On the subject of things I hate...

[ellenmillion]

Does anyone know if there is any recourse for people using my domain as a from-address on spam? Some bastard is sending 'discount valium' crap from s_rch_il@ellenmilliongraphics.com... just as a from address, not as an actual route from what I can decipher of the header-info, but I'm getting undeliverable message warnings in my inbox from people it's been sent to. I plan to go block incoming messages to that address, but I'd rather nail the slimy little creep to the wall. And is this going to get my address listed on spam-blockers? Rargh.

Comments

[songblade.livejournal.com]

nope, people seem to be able to just list a fake domain in their email spam programs without validation from yer actual domain :(

[ursulav.livejournal.com]

According to James, your best recourse is to find the sender's IP address from the header info, do a "who is?" search on that, and this should bring up your spammer's ISP. Complain to them, attach copies of the letters and so forth, demand they stop the guy.

If you're feeling particularly nasty, call up the contact info in the valium thing and give 'em holy hell--it's often not the same people, but you can sometimes get them to drop whoever's doing their spamming if they get enough flak through it--but be angry, be aggressive, and keep calling back.

[ursulav.livejournal.com]

Ah, here we go--to look up the IP addres, go to "DNSstuff.com" and they should be able to help you.

[rhiamon.livejournal.com]

I get that from time to time. Just this week I've had a slew of them, from different IPs and each changing the bit in front of the @. I've been copying the headers (wherein the originating IP can usually be traced) and reporting them through SpamCop. Last time it happened, that seemed to help after a while; at least I've not been getting them from the same IP as before, but apparently my domain name is still floating around some spammers "here's a good domain name to use" lists.

As for getting your address listed on spam-blockers - maybe...it depends on whether the blocker-list is domain-based, or IP-based. If it's IP-based (as I think SpamCop is), no. If it's domain-based (like AOL seems to do), it might. I've been blocked on occasion from AOL because when users forward the spam, AOL (apparently) only reads the domain name, and do not trace the originating IP.

I'd love to go after these buggers as well, but so far I've not been able to find a way to do it in my research!

[theroach.livejournal.com]

There are spam filters that will filter on the domain, others will check the real IPs used. Unfortunately, also some of the RBL services do use the domains.

Someone on my friends list, vyoma, had it happen to him a few days ago, if you check his diary you'll see that he had been blocked by quite some lists...