Hi Snidely, It amazes me how adults can act like a teenager. May I ask how you stopped it....deleted your account or what. I started getting to much spam on one of my accounts That I had for years and had to delete it.

I assume it is the Yahoo address you are referencing.

If it wasn't so serious, rude, and immature I might spend a moment thinking it was funny. However, I historically address life actions like this as "children's hour" or "sandbox time".

The ISP may be a McDonald's for all we know.

Finally, as angry as I might be I would just have a beer and mentally work as to blow it off. The more time and effort wasted on the issue makes the intrusion more successful.

DA

This is why having at least 1 junk email address is a good idea. I give out my primary email only to trusted individuals and businesses with whom I need to correspond regularly. The others get the @aol or @yahoo emails...and so far my primary email remains spam-free. That so many people don't realize this simple fact is the big factor in why spam is so prevalent.

The problems I have is registering to sites, like health and other interests I have. I always start getting spam right away. I do have a disposable, but it is still irritating.

Emma, I didn't count, maybe 20 or more different items, each took like two clicks to dispose of. I'm sure it took longer to set up than to eliminate, that's funny all by itself. I spent less than 10 minutes on it.

DA, I agree with all your comments and those of the others too. It was a Verizon Fios line, so it could be a public place but maybe not.

It's simple to me whether it's a public place or a private home. How many of us live in that city........probably just the guilty one and he/she is probably one of the more vocal posters here.

I use Thunderbird and since starting WIN7 I am getting scads of email addressed to my primary email address, but they don't have my name or screen name on it anywhere. This morning, there were 10 of them and out of curiosity, I clicked on each one, which took me to WOT sites. Is there any way to stop this?

I have a Yahoo address here at GW and I have allowed it to a couple local businesses, because I like to get their ads. Never have had a problem with it.

Sue

Sue the fact that you clicked on them may well cause you to get more spam as there is often coding in there reporting back if an email is opened.

I do believe the way Snidely wrote his piece that he was targeted by someone with nothing better to do than disagree but in a nasty way. He also suggests the fix was not that difficult for him, just frustrating.

Google how to go in the backdoor in Thunderbird and safely use that method. If you are sure it is spam them just delete, even blocking does not work if they use multiple addresses.

I do find it interesting that there is not much comment to this concern even though it could just as easily happen to them. I guess members just don't care.

DA

I think people care about people they like and ignore the others, especially on forums where we can't look each other in the eye. I have seen a big change in discussion forums over the years and the main one is that people seem to have lost interest in posting. I for one have backed off because of the reaction to some of my replies. In spite of that I happen to like people. In real life if my feelings get hurt I just smile and continue to be kind instead of getting angry. That confuses them a bit. LOL

DA I think the thing with this forum is that we are all middle aged to well beyond that. As such it is a very genteel forum. Also those seeking help are not computer nerds, rather they are 'normal' folk seeking help to make the computer do as they wish. Flaming is a rarity here thankfully.

I don't know who messed with Snidely nor why but from my perspective the man gives solid advice and I count him in the asset column. Yes, on occasion he has been a little terse but that is very likely the nature of the man.

EmmaR, if you are referring to changes in computer forums I suspect technology has improved making many posts unnecessary. I belong to 2 other very geeky computer forums and back in the day a page of help wanteds would appear in hours, now both sites need days to fill the same page.

Computers and software have made amazing strides over the years so that today the majority of posts relate to person's lack of understanding with a new (to them) operating system. Also there is a wealth of information on Google and Youtube.

E and O,

Good points which could very well be accurate. Maybe it is my life and my work history, but I have been pondering why in perhaps a darker angle.

DA

My two cents worth...just "because". :-)

I left permanent participation at this forum many years ago...in the days of Spike and required paid membership...because I was being stalked and harassed by both known and unknown participants through email and on this forum.

When trouble began I quickly removed my private info and email address from the GW site and have never re-entered it. Had I not been so naive at the time...I would never have supplied it in the first place. But...that being said...I found this forum quite by accident during my earlier PC days when I was looking for some computer info. I had no other experience regarding forum atmospheres and learned quite quickly that I should have known better when it came to supplying my personal info.

Today...older and wiser...I pop in to read but rarely participate whether I am knowledgeable enough to offer help or not. Once in a while...I just can't help myself. :-) But for the majority of my time, leaning over the shoulders of a writer is enough. I may be a computer nerd...but volunteering to the point of personal stress is not appealing.

As for unwanted email...I never open anything I don't recognize no matter how cute the tag line may be. And, I block any future email from the sender by using the block email option provided by my ISP. It works like a charm as long as one knows how to read headers and recognizes the correct "sender" info to enter. Unfortunately, MS has never provided such an accurate solution/option for Outlook users. They have a "block sender" option...but it doesn't work so I'm very grateful that my ISP is more talented in that department.

Anne

Owbist, it's not just the help forum, it's all the forums on THS and probably forums all over the net. KT seems to be the only one that is active.

E,

Two things I forgot, and will add now.

First, late summer to early fall is historically the longest down time for this forum. During the holidays it does slow down here, but the aforementioned time frame is noticeably longer.

Also, I do not open forwards of any type. None. My family and friends know not to send them. Too much bad can happen. If the originating e-mail is important enough they will take the original and recreate it in some fashion. I also return the courtesy.

DA

DA I rarely get a forward but I tell anyone I give my email address to not to send me forwards. Most of my spam comes from registering at sites I am interested in. Not sure I will do that again.

Most of my spam comes from registering at sites I am interested in. Not sure I will do that again.

This is why I keep one of my throw away addresses, it is used mostly where an email address is required. No problem to abandon it and create a new one if and when spam takes over.

I have what I call a disposable account for that very thing, but it is with my server so don't know if that is being smart or not???

The times they are a changing, here at the forums as well as every where else.

My question in the above post was answered with this suggestion "Google how to go in the backdoor in Thunderbird." I followed it and it took me to a site where I found help with replacing the back door of a Ford Thunderbird. Not exactly what I was looking for, but it made me smile at the connection.

I knew that what I was getting was spam, and as I said, out of curiosity, I clicked on them. What surprised me was the fact that each led to a WOT site. Don't the spammers know that? How futile.

Sue

SV,

Curiosity and the Internet are not good bedfellows.

DA

Oh, but, DA, without curiosity, we would never have had the internet. Some really brainy curious folks put it all together, piece by piece.

I do think, though, that some of the Microsoft brains were out to lunch when they put WIN7 together.

"Curiosity killed the cat."

But:

"Satisfaction brought it back."

Sue

If we weren't curious we would not learn much. When I was young I had encyclopedias that I would read in my spare time and use them for reference. The internet is much better and nothing fatal is going to happen to me by going into a bad site, the world will not end. I protect myself in all circumstances especially against intruders into my home, that could be fatal, but will never let fear of an infection in my PC to stop me from satisfying my curiosity.

This post was edited by EmmaR on Fri, Sep 13, 13 at 18:24

I speak solely of the operational side of the Web, and you must remember we as posters share information in this thread with less experienced users as perhaps we are; both forum participants and lurkers. We would be remiss in publicly taking a cavalier attitude towards the Internet in the chance we could influence those who are unprepared to make proper choices.

As examples, why do members constantly counsel others not to open unsolicited e-mails? Why do members urge others to utilize, and heed the ratings of WOT? Why?

Of course there is the circumstance of unfamiliarity, but also because their unbridled curiosity could lead them down the path. We have to always remember we are not just discussing some little forum like here. Protocols, disciplines, and self-control have to be developed and maintained no matter what the focus and usage of the Internet may be.

A complaint as to a porn site taking over a user's homepage is not the result of going to the National Geographic site. An e-mail inbox suddenly flooded with spam is not from visiting cbs.com. All the victims over at Landzdown didn't get infected by their financial institution's website.

No one should think that the small core of members who seem to have more than their fair share of malware concerns is due to just bad luck? As many of us have reported here for years, "the best AV is an educated user", and to that I add, "and a defensive user".

The Web is a wonderful, mysterious, exciting place to explore. However, a user has to be careful where and how he/she "walks" because it is laced with pitfalls. And if by chance a member falls into one some of us are stronger than others.

DA

You are right to a point. Some of us know how to fix the problems have others don't. I didn't know how back in 1996 but I learned by getting infected and then learned to fix it.

I believe these are your words from long ago....

The sky is not falling.

Best wishes to you and yours.

This post was edited by EmmaR on Fri, Sep 13, 13 at 19:29

The other thing to keep in mind too is that,

Drive-by attacks not just from porn and warez sites,

The vast majority of sites that push malware on their visitors are legitimate online services that have been hacked as opposed to those hosted by attackers for the purposes of distributing malicious software.

A good post DA.

On the other hand I like the idea of 'curious' as Sue-va and EmmaR both suggest. But based on my reading posts from these 2 ladies over time I believe both are consummate computer users who know where and when to back off.

There are a large number of computer users who click away simply because the left mouse button is right under the index finger :~)

O, I have to laugh at your last sentence. That was yours truly back when. . . . . . Thank goodness things were not so dangerous then as now, and I managed not to get into much trouble. We live, and hopefully, we learn.

"There are a large number of computer users who click away simply because the left mouse button is right under the index finger :~)"

I'm working with one of those users right now, look at the malwarbytes log if you care too,

Here is a link that might be useful: theirs-bug-somewhere

Thank you Owbist. On the occasion I have to work with a tech like I just did with an apple tech they confirm what you said. LOL

By the way I had a real problem with an upgrade on Itunes. I called and companies usually blame the user but I had proof tthis time and the young tech called his supervisor then he walked me through a fix. It had made my cd/dvd drive icon disappear and unusable. I found a fix on the net that worked then my itunes didn't. So I went round and round for awhile. It all works now.

Interesting discussion.

Please tell me what WOT is.
Also, don't know what CBS.com is and shouldn't go there to find out.

Thanks.

Some people choose to use Web Of Trust (WOT) to help them decide whether or not an unknown web site is safe to visit.

CBS.com is the web site belonging to a certain television network which carries NCIS, How I Met You Mother, The Big Bang Theory, The Late Show with David Letterman and Sunday NFL football among other things. It used to be called the Columbia Broadcasting System.

No Chicken Little for me. The sky is not falling here. Never been one in my entire life regardless of facet. (Though I do admit there have been too many times where I have had to hold my breath, close my eyes, say a quick prayer, and engage.)

I am promoting knowledge, discipline, common sense, and prophylaxis.

As I use to say to my children when they were young, "Go have fun. Just be careful".

DA

This post was edited by damccoy on Sat, Sep 14, 13 at 8:05

Ellie I agree it is an interesting discussion. I am enjoying it. I think it is good to have discussions like this occasionally. It lightens things up a bit.