Spam Question

sparky · Nov 21, 2011, 10:58:15

Hi All,

Wasn't sure which board to put this question under, so I've ended up here. Move it if needs be, no problem.

Just a quick question about Spam emails. I'm not really sure how a "spammer" operates, but having bought my own domain name, if I use a simple email address such as jim@mydomain.com, is that more likely to be picked up and hit by spam than a more complex email address such as jimmy.another@mydomain.com ? Or is it simply down to what sites I leave my email address on?

Thanx.

Rik · Nov 21, 2011, 11:02:55

It's down to the sites you use the email address on Sparky.

sparky · Nov 21, 2011, 14:54:12

I was hoping that was the case. Thanks Rik.

Technical Ben · Nov 21, 2011, 15:06:22

Well, some just seem to be random name generators... :/

sparky · Nov 21, 2011, 15:16:49

QuoteWell, some just seem to be random name generators... :/

Ah. Well that's what I thought, so does that mean if you only use a short common name, it's more likely to get spammed than a longer uncommon one?

zappaDPJ · Nov 21, 2011, 15:54:21

Assuming your domain is parked, you'll be inundated with spam regardless of what you choose to use. In fact you don't even need to set an address, your domain will still get spammed. If the address doesn't exist it's sent to a default. The last time I cleared out zappadpj.com I'd collected around 250,000 offers to improve my life

mervl · Nov 21, 2011, 16:10:03

Not sure how, but I got a domain name when Windows Live were giving them out free a couple of years ago (though I now have to pay something like £10pa) and, touch wood, the related e-mail addresses have never had any spam. (If they do now, I'll know who to blame). EDIT: and it isn't what you think.

Lance · Nov 21, 2011, 16:57:06

Fortunately my domain has never had any spam to its catch-all address. Fingers crossed it stays like that!

Rik · Nov 21, 2011, 17:15:38

They can't spell your domain name.

zappaDPJ · Nov 21, 2011, 19:15:21

Quote from: Lance on Nov 21, 2011, 16:57:06
Fortunately my domain has never had any spam to its catch-all address. Fingers crossed it stays like that!

That would be a first for me. I own well over 50 domains (all parked) and they all attract some level of spam even if there's no associated content. It's never an issue, I just delete the contents via cPanel but I'm intrigued to know how you avoid it.

Lance · Nov 21, 2011, 21:29:37

Quote from: zappaDPJ on Nov 21, 2011, 19:15:21
That would be a first for me. I own well over 50 domains (all parked) and they all attract some level of spam even if there's no associated content. It's never an issue, I just delete the contents via cPanel but I'm intrigued to know how you avoid it.

I guess a good starting point is having a more unusual TLD. Mine is .me rather than .co.uk or .com.

zappaDPJ · Nov 21, 2011, 21:56:07

That might indeed make it less of a target, the majority of mine are either .com or .co.uk.

pctech · Nov 21, 2011, 22:11:49

Other tip is be careful where you use it.

I use my .com for CVs or if I am contacting a company or other organisation about something official.

For the rest of the stuff I use free webmail accounts.

I also use a mail host that employs greylisting (MX server ignores the first SMTP connection attempt, a genuine server will retry several times, a spam relay will not)

Lance · Nov 21, 2011, 22:25:50

I use grey listing on my server too.

wecpcs · Nov 21, 2011, 22:46:58

Quote from: Lance on Nov 21, 2011, 21:29:37
I guess a good starting point is having a more unusual TLD. Mine is .me rather than .co.uk or .com.

I do not get any either and mine is .net

Colin