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Re: [RC] A REAL FRAUD - Diane Trefethen"...The secret is to delete without reading. If you even open these, they know they have found a legitimate email address ..." Sorry Ed. Here you are wrong. Emails (and websites and Word docs too) can contain Web Bugs, small IMG tags that are only 1x1 pixel. When someone sends out an email containing a Web Bug, the email address the Bug is being sent to is part of the Bug's URL. As soon as you open the email, the Web Bug sends a signal back to its URL and VOILA! - the sender has confirmation that YOUR email address is valid. While most of the newer versions of the popular email clients have the capacity to "block remote images", many do not have that facility set as a default. You have to go into your options and set it. Also, hardly any of the older versions of email clients even HAVE the capacity to block remote images. One of the really dirty things that can be done with Web Bugs is that they can add their URL's to cookies that belong to their senders. Suppose you visit the hypothetical website GreatDrugsAtGreatPrices.com and GDAGP downloads a cookie to your computer. Then later, you receive an email advertising drugs that you open. It contains a GDAGP Web Bug which immediately signals its URL and then checks all your cookie folders for a GDAGP cookie. When it finds it, it adds its URL to the cookie. Next time you visit GDAGP, the cookie is read and now GDAGP can tie your activities on its website to YOU. You are no longer just an anonymous web surfer. For more info on Web Bugs try: http://news.com.com/2100-1023-253517.html?legacy=cnet http://www.eff.org/Privacy/Marketing/web_bug.html Diane =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net, http://www.endurance.net. Information, Policy, Disclaimer: http://www.endurance.net/Ridecamp Subscribe/Unsubscribe http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/logon.asp Ride Long and Ride Safe!! =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
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