outlook express blocking problem

[fran]

I get loads of adverts for things I do not want and probably should not take! Usually I just delete them,but in the last few days I have been blocking the senders in the hope that it would reduce the volume of them for a while.When I start the process the address of the sender comes up.I have just tried to block someone and the sender's address comes up as mine! How do they do that and what shall I do?
Fran

[Raphael]

Spam and Pyramid scams.

I get loads of adverts for things I do not want and probably should not take! Usually I just delete them,but in the last few days I have been blocking the senders in the hope that it would reduce the volume of them for a while.When I start the process the address of the sender comes up.I have just tried to block someone and the sender's address comes up as mine! How do they do that and what shall I do?
Fran

Hi Fran, This is a problem that can be aggravated by opening these unwanted mass marketing adverts. some even making it look as you have sent it to yourself, Once opened they then send you (them) again via what is called a proxy. Some of your friends unknowingly, sometimes send you an interesting mail some of them funny and quite good. But if it has at the end of the mail "pass this on to a friend" etc; and the mail has a list of other addresses at the top, one of which is yours, and you pass it on, then the original marketing source which dozens of people have contiually added it to other people, builds up to a Pyramid scam which can amount to several thousand of EMail addresses all of which go back to the the marketing company to send you and everyone else Spam.
Another trick is "Your computer may be at risk" Click here for free test. It goes through a test and lists dozens of errors, then asks you to "Click here to remove" It removes most of them, but states there are several it says it cannot, Then asks click here, and tries to sell you PC TOOLS, £29.99. It does not tell you that the ones that it removed are temporary files, that every computer makes when you are using it, and if your computer is set up correctly they would be removed when you are closing down anyhow.
This is a typical marketing scam.
Best Wishes
Take Care
Raphael (UK) and Düsseldorf (D)

[fran]

Raphael,Thank you very much for explaining this.I never open the adverts,but I do get some emails from friends of the sort you describe.I'll just continue to delete them,and remember not to pass anything on.
Fran