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Spam, that isn't actually spam... - a bug's thoughts — LiveJournal [entries|archive|friends|userinfo]
The Love Bug

website | Dave Lee
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Spam, that isn't actually spam... [Oct. 4th, 2003|09:55 am]
The Love Bug
[Current Mood |blahblah]
[Current Music |Spring Harvest - I Have Come To Love You]

In 3 days and 8 hours, I have received no less than 246 bounce emails from AOL. Now I don't blame AOL at all, they're doing what they should do... by emailing me and telling me that the email I tried to send, couldn't be delivered as the mailbox doesn't exist.

The problem here though, is that I didn't send them!! But the person/system that did, addressed them from, and set the Reply-To to something@(my.domain). Examples of the something@ are...
  • gaeuzco1@...
  • vjkqfi@...
  • tavvel@...
  • 1mfmmyur@...
  • ndwvxpvsl@...

These are obviously randomly generated... I presume that it's a virus/worm that someone has ... (Oh look... there's another 2 just arrived!!) ... that the computer owner doesn't even realise they've got.

I've already emailed AOL abuse for advise, but I'm sorely tempted just to forward the 248 emails to them in one shot, and say, "Oi... AOL.... NAAAOOOOO!!!"
LinkReply

Comments:
[User Picture]From: mildred
2003-10-04 02:53 am (UTC)
Hello, found you through friendsfriends and just want to let you know I had exactly the same e-mail problem as you!

Only it was coupled with the same amount of fake Microsoft security update e-mails trying to get me to open a virus. I just had to wait until they stopped coming, which took a little while... I don't think I got quite as many as you in any case..
(Reply) (Thread)
[User Picture]From: kuzanagi_
2003-10-04 03:27 am (UTC)
From what I've heard, emailing AOL for anything other than attempting to open an account with them is a waste of time.
(Reply) (Thread)
[User Picture]From: thelovebug
2003-10-04 04:07 am (UTC)
That may be true actually.

Does OfISP exist? ;o)
(Reply) (Parent) (Thread)
[User Picture]From: poggs
2003-10-04 03:55 pm (UTC)
Solution - don't just accept *@yourdomain to come to you - filter it down so just legal-addresses@yourdomain get delivered, everything else bounces.
(Reply) (Thread)