I switched ISPs back in March and my wife used the same user ID she had before but now with a very common ISP after the @ symbol. The one that starts with an "E". Even though it was a "new" account she immediately had lots of spam. A quick Google search revealed that someone else had used that address previously and thus it must have been on every spamming list possible. She change the user ID portion of her email address to something less common and has not had any spam since. Any email list can be used a source of harvesting for spammers.
There is no good way to regulate spam or enforce anti-spam laws. I'm sure most all of us know that you never, NEVER buy anything from a spammer! Why would you trust someone who sends you junk email but hides their own email address? If they were a legitimate business they wouldn't have anything to hide. But the painful truth is that some people send them money and since the spammer's operating costs are so low to send out millions of emails, even if they get just one in ten million, they've made a profit. So the obvious solution is to start a campaign to educate the public to NEVER BUY FROM A SPAMMER! If no one, I mean no one at all ever bought anything from a spammer, not even a 39 cents toothbrush, then they would be out of business and that would be the end of spam. Wouldn't that be nice? Help put an end to spam. Get the word out. Cut and paste this paragraph into a new email and send it to everyone on your mailing list and any email groups you belong too. If we can get 100% cooperation then we will have 0% spam! -tom > ---------- > From: Ben Smith > Subject: Re: PowerBooks lists a gateway to spam? > > I set up an e-mail address for my son, I was very pleased to get a good one > ([EMAIL PROTECTED]), after it was set up I forgot about it for a month, > When I set up an e-mail reader to start using it I found over 1300 spam > mails!!! this on an address that had NEVER been used, I monitored it for a > few days, spam was coming in at 300+ per day. > That address is no longer used and he has an alphanumeric user name instead, > so far no spam... > Ben. > -- PowerBooks is sponsored by <http://lowendmac.com/> and... Small Dog Electronics http://www.smalldog.com | Enter To Win A | -- Canon PowerShot Digital Cameras start at $299 | Free iBook! | Support Low End Mac <http://lowendmac.com/lists/support.html> PowerBooks list info: <http://lowendmac.com/lists/powerbooks.shtml> --> AOL users, remove "mailto:"; Send list messages to: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To unsubscribe, email: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> For digest mode, email: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subscription questions: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Archive: <http://www.mail-archive.com/powerbooks%40mail.maclaunch.com/> Using a Mac? Free email & more at Applelinks! http://www.applelinks.com
