has a special character in it, so I guess most dictionary attacks would skip it. Or maybe Mail.com is filtering the crap for me. This is the same email I have used here since I signed up. And it is used on every forum I visit (about 10). Don't know what to say.... Maybe make a new one with some kind of special character in it.

[sterno]

As another data point.... The e-mail address I use with this forum didn't see any increase in spam after I signed up.

However, I have another address that I've never used for anything that gets a few spam messages every day. It's an ID that I've used on and off over the past few years, so I grabbed that as a secondary e-mail address with my ISP just in case I wanted to use it again. I still get quite a bit of spam on that one, because it's something that you'll find in a dictionary and it's a major ISP.

[thayne]

thayne wrote:

You get spam because you signed up for a free email service. They all give your email address away.

This is NOT true in all cases. Some free email services have a very good privacy policy. I'm not sure about hotmail's policy, but I have a hotmail account that NEVER receives spam. I have never given it out to anyone other than friends and family. I also use it to check my local pop email account when I'm away from home.

I have a separate email account that I use for signing up to websites etc. That one gets killed with spam.

It's totally true. I set up a hotmail account only for use with msn messenger. I have never ever used it, yet the mail box is full of spam. Tons of spam, and I have never given it out to anyone.

I set up a new yahoo email about 2 weeks ago, and so far no spam, but I'm not holding my breath.

[g_shocker182]

There are a LOT of advanced users here, so I wouldn't be surprised if someone sliped in a bug or something of that nature.

[adam]

Fun Fact: SPAM accounts for 55% of all email sent daily.

[Solarjetman]

:cO seems an awful lot of trouble to send out cr@p! I wonder what kind of return, if any, these people ever see on these attempts. :c*

Acutally it inconvienences the farmer very little. They put a program on a computer and just let it run. There is no need for a person to do any work other than start the program.

If I had to guess at the profit, I would say $0.02 per working address. But I am guessing at that.

[lordsmurf]

None of what is being suggested applies in my case. I have my own mail server (using a host), it is not free, and the address is not any combination of dictionary words.

It's not the host either, as this dvdrhelp.com account is the only one getting blasted by junk.

I'm guessing a flaw or something else.

[The village idiot]

$0.02 or $0.01 per address is not bad when you send and log over 1 million each day. I think I'll become a spammer. I bet there is good money in it, for the amount of work you have to do. Start it before going to sleep, wake up and play games all day, then repeat

[Solarjetman]

Well, I did a litle research. I found one company that sells spam software and tools, including a free download for a mail harvester (like I was talking about earlier). They will sell you 200 million addresses for $500.

Looks like my estimate was WAY off.

And no, if you want to get into mass mailing, don't ask me where to get the stuff I found. I will not help you find that crap!

[The village idiot]

Harvesters and mass mailers with dictionary generators are easy to find. But spam isn't fun, other activities however.....

[Will Hay]

I also use it (hotmail) to check my local pop email account when I'm away from home.

How do you do that?
Will

[gmatov]

Will,

Somewhere on the page you should see a "Webmail" tab. Clickit and enter name/PW.

My daughter uses it every time she comes here, to keep up with her work mail.

I never go anywhere with 'Net access, so don't use it.

Cheers,

George

[ChrisX]

I am using one e-mail address solely for DVDRHelp.com forums and this one is due to expire soon.

Best to use your ISP or paid e-mail address. I do change e-mail address time to time to prevent spams coming to me.

Don't use Yahoo or Hotmail as the spams are at its worse. I got spam filters in place for these addesses.

If you try to contact me on my Hotmail address, then I won't receive your message as it is automatically deleted.

[ChrisX]

I also use it (hotmail) to check my local pop email account when I'm away from home.

How do you do that?
Will

I got this and this is only available on Hotmail's extra storage. I only need to push the retreive button to get the messages from my POP accounts.

You have to use it in the inbox of Hotmail, not on Outlook Express for this to work.

[donpedro]

It's totally true. I set up a hotmail account only for use with msn messenger. I have never ever used it, yet the mail box is full of spam. Tons of spam, and I have never given it out to anyone.

Maybe you did set it up incorectly. I have an Hotmail account that doesnt make sence at all and I never used it anywhere for more than a year and only emails that I am receiving are Hotmail emails once or twicw a month which is acceptable for free service.

[ChrisX]

It's totally true. I set up a hotmail account only for use with msn messenger. I have never ever used it, yet the mail box is full of spam. Tons of spam, and I have never given it out to anyone.

Maybe you did set it up incorectly. I have an Hotmail account that doesnt make sence at all and I never used it anywhere for more than a year and only emails that I am receiving are Hotmail emails once or twicw a month which is acceptable for free service.

You have to apply spam filters to "exclusive" and this means only people in your Hotmail's address book can get messages through to you.

You have to set up the spam filters correctly to automatically delete the unwanted messages.

I don't have a problem with Hotmail.

[vhelp]

Like lordsmurf,

I too have ben getting lots of spam. I now recevie anywhwere up to 30 of
these each day, and some of them just com in batch all at once, or in 2's
or 3threes. It's very enoying of course

@ bugster,
I think these app are ok, but they don't solve the prbblem.. rather then just
bandade it temporarily until these spamers improve and overcome those
too.
It would be better (and in all our best interest) if we solve the "leak" or bug
or whatever it is that's allowing others to leach our e-mail's and pounce us
w/ loads of boloney.. foowy!!

Boy, do I long for those 1 e-mail's a week, days (sides those I got when I
was posting here)

Best of luck to you all on this issue,
-vhelp