email Address

[PAB]

Hi Everyone,

A friend of mine asked if TWO people could have the same email Address, I told him that to the best of my knowledge they could NOT.
He has been receiving email ( on AOL ) for somebody else. He bought the computer from new and installed AOL from one of the MANY free copies that come with the post. This only started happening from last Wednesday.
Has anybody ever heard of this before or know of the reason why, and more importantly know of a solution.

All the Best
PAB

 

[nipsirc]

That is what you call spoofing the email address.

No two or more people should use the same email address unless they want to share it with each other. Like a husband and wife who uses the same email address so they can get away with checking and remembering too many email addresses.

However if i am a spammer, I would use another person's email address (called spoofing) and use that to send multiple thousand emails to unsuspecting recepients. Any of those recepients who want to respond to that spam I just sent, they would instead be replying to the spoofed email address that I used.

That's one reason he can be receiving emails he doesn't recognize.

 

[tomtom]

Hi Everyone,

A friend of mine asked if TWO people could have the same email Address, I told him that to the best of my knowledge they could NOT.
He has been receiving email ( on AOL ) for somebody else. He bought the computer from new and installed AOL from one of the MANY free copies that come with the post. This only started happening from last Wednesday.
Has anybody ever heard of this before or know of the reason why, and more importantly know of a solution.

All the Best
PAB

Well, I had the similar problem. There are web sites with abilities to “harvest“ visitors e-mail addresses by scanning their computers somehow, and later on use these addresses for some sometimes seriously illegal purposes. I had to cancel my previous e-mail address because of that and fortunately did it before any damage.

 

[johnph77]

The ability to scan someone else's address book while in contact with them is known.

No one else has access to your Email address unless they have your password. Be careful here - anyone who asks that you log into their site with your user name and password will have access to all features on your ISP including the ability to flood the 'Net with spam using your Email address. Probably this is how PAB's friend got hooked. Change the ISP password - immediately.

 

[Karnac]

More on phishing

http://www.antiphishing.org/

 

[PAB]

Thanks for the Replies,

He is STILL getting them. The Strange thing is that there is NO Junk or Spam. He had One email from a Company that Quoted some Personal Details, so he Phoned them up Yesterday and told them that he was Receiving the Guys emails, they said they would Look into it.
I will let you know the Outcome, a Strange One you Must Admit .

All the Best
PAB

 

[turbuch2]

Re Email Address

Hi

If you are using Ms Outlook and not Outlook express, you can tell who sent it.

Open the Email & from the menu bar Select View , followed by Options.


Theres a Section on the screen called InterNet Headers

This will contain The actual Email address of the Sender.

and the IP address.


****************

Should you wish to know who the IP address belongs to

Go to
http://www.samspade.org/

and enter the IP address of the sender.

In some cases complaining to the ISP will work, once you know the spammers real address.



*********************

It is quite ease to send an email pretending to be some one else

I wont say how on this forum.


But what I have said above is true, should you want to identify the real sender.


I know all this after being unundated with viruses.

**************************

 

[nipsirc]

Thanks for the Replies,

He is STILL getting them. The Strange thing is that there is NO Junk or Spam. He had One email from a Company that Quoted some Personal Details, so he Phoned them up Yesterday and told them that he was Receiving the Guys emails, they said they would Look into it.
I will let you know the Outcome, a Strange One you Must Admit .

All the Best
PAB

He would still get them because he still uses the same email address which was either spoofed or been used by someone else. The only way to solve this problem is to completely disregard this email address and change it to a completely brand new one.

Here's more information about spoofing or phising.

****************************
Every Internet user should know about spoof (a.k.a. phishing or hoax) e-mails that appear to be from a well-known company but can put you at risk.

Although they can be difficult to spot, they generally ask you to click a link back to a spoof web site and provide, update or confirm sensitive personal information. To bait you, they may allude to an urgent or threatening condition concerning your account.

***What Spoof Emails Are After:
- Credit Card Validation CCV code
- Password or Pin Number(s)
- ATM Debit or Credit Card Number(s)
- Bank Account Number(s)
- Social Security Number(s)

Even if you don't provide what they ask for, simply clicking the link could subject you to background installations of KEY LOGGING software or viruses.

Key Logging
This is another method used to capture your personal information. Here's how it works. You click on a link to a website or open an attachment that secretly installs software on your computer.

Once installed, it records everything you type, including any User IDs, Passwords and account or personal information. Thieves know how to retrieve this information, or even set it up to automatically have it sent back to them! This is a very real risk when using public or shared computers such as those in Internet cafes.

 

[turbuch2]

Email Address

Did once change email address because of viruses, found another way.

But now use the Wizards in Outlook

i.e Tools, Rules Wizard

Create Rules to transfer emails to various folders, so if i get an email I dont Like, I add it to the Junk Senders List.

Or have a rule where Emails From Hotmail are transferred to a folder called DODGY or deleted.

Another way is to have a rule that moves all emails from people not in your address book to the deleted items folder. Work colleague does this.

One of my work colleagues has a rule that colour codes all incoming mails depending on who they are from.

I have a firewall ZoneAlarm, where any dodgy software gets installed, I am prompted when the software tries to access the internet, at which point I make sure I know what it is. Otherwise I tell ZA to Block internet access. (And yes this has happened to me also).

 

[PAB]

Thanks to Everyone for the Replies, Information and Advice.
I will Print out this Thread and give it to him on Friday when I see him. I will keep you Posted on the Outcome.

All the Best
PAB