Hotmail spam

vanderStoep

Senior member
Mar 1, 2000
333
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Recently I opened am hotmail account for my father, and from the beginning he is getting several spam emails a day. when I signed up, I made sure to deselect any online databases etc which where to show his address.He has never used it on the internet or exposed it anyother way, nor did he receive e-cards.
However he still got spam. How did the spammers get his address I wonder?

And why doesn`t hotmail have a function like "do not accept email to more then 10 receptients" or "do not accept email from people that are not in my adresbook."
 

dexmanone

Senior member
Aug 31, 2000
356
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There is a bulk mail function or something like that, that supposed to block emails that aren't addressed exactly to him. They go to the Bulk Mail folder.

As with everything electronic, if there's a way to get around this, the spammers will. Happens to me too!
 

vanderStoep

Senior member
Mar 1, 2000
333
0
0
I know but still it is irritating. the strangest thing is that I have a hotmail account too and I have never received spam on it, so I do not understand why he gets it.

I`m afraid that the bulk mail thing will also redirect mail that is intended for my father.


Does anyone know a good , simple to use, free online e-mail service that doesn`t get it`s user on spam lists.
 

prodigy

Lifer
Oct 9, 1999
14,822
1
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It's hard to get free e-mail that's spam free. Heck, people PAY for AOL and you still get spam.
 

vanderStoep

Senior member
Mar 1, 2000
333
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I was wondering; how do the spammers get the email adress?
I did not expose it
and I doubt that hotmail gives it to them
it is not in any hotmail online directories

So are the spammers automatically guessing the email adres???

That could explain why my father does get spam; his email adres is just his initials and last name@hotmail.com; eassy to guess
mine includes a couple of strange symbols; a lot harder to guess
 

defiant

Junior Member
Sep 28, 2000
12
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I dont think they guess email address. Its more like they use wild cards like a*@hotmail.com and everyone gets that email. I would suggest signing your dad to Yahoo mail. They do a better job in filtering spammers atleast right now. Then again - this is my opinion.
 

Factor5

Senior member
Aug 27, 2000
375
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I becha i know what happened, hotmail deletes your account if you dont use it for a while, so what probably happened is someone had the same e-mail as your dad, their account got erased, then your dad signed up, and the junk mail was still coming over from the old spammers.
 

kmike75

Senior member
Jul 16, 2000
318
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I can't agree with that. I have tried to get on with hotmail and I get spammed every time. I have no problems with go.com at all. There may be others out there that are as good or better, but being the family man I am, I'll stick with what works.
 

Dan

Diamond Member
Oct 9, 1999
5,080
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You should also use SpamCop:

It's gratifying to get a report from an ISP that an account has been closed for spamming. :D
 

vanderStoep

Senior member
Mar 1, 2000
333
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0
Thanks guys, I think I`ll just set up an account for him @ yahoo. Allthough that`ll mean that I`ll have to show and theach him how that works(grrr old people and pc`s)
Still I think that it must be possible for hotmail to stop this. I`can`t see why they do`not just stop all spam to more then say 100 of their users.