I've been getting these also. I set up a spamtrap account, and I reply FROM that account. :)
At 5:12 PM -0600 11/8/01, Jerry Pasker wrote: >This is semi-on-topic......... > >I've noticed that I've been getting some very strange email lately. Ones >that aren't obviously spam, but are just odd, and designed to elicit a >reply. I've done some searching to see if these are indeed real spammer >tactics, but so far, I've turned up nothing. My gut feeling is that this >is a big thing... bulk verification of email addresses, disguised as simple >and innocent mis-addressed email. One line e-mails like "Hey, Jim, this is >Pat, let me know if you got my last email" or "JPASKER, THE TREES ARE ALL >DOWN -GEORGE" My thoughts are that they're obviously designed to >convince the user to reply, so the spammer can verify an email address is >live. > >The best part about this is that the spammer can spam to verify email >addresses, without arousing too much suspicion, or creating too many spam >reports. > >Today, I even got one from someone claiming to be some exiled queen of an >African county, seeking help investing 25 million dollars that she needs to >wire to an account in the USA, but she needed my contact information, so >she could further communicate with me, so I could help her. (oh, gimmie a >brake!) > >There's no level of server defense that can protect a user from their own >ignorance. > >Can anyone verify this, or point me to a web link confirming or denying my >suspicions? > >-Jerry > ############################################################# This message is sent to you because you are subscribed to the mailing list <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>. To unsubscribe, E-mail to: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To switch to the DIGEST mode, E-mail to <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To switch to the INDEX mode, E-mail to <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Send administrative queries to <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
