empty e-mails

[Vic 970]

I've had a few 'empty' e-mails lately the last one from "user@btinternet.co.uk" any ideas?

[sleddog]

If they aren't from people you know then it's probably a newbie spammer. Just wait a while until he gets it figured out

[Budfred]

Do you have an email virus scanner set up? These could be attacks or just the leftovers of someone else's attack. The Klez will send out little fragment emails rather than the full nasty sometimes. Also, did you see any evidence of an attachment that might have gotten stripped off?

Budfred

[Paul Komski]

If you've still got it you could view the source and post the headers here; (just delete any personal info in the headers).

[mjc]

Another one is somewhere along the line an ISP is stripping out a virus attachment or html script in the body of the email.

But without the headers there is not much hope of tracking down exactly what is going on.........

[kayofcircles]

I can see where empty might be worrisome, but less aggravating than the "Chinese puzzle box" emails from someone you trust..but you open it, and open it, and open it yet again..and have a whole bunch of empty screens all over your monitor..

[aussieolie2]

If you are using any anti-virus programs or firewalls (e.g. ZoneAlarm Pro) it may strip out the attachment and display a blank email (as it may contain malish code). I know ZA Pro does this.
You can disable/change this under the settings.

Hope this helps,

Olie

[Vic 970]

Checked the headers and saw no sign of attachment. I didn't intend to open it, but left it in my inbox (instead of moving it into 'suspect') and when my next mail arrived, I clicked it before I realized. Having opened it, I deleted it in haste.

I have zone alarm, AVG, Mailwasher and Ad Aware. and I have since done an online scan at housecall.

[James Bond 007]

Occasionally people type in the same color Text as your E-Mail backround this gives the appearance of a blank E-Mail.Place your pointer at the start of the text ,press and hold the mouse button while dragging it accross the text.This will reveal the hidden text.(But I don't recommend opening E-Mail from someone you dont know.)

[Vic 970]

thanks JB.

I have already deleted them and haven't had any since, but I'll try that if I get another.

Note: I do it on the server (through mailwasher) rather than d/l it to my pc.

[kayofcircles]

Good catch.. James Bond 007 ..that never came to mind, but sure would do it! I couldn't ever get my stationery stuff in OE to work..looked good here but wouldn't "arrive" at destination so if I did pretty colored font on a background, but the background didn't make it..yep, "invisible" ink.

[menkes]

I've been getting those. Thye don't appear to be virus's; likely just ad's. I think they got ahold of my email address via Yahoo groups I belong to. I trie dseveral times to use Reply mode to tell them not to bother me, but it always bounces back! One of thses days I'll submit complaint to CA agency that aks for these.

[Paul Komski]

"NEVER" write back and try to unsubscribe from SPAM. This only tells the spammer that it is a real and active eMail account and only generates more SPAM!!

[Vic 970]

Do not reply to them if you do it tell's them that they have found an 'active' address.

better to use something like mailwasher (which I use now)

http://www.mailwasher.net/

it's free, and well worth having, it bounces the e-mails back, making them think that they have the wrong address
(someone else can probably give a more detailed technical explanation, but I've simplified it for clarity)

NOTE: as well as the spam it has saved me from recieving several virus's.
you can chesck/read your mail before it gets to your pc.

[Vic 970]

Hi paul,

I think we must have replied at pretty much the same time here.

[Paul Komski]

He he he: fastest finger first!!

Happy New Year