Tech: email problems

Subject: Tech: email problems
From: GUEST,milk monitor
Date: 04 Dec 04 - 09:37 AM

This is probably really basic....but do you have an answer please?
Have downloaded Zone Alarm to try and eliminate the spam etc that pours in my outlook express inbox.

It picks up some, but I get tons of emails to email addresses that aren't mine. The address may be similar in parts...but is not my exact address. ZoneAlarm never picks these up as spam.

I can avoid opening them by just deleting everything in the inbox that doesnt match my address.......but why does my computer accept the delivery of these? Is there a way to just allow in the emails addressed to this address? Thanks in advance.

Subject: RE: Tech: email problems
From: Bernard
Date: 04 Dec 04 - 01:27 PM

Without knowing who your service provider is, or whether you have your own domain name, it's difficult to answer.

I'd guess the bit that is dissimilar is before the '@'...

If you are a Freeserve (UK) user, then your email address could have anything at all before the '@', as your username is the bit after the '@'... example: [e-mail] may be the email address you registered, but [e-mail] will also get through. It's a similar situation if you own your domain name.

The simplest solution is to set up 'rules' in your email client, be it Outlook, Outlook Express or whatever, which filters out mail not sent to your 'real' eamil address and puts it into a 'spam' folder for deletion later. You could even send it straight to the deleted items folder, though that may not be wise.

Zone Alarm itself may well have such a facility... I don't know, having never used it.

Subject: RE: Tech: email problems
From: GUEST,milk monitor
Date: 04 Dec 04 - 02:11 PM

Thanks Bernard. I have now found the tools bit in outlook express, but can't find a rule that allows me to set what address to recieve. There are loads of options but not that one...I could be looking in the wrong place.

I shall see if Zone Alarm has a rule I can set like that. You are right about it always being the bit before'@'.

Subject: RE: Tech: email problems
From: Bill D
Date: 04 Dec 04 - 06:39 PM

you are, simply, in trouble. I had 3 different email filtering programs where you set 'rules', and let it learn what NOT to download, but once your basic address is known and sold, they will send variations on it using even more elaborate tricks than the filtering program.

Before I changed providers and made specific 'before they find me' preparations to keep from being found, I checked mail 'on the server'...that is, I looked at a list BEFORE downloading my mail, deleted the crap, and let my email get the few good ones. You can get 'some' relief by using one of the filtering programs, although Outlook Express is a special target...

here is one example http://www.glocksoft.com/sc/ It does 'work'...that is, it carefully excludes anything you tell it to, using rules you design, but if your basic address has been sold to 200 spammers, each of those will use 20 variations of THEIR address to send spam.(and they are geniuses at faking addresses, or routing spam thru other addresses that you have not blocked. You will get less than if you didn't use it....but that may not be enough....

The best defense, in some ways, is to see if you can change your email to 1)something new...and 2)to something that automated 'guessing programs' won't come up with--letter/number combinations not in a dictionary. Then, do NOT use that address to sign up for anything...get a 'throwaway' web mail address, like at Fastmail.fm, or Hotmail.com, when you need to give an address to anyone except those you trust.

I sure hope something works....I am living in a world where spam has not found me again...yet...*grin*...it sure is nice.

Subject: RE: Tech: email problems
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 04 Dec 04 - 06:56 PM

Mail Washer lets you look at the crap online without being able to corrupt your PC, then delete the crap, and only download what you want.

Subject: RE: Tech: email problems
From: Maija
Date: 04 Dec 04 - 07:23 PM

I recommend downloading Eudora Light (or paying for Eudora Pro). Most viruses that spread via email are targeted at Outlook, and with Eudora you don't get that. No auto-play, no sending notification of email being read without you even being aware of the notification having been sent (how to verify that an addy works) etc.

I've been using Eudora since '94 and am very pleased with it.

Subject: RE: Tech: email problems
From: Bill D
Date: 04 Dec 04 - 07:33 PM

indeed...I also use Eudora, and it helps avoid stuff specifically aimed at Outlook, but neither it, nor MailWasher, nor G-Lock..etc address the overriding problem. Fooletroupe has offered one more version of what I noted above...looking at the spam online and deleting it before it can get to your PC. I used this method for several years, but barely kept up. The fight against spam has just begun...*sigh*

Subject: RE: Tech: email problems
From: Bernard
Date: 04 Dec 04 - 07:43 PM

Outlook Express will allow you to define a 'Sent To' address - look under Tools, Message Rules, Mail and select New Message Rule.

What you will actually do is to set up a rule to filter out mail sent specifically to your correct address, which can go to a folder called, for example, 'Inbox 2' - from then on, all mail remaining in the original inbox will be spam, and you can 'Ctrl A' to mark them all, hit delete and they'll all go into 'Deleted Items'.

Okay, maybe it's a little inconvenient having two inboxes...!

Subject: RE: Tech: email problems
From: GUEST,DrWordaway from the cookie jar
Date: 04 Dec 04 - 09:43 PM

I don't know quite how, having followed all this nonsense since when ...

but my ISP's spam filtering kicked in this year and it [I can't tell you how, but] WORKS! After a three-year wait for broadband, this is just way good.


Dennis
Oak in the Acorn

Subject: RE: Tech: email problems
From: GUEST,milk monitor
Date: 07 Dec 04 - 04:24 AM

Thanks to you all. I will try Bernard's dummy inbox first....it sounds like it should work? Am loathe to download anything else at the moment, as I never seem to manage it without repercussions.

Subject: RE: Tech: email problems
From: GUEST,Jon
Date: 07 Dec 04 - 04:44 AM

I don't like ISP spam filtering. It may get 90% + right but there is always going to be the odd bit that gets through (not really a problem) and the odd valid message that gets bounced. I have had particluar problems sending to friends with aol accounts in the past.

My ISP (the one I use for web hosting) does not attempt to block the spam but does modify the message to make it easy to set up filtering rules on programs like OE. Suspect messages reach me marked as low priority and with [RBL] added to the subject line.

That of course means I still have to download the messages but I am in the fortunate position of also being able to access my email via the web and I believe (I've never looked into it) set up my own filtering rules to be executed at the server.

Jon

Subject: RE: Tech: email problems
From: treewind
Date: 07 Dec 04 - 05:00 AM

Mozilla Thunderbird is a very capable emailer that includes powerful spam filtering, does not suffer from Outlook's and OE's security shortcomings and is free. It will import all your address book and settings from MSO/OE when you install it too.

Using that and Mozilla Firefox for a web browser should make Windows dramatically more secure and pleasant to use on the internet.

Anahata