BleepingComputer.com: Is There A Way To Combat Spam By Replying With

I'm going to have to change my email address I get about 200/day. I don't want to change email addresses. Has anyone ever heard of or tried replying to the messages and pasting that 'undelivered mail' message that I get when I send a message to an email address that is no longer valid.

I'm using thunderbird and have tried spam filters but I have yet to see one that actually works.

Help! I'm being bombarded and hate it.

Spammers don't read email.
You are right in that the fastest way to get rid of spam is to change addresses.
You will be right back in the same boat if you don't change the habits that caused the problem in the first place.
Get some free email programs and use them when you have to use an email address online. Never use your ISP email address. Never open spam as a lot of spam instantly reports back "we got a live one".
Never click on a link in ANY email.

And to add to what buddy215 said,

Use the "ONLY email from" function. That means that if an email address or domain name isn't on your list, their email won't get into your inbox. That is your REAL spam filter.

Besides doing what's recommended to you, you're just short of getting a new email address. And if it is your email address your isp assigned to you, then stop using it immediately, and go get you a FREE one. I have some that I've had for years, and I do use them, but I get no spam. Maybe about 30 per year, if that.

[UPDATE_ Added Info]STOP using your REAL email address when filling out forms on the Internet, because you're asking for spam to be sent to you.

WitsEnd, on Dec 26 2006, 06:39 PM, said:

That doesn't work because spammers modify emails so that the return path is forged. It does not necessarily come from where they sent it. The undelivered mail message is actually a legitimate one because spammers use false names, addresses, phone numbers, and other contact information to set up disposable accounts at various ISP's. They can & have set up paid for these accounts by using stolen credit card numbers, or by providing falsified information. This, in turn, allows them to quickly move from one account to the next as each one is discovered and shut down by ISP's.

As stated above, your best bet is to change your email address. Don't give out that address to anyone other than friends that you would want to have it. For other things on the net that you fill in an email address for, set up a temporary email account that you can eventually, if necessary, change or dispose of altogether.

You should also install one of these two extensions into Thunderbird to report any spam you may get in the future.

Okopipi

KnuJon

Spammers will masquerade their E-mails as coming from mailer-deamons for two reasons: the address bypasses any ISP or service's spam filtres (since these MAY be legitimate returned notifications) and secondly, because of the social engineering involved in using your curiosity to open the attachments to see what the "returned mail" was.

The best practice for handling these is to never open them and always delete them immediately.

Regards,
John

Walkman, on Dec 26 2006, 10:04 PM, said:

How do I use the 'only email from' function? I'll try that in addition to setting up a new free email account. What about setting up an 'alternate or sub account' off my ISP account I can set up several email addys' .

Thanks for the info.

Read the line below.

DO NOT use any email addresses from your isp... period. You only need your isp to access the Internet. You don't need to use your isp to send or receive email.

Depending on your email account you have, it'll be located in the filtering area somewhere. Hotmail is a good FREE one. I've used it for years now, and I have no problems with spam at all. But technically, any email account will, as long as it's not from your isp.

WitsEnd, on Dec 27 2006, 02:09 PM, said:

In Thunderbird go to Tools > Message Filters & create a filter. This is one i set up as an example; you can create yours as you would want it to be.

Click to enlarge: