From:	"Samuel W. Heywood" <no_spam_samuel_heywood AT subdimension DOT com>
Newsgroups:	comp.os.msdos.desqview,comp.os.msdos.djgpp,comp.os.msdos.mail-news,comp.os.msdos.misc,comp.os.msdos.pcgeos
Subject:	Re: Spambot Fodder : Dont bother to read, just spamming a spammer
Date:	Mon, 28 May 2001 15:43:37 -0700
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On Mon, 28 May 2001, EZoto wrote:

> I find that the best way to get back at a spammer is too simply tell him his
> spamming doesn't work.  I get spammed all the time and not one has affected me
> or hurt my computer.  That goes for viruses as well.  These losers use their
> skills to annoy, offend or ever hurt peoples computers with spam or viruses.
> I use my skills to ignore them because they don't affect my machine.  Spam or
> viruses.
> 
> EZoto

By sending the spam back to the spammer you might be telling him that his
spam does work.

Let me explain.

There are two pitfalls to taking your approach:

1.  The returned spam most probably will not land in the spammer's inbox 
because most spammers use fake email addresses.  In this case the mailer
daemon at your ISP is likely to send the returned spam right back to your
own inbox along with an auto-generated note saying that you sent the
message to a non-existent email address.

2.  If the returned spam does land in the spammer's inbox and he reads it,
then he will have proof that the spam he sent to you went to your valid
email address.  Then he will sell your email address as being one that 
will work for hitting its target.  You are the target.  The enemy now
knows your position and their guns now have a "lock on" for your
coordinates.  As a result you will receive more salvos of spam.

Spam affects your machine by causing it to waste hard disk space and
internet connect time for downloading garbage.  As a result this causes 
you to spend your time in dealing with this annoyance. 

If we are going to defeat the spammers, then we will have to plan some
kind of counter-attack that will be effective.  Otherwise they will just 
continue to exploit their successes.

Regards,

Sam Heywood

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