I will usually use unique email addresses for every web site I give an email address to. I recently got three credit card scam emails to an email address I have only ever used for http://www.focuscamera.com.
These are the kinds of emails that say "click here to verify your account information for eBay/Amazon/PayPal". You go there, it looks like the right site, you put in your CC#, and bam.
So how did this happen? Either Focus Camera broke its word and sold my email address to someone, or it had my email address stolen, which could mean my credit card information was also stolen.
I don't know because they have twice neglected to respond to my queries about the problem. I am contacting the Better Business Bureau -- whose logo appears on their site -- today if I don't hear from them in the next few hours.
Update: BBB says to wait 10 days to hear back from the vendor, I've waited only 7. I'll catch them middle of next week.
Another option is that someone guessed your unique address. It happens sometimes.
Re:Dictionary Attack
pudge on 2004-09-24T18:24:09
Very unlikely.
Re:well, spam lords also
pudge on 2004-09-25T19:28:34
I don't think it ever did go over the Internet in plaintext. Regardless, is not about proving they sold it, it is about filing a complaint with the BBB, so other potential consumers can find out about problems that have occurred.
