Spam Bookmarking

[The1980MoscowOlympics]

A few websites I've come across in the past while have been Very underhand when it comes to bookmarks. The websites have attached themselves to my bookmark folder, and despite my deleting of them, when I restart the computer they are there again. These aren't the most flattering websites to have in a bookmark folder either. We're talking "mature ladies" here (?!), along with some financial things I'd never bother my ass to look at. It's only a small addition to the amount of spam I will now hopefully be clearing out. Anyway, do you know of any programmes or remedies?

:angry:

[Farelf]

Never knew they could that without a little help, 1980 (there again, there's an awful lot I don't know). Have you updated your virus definitions and run a full system scan lately? What Symantec call Trojan.Bookmarker.G sounds close to being able to do what you're describing. If that's the baby then maybe your AV application will clean it all up for you. Good luck. If that's it and if there is anything particularly unexpected in the way it managed to infect you, you might like to share it with us. I think we're all in need of a good laugh ;-)

[Miss Betsy]

I think that what you need is SpyBot or Adaware - both are programs that look for malware that web sites put on your computer when you visit their sites. Both have free versions. There are others, but I forget what they are.

Also, NEVER open a spam. There are web bugs that sometimes do the same thing. I only know how to read spam in Outlook Express (right click->Properties->Details->Message Source)

FWIW, you will not be able to "get rid" of spam without changing your email address. Convincing your ISP to use blocklists will get rid of a lot of spam.

Reporting it via spamcop puts the IP address of the spammer on spamcop's blocklist. The email service uses the blocklist to filter your email and puts those email coming from IP addresses on the blocklist into a special folder. It also uses another filter (spamassassin) to catch those email that have not been reported yet. It is the only blocklist that ordinary end users can participate in.

Content filters can be used also to reduce the spam in your inbox. Content filters are automatic Just Hit Delete. The major problem with content filters is that there is no notification to the sender if a real email is caught by the filter and not recognized as real. Blocklists return an undeliverable message to the sender.

HTH

Miss Betsy