uk lottery scam

[wendyl]

At the weekend I received an email (yahoo) suggesting I had nearly 0.5million online lottery win. Obviously not having entered any such thing I did not return the suggested email enquiry. My concern is how these emails get through 'spam traps' like a normal message and are not flagged up as spam. Helpful comments appreciated

[ll_billym]

They get through because spam traps aren't perfect and cannot always distinguish between spam and a normal mail.

If the senders address is not blacklisted (i.e. a new address) and the message content does not match the profiles in the spam filter then it will get through.

Messages of this type are a nuisance but the filters cannot be too restrictive or nobody would be able to send anything.

Imagine that you did win the lottery but you couldn't email your friend to tell them about it because it kept being binned as spam.

[wendyl]

Thanks for replying ll_billym. As I rarely do the lottery anyway won't worry about it too much - in the event I did win I wouldn't be broadcasting with emails either!

[johnbjohn]

Do not under any circumstances reply to this con.
I replied to one and the thet write back asking for your bank details.
Luckily i previously read up on these scams and wrote back to them telling them that they were a bunch of conning B......s. and heard nothing back.
By repling to them you leave yourself open to other such scams, so please do not reply to them.

[wendyl]

thanks for warning johnbjohn - no way I would reply anyway

[Kos]

By replying to any spam mail you also let the sender know that your email account exists and is in use so they'll spam you even more.
Never reply to Spam emails!

[ACtheTROLL]

hi

I see from your question that your connection is up and running.

now your real problems begin!
it's a big bad world ... and spammers change their tactics as and when new defenses are developed.

one defence strategy is to create a google (hotmail or yahoo) mail account and only use it for registering on websites.
another for buying things
and keep one personal for friends and family

the big spam magnet will be the register one
but even field and trek sell on their customer's e-mails
then when eventually the spam gets silly ... just open a new account and let the old one sink without trace.

serious spam uses a different tactic .... they rely on stupidity.
send a 1000000 e-mails with an attachment ... and they might get 1000 people stupid enough to open the attachment.
(they also use "freecheck" sites - klick here for a free virus/registry/performance check
sad-ware and phishing sites also plant this type of software as does pirate software from torrent sites.
the software exploits a broadband's always onness
and turns your machine into a "zombie"

using your email account to send spam to others - when you are not using the connection.

that way they are using a "legit" account which passes the spam filter
this is where a good firewall comes in .... and hopefully will block the prog accessing the internet

[wendyl]

Thanks ACtheTROLL. I already have various email addresses to use in a similar way to your suggestion. We have had a couple of weeks trouble free since our series of problems after the upgrade and new wiring. Hopefully this will continue but I will call on helpful ABers should the need arise they rarely let me down!