Ok good folks, in the last four weeks, I have received 3 computer-virus-loaded email messages which could only have come from some "weasel" picking up my e-mail address from this forum.I do NOT mean the one unintentionally picked up from Brad..I didn't get stung by that one.The most recent was today and full of some rather nasty rhetoric referring to my having a gateway computer,as I had mentioned in a recent thread.Just as on the homestead if you find a weasel in the hen house, you'd best shore up your chickenwire, I'd strongly recommend that we all download some new anti-virus software (free on alot of sites)and make this malcontented weasel go "hungry"....Amen?

-- Lesley Chasko (martchas@gateway.net), March 17, 2000

Answers

I agree !! I was waiting to hear of some other people having difficulty. It seems I was added to some pornograpic site by someone and since it is solicited from another place --I cannot get rid of the daily mailings. I too own a Gateway 2000 but I don't risk it on the internet--too much money in designer software to risk. We use a webtv for internet browsing and e-mail since the webtv cannot be affected by any virus. You can pick up a webtv for 25 to 50 dollars at flea markets or pawn shops. That is a lot cheaper than any computer crash I know of. Hope the weasel finds a trap !

-- Joel Rosen (Joel681@webtv.net), March 18, 2000.

Most of the same people answer or ask alot of ?'s.For me I will not open any e-mail from anyone whos name I dont recall from responses here.The one I got said 're-pretty park virus warning' It didn't wind up being a virus but you never know ,the name of the sender was unknown to me .Is there any way your i.s. provider can go after these people if you have there address?

-- Patty Gamble (fodfarms@slic.com), March 18, 2000.

About the end of '99, we had a virus on our computer, how we got it, we don't know. Try to be really diligent about not opening email from those we don't know, but it took forever, we had to run several different virus/cleansing programs, dump and reformat our hard drive and hope for the best. My brother work for AOL, and he wasn't entirely sure that would work, either, but seems to have. In the process, the virus was one that automatically sent our password back to someone who was giving or selling it to others, and we were getting the worse porn imaginable. I was getting instant messages while on line from people that had been corresponding with whomever had the passwords, and they were really ugly. We sent the info to AOL, but never heard from them as to whether they would go after the culprits. For the most part, all that has stopped, but we do occasionally get a porn message, as I guess we are on the mailing list! Very frustrating, but it really makes you wonder about some people's motives! Jan

-- Jan B (Janice12@aol.com), March 20, 2000.

On Sunday of all days I received an e-mail from "youngntender.com"I did check it out to see what it was , and this lovely site was proud to say they had the yougest girls allowed by law in there photos!.To the sick person who is giving out are e-mail addresses I HAVE SMALL CHILDREN IN THE HOUSE AND DO NOT WANT THIS CRAP WITHIN THERE REACH!I just thought I would let you all know so you can be on the lookout.As for me ,the kids cannot go into e-mail until I go first .I don't know what this world is coming to ,wish there were another option sometimes Mars anyone?

-- Patty Gamble (fodfarms@slic.com), March 20, 2000.

Does Mars have a 40 acre plow-able field--sign me up for the last frontier ! And--yes Children are the issue. I installed a password on my web because of this. I thought it might be my older boys but it seems we are not subscribed from our address so we cannot delete our address. omething called double opt in. Someone told me this is called spam and the only way to get rid of it is to change your e-mail address. I cannot do this without causing my entire family a lot of trouble. I guess the password is my best alternative. I tried appealing to the sender and surprise---no affect and no response. Any suggestions??

-- Joel Rosen (Joel681@webtv.net), March 20, 2000.

Does Mars have a 40 acre plow-able field--sign me up for the last frontier ! And--yes Children are the issue. I installed a password on my web because of this. I thought it might be my older boys but it seems we are not subscribed from our address so we cannot delete our address. Something called "double opt in". Someone told me this is called spam and the only way to get rid of it is to change your e-mail address. I cannot do this without causing my entire family a lot of trouble. I guess the password is my best alternative. I tried appealing to the sender and surprise---no affect and no response. Any suggestions??

-- Joel Rosen (Joel681@webtv.net), March 20, 2000.

I am a regular contributor here but do not use this address. Mailcity has free email and a spam blocker that can block ANY email except from those addresses in your address book. I use it. I began getting those porn ads, too and the spam blocker stopped that cold.

-- Randi (randim @mailcity.com), March 20, 2000.

I use hotmail addresses when surfing or any of my other addresses that come for free from other sites I visit. This is an easy way to block mail and it isn't your main address so it is easy to change if you need to. Also,internet service providers (ISPs) often offer you the option of 5-7 addresses. Take advantage of this and make one your surfing "persona" and block all e-mail incoming. These have allowed me to surf relatively hassle-free.

-- Anne (HealthyTouch101@hotmail.com), March 21, 2000.

You might want to check out this site: www.dvo.com/familysafe.html I don't know much about it. except they're trying to keep porn away from kids on the net.

-- Cindy (atilrthehony_1@yahoo.com), March 23, 2000.

FWIW, try using an email program that has built-in filtering.

Just record the unwanted addresses in the filter and those messages will 'bounce off'

Just a thought.

-- j (jw_hsv@yahoo.com), March 23, 2000.

What e-mail programs have these filters ?How can you tell if yours does?

-- Patty Gamble (fodfarms@slic.com), March 23, 2000.

jw: I tried just blocking the porn people with their address but they came back with different ones. A new address is easy to come by. Finally I blocked everything that wasn't in my address book.

-- Randi (randim@mailcity.com), March 24, 2000.