Recently Experienced a Massive Uptick in Spam

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captaincranky

Posts: 19,649   +8,795
I'm posting this thread as a warning for those who don't read their email thoroughly before opening.....!

I have recently experienced a huge intake of spam email, the likes of which I never seen before. My inbox got 114 overnight.

Since all these emails are of almost identical content, it leads me to believe that a major "botnet" has either been newly created, or activated.

This is the sort of thing that had been attributed to be within "Conficker's" agenda, and/or capability. Point being, that a random errant click could put your machine in the mix of just another spam generator.

So, I don't know if this is "Conficker's" "triumphant" return, or a new piece of demon spyware/ remote execution ware, but I do suggest scanning your PCs, and updating all your security software.

Here are samples of the new Email captions

Cody Clarke order confirmation #2911

Leland Petty professional and affordable

Georgette N. Lake your reorder is now available
 
Captain, do yourself a favor, (actually, everybody should), use Gmail, it has an excellent SPAM filter and I might see 1-2 leak through it once every 3-4 months. Nothing gets on my PC, I occasionally browse the spam folder and hit the magical 'delete all spam' button. The one thing I will never understand is that some of the spam I receive originates from a gmail account, so knowing how good their filter is, why do they bother trying to send it to other gmail users?
 
I actually do have a Gmail account, and you're quite right, I don't see spam at all. But, I reserve the account for business type contacts. Gotta have my "Newegg's having a sale notices". So, this account is not very likely to become a "spam magnet" anyway
However, the problem I'm having is on a s*** Verizon Yahoo account, which I created as being almost disposable in the first place.
Verizon Yahoo's spam filters are pretty darn good, and the "male enhancement" product announcements are all in the spam folder where they belong. I wish and hope for a moment, maybe two, but then I do as I know I must and click. "delete all".
I seriously do think a new botnet has been activated though, this due to the almost tripling of new letter volume, in the course of a couple of days.

I don't recall signing up for anything, and the only new business contact I have added to the Verizon account is, "Redbox", but I don't seriously think they had anything to do with it.
 
This raises another question...
Why can't the IP addresses of the PC's in which the spam originates get flagged and banned from emailing? Is it just me, or is it too easy?
To answer your original question though, I personally haven't had an increase in spam. There was at one time a decrease, then it went back to normal a (few months back).
 
Well, supposedly the "spam" button's" purpose, is to initiate just those actions. I've heard tell of people's Email accounts being closed for just that reason.

However, it probably works like the rest of corporate America, and billing gets attended to first and foremost, while quality of life issues get kicked to the curb. "We just don't have the staff". Well of course you don't, then you'd have to pay for their health care too.

Perhaps Google is better at heading this type of Email off ,"at the pass", as it were.
 
Cap,
does anything show up on your virus/malware scans? is this something you have on your machine inviting these spams? or is this from the outside? pardon the ignorance, not my area.
 
Not to my knowledge......On the Other Hand, It Is an Emachine..

I don't think that there is any resident malware on this machine. I have several anti- everything security programs installed. Super Anti-Spyware, Malware Bytes, Spybot SD16, Adaware, CCleaner, and AVG Free 8.5. Yes I know, but AVG works in splendid fashion for me, honest. Oh, and the new "Advanced System Care" free edition. (this is sort of like "CCleaner", but on steroids).

Plus, I just downloaded the latest version of M$ Malicious Software Removal Tool, and ran that. Nothing found. All these programs are exactly up to date.

The question of an attractor is not quite correct. To my understanding, Email addresses are rather, "harvested", by certain sites. As I said, the account in question is sort of "sacrificial" in nature, and if an Email address has to be left anywhere, other than a bank or Newegg, this account gets the dirty job.

I really think a new botnet has either started, or perhaps an already existing one has finally found me.

So many of these emails , (save for the name of the sender being different), have the exact same wording, which reinforces my botnet theory/paranoid fantasy. These emails are "phishing" type offerings, using personal names in the hope that you click on them accidentally, thinking that the letter is actually from someone that you do know.

I'm hoping that someone further up the Techspot food chain than you or I, will add some further insight on this issue.
 
I don't know if somehow Google just woke up,
because it seems that the spammers are on vacation...
Spam folder is empty for 1-2 days!:confused:
 
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