EmailDiscussions.com - View Single Post - How to filter out "mail delivery failure" spam?

n5bb · 8 Jul 2004, 03:38 AM

This sounds like a "Joe Job". I have had the same problem ... some spammers using my domain name for their return address, with random words for the username.

I started using FastMail in order to stop getting these messages. But I had to set up specific aliases to virtual domain email addresses I was using, so that the false usernames used by the spammers are rejected by the FastMail server. I can not use the *@mydomain.com catch-all method of retrieving my virtual domain emails. I have had no problems with my basic FastMail email address, so my comment here are only for virtual domains.

So I think the only easy way to insure your sanity is for you to set up a specific virtual domain for each username you have used (such as SAM@mydomain.com, BOB@mydomain.com, etc.). Then the only Joe Job spam which will get through is if the spammer happens to accidentally choose one of your aliases (SAM or BOB in my example). In my experience, this is very rare.

Otherwise, you could try to ignore all delivery error messages. But this is dangerous, since you would never know when an email to a friend failed to be delivered.

8 Jul 2004, 03:38 AM	#9
n5bb Intergalactic Postmaster Join Date: May 2004 Location: Irving, Texas Posts: 8,930	This sounds like a "Joe Job". I have had the same problem ... some spammers using my domain name for their return address, with random words for the username. I started using FastMail in order to stop getting these messages. But I had to set up specific aliases to virtual domain email addresses I was using, so that the false usernames used by the spammers are rejected by the FastMail server. I can not use the *@mydomain.com catch-all method of retrieving my virtual domain emails. I have had no problems with my basic FastMail email address, so my comment here are only for virtual domains. So I think the only easy way to insure your sanity is for you to set up a specific virtual domain for each username you have used (such as SAM@mydomain.com, BOB@mydomain.com, etc.). Then the only Joe Job spam which will get through is if the spammer happens to accidentally choose one of your aliases (SAM or BOB in my example). In my experience, this is very rare. Otherwise, you could try to ignore all delivery error messages. But this is dangerous, since you would never know when an email to a friend failed to be delivered.