Received an email from non-public/linked form page

How have they found it?

[Rightz]

I've received an email from [e-mail] to [e-mail] - my host have listed it as possible spam.

This email address is not 'known' to the public and was used for a php review form I've been testing. The email didn't come through the form.

These are the details my host gave me:

Content analysis details: (6.6 points, 5.0 required)

0.6 NO_REAL_NAME - From: does not include a real name
0.7 X_MAILER_SPAM - X-Mailer: header is bulk email fingerprint
1.8 RCVD_IN_SORBS_SOCKS - RBL: SORBS: sender is open SOCKS proxy server
[203.193.165.70 listed in dnsbl.sorbs.net]
1.8 RCVD_IN_DSBL - RBL: Received via a relay in list.dsbl.org
[<http://dsbl.org/listing?203.193.165.70>]
1.7 INVALID_MSGID - Message-Id is not valid, according to RFC 2822

I saved the message attachment and scanned it with AVG free. Showed nothing so I've opened it.

Attached to that is a .zip file and username and password info. I've saved and scanned the .zip file which showed nothing - but I still don't want to open it because I never asked for it!

My question is - how has someone or something got that email when it's not linked to anything or known to the public?

[edited by: Rightz at 10:49 am (utc) on Aug. 9, 2006]

[Rightz]

Anyone? :)

[Badger37]

I have email addresses that also aren't known to anyone and have never been used or documented - and I receive spam!

It seems hard to believe that the spammers will try EVERY [e-mail] but it seems they do?!

I haven't got a catch-all email setup.

In the past I've blamed my host [still do really;¬)].

Perhaps there are ways of querying a domain name to see what email accounts have been set up, and the clever spammers do this?

[piatkow]

I regularly get spam to two convincing addresses @mydomain that have never existed outside of a spambot. At least I can set up rules to zap them, its the ones to random string @mydomain that are difficult to catch.

[Rightz]

Seems anything is possible! Why they bother going to so much trouble for such a small and new site as mine I don't know!

[edited by: Rightz at 8:27 pm (utc) on Aug. 10, 2006]