topic Re: Cherished domain name / spam in Tech Help - Software/Hardware etc

Cherished domain name / spam

Brock23 — Mon, 30 Jan 2023 15:40:45 GMT

I have been spammed and I get the 'Mail Delivery Failed: return to sender' message

I have several email addresses with my domain name eg mail@mydomain.com mark@mydomain.com. I set these up >15 years ago and have masses of contacts etc. However I have forgot the set up process

Only mail@mydomain.com has been affected. I suspect that mail@mydomain.com is now 'lost' to the spammer bless him. (though would appreciate any help here if not).

I have created a new mail box Email@mydomain.com to try and get around the problem. But my newly created address is Emailmail@mydomain.plus.com (the additional 'plus'). How do I get rid of the 'plus' bit ?

(I propose to run mail@mydomain.com and email@mydomain.com in tandem until I close down mail)

Sorry if this is very basic - newbie /oldie

Re: Cherished domain name / spam

MisterW — Mon, 30 Jan 2023 15:52:48 GMT

@Brock23 if your domain is hosted by PlusNet, then Email@mydomain.com and Email@accountname.plus.com are the same mailbox.

Re: Cherished domain name / spam

Brock23 — Mon, 30 Jan 2023 22:13:27 GMT

Thanks !

Re: Cherished domain name / spam

corringham — Tue, 31 Jan 2023 10:19:32 GMT

As MisterW said, if the domain is hosted by Plusnet then the user@mydomain.com and user@mydomain.plus.com are the same mailbox - BUT they are not the same domain. You can never move mydomain.plus.com away from Plusnet (and since Plusnet are deprecating e-mail at some point it will just go away, leaving you without your mail address). Your mydomain.com can be moved to another ISP/hosting company.

However, I'm curious as to what you mean when you say you have been "spammed". You suggest that the spammer has control of your mydomain.com e-mail.

If you are receiving mail delivery errors for mail you haven't sent, then it is much more likely that a spammer has simply been putting your domain as the "From:" address on mails they are sending from their own domain(s). It is straightforward to stop that by using SPF records to restrict which domains are accepted as being allowed to send mail from mydomain.com.

Re: Cherished domain name / spam

Brock23 — Tue, 31 Jan 2023 18:01:51 GMT

Hi Corrinham - thanks for getting back

Yes Plusnet host my domain name.

I think your last paragraph nailed the issue. I started to get lots of emails ('mail send failure) as described; that I did not send and each with a different email address. Hence my description 'spammed'

I have several other mail boxes with the same domain: 'cherisheddomain.com (family members etc) which seem to be unaffected.

I appreciate that I shall have to arrange for cherisheddomain.com to be hosted elsewhere in due course.

In the meantime, how do I go about the SPF route for the one (?) mail box that is affected ? (I would need simple instructions pls)

Are there any downsides ?

Likewise, are there any security implications (generally) as a result of this ?

Thanks

Re: Cherished domain name / spam

RPMozley — Tue, 31 Jan 2023 18:30:14 GMT

This type of spam is called “backscatter” and usually over time will eventually calm down.
It’s not associated with any direct attacks or malware, so any security concerns are not very likely.

Re: Cherished domain name / spam

corringham — Tue, 31 Jan 2023 18:58:53 GMT

I'm afraid I don't use Plusnet's hosting, so I'm not sure of the process of adding an SPF record - I expect someone here will know. I expect @bobpullen will know whether it is possible, and if so may be able to help.

Note also that although the "backscatter" will subside in time, it is worth using SPF (or other mechanisms to restrict the source of e-mails) as some e-mail systems may blacklist your domain as being a source of spam (it is bad practice, but some do this).

Re: Cherished domain name / spam

Browni — Tue, 31 Jan 2023 19:29:47 GMT

@Brock23 as Plusnet host your domain this may help to set up the SPF record.

Re: Cherished domain name / spam

MisterW — Tue, 31 Jan 2023 19:45:48 GMT

In the meantime, how do I go about the SPF route for the one (?) mail box that is affected ? (I would need simple instructions pls)

@Brock23 you can only add an spf record to the whole domain. The spf record will apply tom Sending mail from any of the mailboxes

@Browni thanks for that , I was trying to find a thread with the 'please -add-spf-records' example but couldn't find it

Re: Cherished domain name / spam

Brock23 — Thu, 02 Feb 2023 12:06:38 GMT

Thanks !