Have you recieved an email...

[some1somewhere]

Hello,

I recently recieved an email in my mail box that is really strange. It ends in the sufix yandex.ru, which the website looks like a russian version of yahoo. The email consists of broken english telling me that this person looked up some profiles (although it doesn't tell what website they used or what profile they saw) and choose me to email (not telling me how they got the email) and they have my first name (which I have no idea how this person got). It gives me a little info on this person, like age, that they live with their parents, sell toys, where they got for fun, their name and nickname, and asked me similar questions. The first email had an attachment that didn't have anything in it. When I ignored the first email, I got a second one asking why haven't I responded (no attachment on the second one). I replied asking how this person got information on me, but now I am thinking I shouldn't replied at all. Anyway has anyone else received sure a random email, and does anyone know of a website that someone could get such information?

Thanks

 

[unit5610]

If I ever get something like that I just delete it without opening it. I think that opening it just opens you up to more stuff from whoever these people are, plus sometimes these things have viruses and other crap. Hopefully you won't keep getting this stuff now...

 

[TKpervert]

Yup, what Unit said. Don't even open this crap.
If you use Outlook, turn off the 'preview' option as even that can get you in trouble.
As to your question of how the sender got info on you, your email address and attendant info has been sold. As careful as I am, it's even happened to me.
It's a jungle out there.

 

[TklDuo-Ann]

I totally agree with the others about not opening stuff when you aren't familiar with the sender. As for how they get your address...

One way that strangers can get your name and e-mail is through all those stupid forwards that people do. 50 million people getting the same stuff with 90% of the e-mail chock full of other people's e-mail addresses (and names if they assign names to their e-mail) leaves a lot of opportunity for game playing. This is why I very rarely forward anything. When I do like something enough to pass along, I copy and paste the part that needs to be forwarded into a fresh e-mail and dump the one with all the addresses.

Also, when I send out mass e-mails, I always use the blind carbon copy for the addresses. I'm constantly yelling at my mom and sister-in-law who both refuse to use blind carbon copy and have our name and e-mail plastered world wide with their endless forwards. If you select people from your address book, the name goes iinto the address line along with the e-mail. So, vigillence is key. You either want to use the blind feature or go back through and dump off the names that go in.

Another way people get this information is through yahoo groups. Spammers love yahoo because it gives then list after list of group member contact info....and often personal info. along with it. All you have to do is go to any yahoo group that isn't smart enough to keep its member list closed to all but the group mods and take your pick.

The main thing to remember is to keep all information that you don't want everyone and their brother to be able to find out OFF the internet. Use an alias. Give very general location. Stuff like that. You can have just as much fun and develop just as many friendships without pasting yourself all over the net. And, if you pass along any of those interminable forwards, just do like I do and dump off the list of other people's info. They'll be grateful that you did.

Ann

 

[supler]

I'm with the other posters, don't open that stuff, but since you have already opened it and the attachment I would say you should run your anti virus program if you have one!

 

[some1somewhere]

Yeah, I scanned for viruses. It was just sure a random email that I was wondering if anyone else had gotten something similar.

Grrrrr, my name being sold... couldn't I just copyright my name so it would be illegal for anyone to sell it.

 

[Ronley]

Yup, what Unit said. Don't even open this crap.
If you use Outlook, turn off the 'preview' option as even that can get you in trouble.

Another option is to set outlook, or whatever client you use, to view only in plain text. Some e-mails can include HTML code that opens an attachment without your authorization. HTML e-mails can look a little strange, they tend to have more extra lines then they should, but that's all.

There is a small industry growing around data mining, that's companies that take all the information you put out on the web and consolidate it in one place. They then sell that information to basically anyone who wants it.

I've never gotten anything quite like this, but I tend to ignore the vast majority of e-mail sent to my hotmail account, most of it just ends up in the junk e-mail folder. I have another e-mail address I use more regularly, but I don't think I've ever given that one out over the web, and as a result it gets almost no spam, something I'd highly recommend if the spam is getting annoying.