Consequences of reporting Spam?

[Tedr]

For the past few weeks I have been reporting as much spam as I can (as I'm recuperating from an operation I've had a lot of time to do this). I am now worried that I have become a target as, today I recieved a "confirmation order" for goods worth $4,495. Needless to say I never placed any such order and when I click on the link to query it (was that a mistake?) the website that came up appeared to be a scientific journal website. As I opted to be a "mole" is there anyway spammers can trace my IP address for reporting them? Any ideas what I can do about this bogus order?

[Wazoo]

Yes, it was a mistake to "click on the link" ... "Mole" reporting sends no reports out, only feeding the database, so no, your address wasn't compromised that way. As far as what to do, you could just set back and enjoy the $4,495 stuff that's sure to be headed for your door. You could post the spam, preferably over in the newsgroup spamcop.spam for someone else to take a look at it and offer specific suggestions, but if you don't handle that carefully, you'll expose your e-mail address over there. And of course, the obvious question, did you report it as spam? This ploy has been around for ages.

[turetzsr]

Hi, Tedr!

For the past few weeks I have been reporting as much spam as I can (as I'm recuperating from an operation I've had a lot of time to do this).  I am now worried that I have become a target as, today I recieved a  "confirmation order" for goods worth $4,495.  Needless to say I never placed any such order and when I click on the link to query it (was that a mistake?) the website that came up appeared to be a scientific journal website.  As I opted to be a "mole" is there anyway spammers can trace my IP address for reporting them?

...Do you believe that there is some linkage between your reporting spam (as a mole) and the appearance of this "order"? My guess (and hope) is that there isn't, just coincidence.

  Any ideas what I can do about this bogus order?

...Would suggest reporting it as spam through SpamCop (as with any other spam), with cc to uce[at]ftc.gov.

...Also would suggest that you NEVER click on ANYTHING in an unsolicited e-mail before independently verifying that it is harmless.

[Firefly]

It is a common spam technique to send a fake notice of a purchase, with the intent of encouraging the recipient to contact the spammer to "correct the error". I got one of these today saying my credit card had been charged $69.95 for Viagra, and then went on to explain what Viagra was for (something no real "invoice" would do.) It then gave various toll-free numbers for order issues and other things.

I think this particular spam was a "Joe Job", sent to cause trouble for an innocent company, but the principle holds. Examine the message carefully - does it give your full name and mailing address? Spammers would not easily obtain these, but a legitimate invoice would have them.