[X-Newbies] Dealing with Spam

[silvo conticello]

> Is there such a thing as software or a script that can return 
> suspicious
> e-mails to their point of origin that would make them look like they 
> were
> undelivered?
Most email clients have a bounce to the sender option. The problem with 
this option are:
- most of the suspicious mail uses spoofed email addresses (and if the 
spoofed address is real, the poor guy will get tons of unwanted bounced 
emails)
- bouncing to the sender, could be read as a confirmation that your 
email address exists.

>  I get the impression that much Spam is sent on spec and that
> both opening or deleting them merely confirms an address to be valid.
Deleting (w/o opening) does not send any confirmation.
Opening, gives a confirmation only if there are hidden links in the 
email. I don't know for other programs, but in Mail if a program is 
labeled as junk, any link/image won't be displayed (thus you can 
consider them safe).
In this view, it is safer not to have the viewer panel open in the 
Inbox: the viewer panel opens automatically any selected message in he 
mailbox.

> Are there other ways of making my Mac and my addresses more invisible?
- Give your email address only to "trusted" people (although this would 
label as untrusted all PC users without  AV software) that won't 
disclose it on the web.
Use a junk email address for lists and for whatever cannot be trusted.

Silvo

Silvo Conticello
Albook 17" 1.5GHz/1.5Gb RAM/80Gb HD/OS10.3.9
iMac 1GHz/500Mb Ram/80Gb HD/OS10.4.1/17" display
Cambridge UK