• American Writers & Artists Inc.

Quick Tip:
Eliminating One Really Annoying Type of Spam

If you own your own domain name (something like www.mycompanyname.com) and get your email through your Web host (myname@mycompanyname.com), chances are you've been getting some really annoying spam lately.

The spam looks like returned email messages. The subject line says something like "Returned mail" or "Email undeliverable." The sender always looks legitimate, such as mailerdaemon@att.com or SystemAdmistrator@finestplanet.com.

These "spoofed" messages are more than an annoyance. They can get your domain name banned by real Internet service providers because they contain spam sales messages … or worse.

We contacted IT expert Joshua Carter to find out what you can do to stop these spoofed returned email messages. Here's what he said:

"When you look closely at these spoofed messages, you'll see they're sent to a non-existent recipient at your domain name, like xyz@mycompanyname.com.

"Most Web-hosting services handle these types of emails by sending them to your main email address. It's called a catchall option (or something similar) and usually is set up by default so you won't miss emails when someone misspells your name.

"If you want to stop this spoofing immediately, go to your Web host and disable the catchall option. Different Web hosts do this differently, so if you don't know how to do it, contact your Web host."

It works – I did it!

How to Land Clients in 21 Days

How to Land Clients in 21 Days with Just Your Computer

How do I land my first client? It’s a question every aspiring freelancer asks eventually. Now, there’s a proven system for landing clients that removes the guesswork. Best of all? No cold calling. Learn More »


Click to Rate:
No ratings yet
Published: April 2, 2007

Guest, Leave a Reply
Please Note: Your comments will be visible by everyone.

You are commenting as a guest. If you’re an AWAI Member, Login to myAWAI for easier commenting, email alerts, and more!

(If you don’t yet have an AWAI Member account, you can register for free.)


This name will appear next to your comment.


Your email is required but will not be displayed.


Text only. Your comment may be trimmed if it exceeds 500 characters.

Type the Shadowed Word
Too hard to read? See a new image | Listen to the letters


Hint: The letters above appear as shadows and spell a real word. If you have trouble reading it, you can use the links to view a new image or listen to the letters being spoken.

(*all fields required)