Tracing e-mails

[Wikky]

I have received an e-mail from somebody that I do not know. How can I trace the sender. (I have tried replying to the e-mail but they haven't responded)

[zinnie]

Hi 'wickky' you should never reply to e-mails from people you do not know !!! ....I guess you have heard of 'phishing' ....that is to lure people into giving up information about themselves that can be used in identity fraud and other scams ....and e-mails are the No1 way of doing it........maybe this one is harmless ...but it is not worth taking the chance.

[Wikky]

Thanks Zinnie, I think this is genuine. The sender seems to know me very well but I don't recognise them!

[zinnie]

OK 'wikky' ...I hear what you are saying but the reason why so many of these scams work is that 'they appear to be genuine'....Anyway if it is genuine and you have replied they will contact you. ....but to answer your question there is no way to trace the originator of an e-mail. that is why they can't stop 'junk mail.

[vehelpfulguy]

>The sender seems to know me very well but I don't recognise them!

I often get e-mails that sound as though the person knows me but it is obviosuly a scam.

They say things like "sorry I was not here when you rang, please contact me" and things like that.

If you reply all it does is veryify your e-mail is "live" making it much more valuable.

Just replying to an junk e-mail can increase the amounf of spam you get.