posted on May 13, 2001 08:58:41 AM new
This may not mean a lot, but I tried a little experiment last week.
I "registered" with eBay using a brand new email address that I set up specifically for this experiment. This is not a hotmail type account, but an addy with a registered and rather small local ISP.
I did not place any bids nor did I list any items on eBay using this ID.
Within one week, I have received 7 SPAM emails to this address offering me everything from free sex to free diplomas to free travel to contests I have "won".
I have a "legit" email address with the same ISP that I have been using for 4 years and that has never been registered with eBay. In that 4 years, I may have received a total of a dozen SPAMS, and NONE WITHIN THE LAST 3 MONTHS.
I don't know if this means anything, but it certainly looks suspicious ...
posted on May 13, 2001 09:35:50 AM new
A couple of months ago, I decided I should register "kudzurose" on eBay, since I use it here and at a couple of other places. I set up a new email address (which I have not used at all, for anything), and I have not used the new eBay account for anything. I just checked the email - there is one email from eBay to "welcome" me, and one from the mail service. Nothing else.
posted on May 13, 2001 12:32:53 PM new
Where does it say they won't sell emails?
Not trying to be combative, just curious.
I, too, have a new ID that I want to spin off some sales onto and BAM as soon as I registered I had spam.
Normally my yahoo ID's just sit empty until I use them.
(I am on several email lists, so it's more convenient to have more than one email)
posted on May 13, 2001 01:27:29 PM new
It is possible that the email name you acquired had been used before and the SPAM was the result of an old email list.
How old? I know people who are still getting spammed on addresses that have not been publically used for 5+ years!
posted on May 13, 2001 04:41:14 PM new
I am convinced that my email address is being sold or shared by either eBay or AuctionWatch. I have seen a huge increase in the amount of spam I receive in the last few months and am VERY unhappy about it. I have only given my real info and my main email address to eBay and AuctionWatch - I felt it was necessary when I signed up for eBay years ago but I was stupid to give it to AW since it wasn't necessary and I wouldn't have given it to eBay under their present Privacy Policy if I were signing up today. BTW, this spam has started AFTER eBay implemented their new messaging system and my email address is not part of my user ID. Also, I haven't been active on their site for the last 6 months. My small local ISP is a personal friend and I'm certain that he is not selling my info AND no one would ever be able to randomly guess the domain name.
I use throw-away addresses with false info everywhere else on the net. I do not use a charge card online and have never ordered anything on the internet except through eBay's site. The items I purchase have always been paid for via money orders. I am extremely security conscious and use a very effective web filter that gets rid of web bugs, cookies, referrers, etc. and I have WSH and all other scripting set to open with EDIT in notepad so they cannot run on my system. I have literally gutted all of the options from my computer that could in any way call out or compromise my security and privacy. I also use a firewall and a good antivirus program.
The following is a very informative article explaining how spammers get your email address and I firmly believe the only way anyone received my address was from eBay or AW since I have taken precautions to prevent the harvesting by using any of the methods listed here:
article:http://www.private.org.il/harvest.html
posted on May 13, 2001 05:08:29 PM new
I should correct myself by saying as soon as I registered my pristine email, untarnished by anything except an occational yahoo blurb for monthes, with Ebay it began to get spammage.
posted on May 13, 2001 08:05:50 PM new
"Is is possible that the email name you acquired had been used before and the SPAM was the result of an old email list."
A million monkeys at a million typewriters for a million years could never come up with the email address I created for my "experiment"!
I have come to the conclusion that eBay IS selling our names ...
posted on May 13, 2001 08:56:23 PM newRB, my email address didn't exist before me because my ISP didn't exist before I chose that address. I've come to the same conclusion.
