Spam Glossary

BCC

Blind Carbon Copy. This is a header field available in many email programs. Any email addresses in the BCC field are hidden from other recipients. Some spammers take advantage of this to hide the list of recipients and make the message look like a private email to you. If you've received a spam that wasn't addressed to you, odds are the spammer used the BCC field.

Flaming

An abrasive email or newsgroup posting, usually containing abusive language. Flames often result from spamming and are not pleasant to receive.

Hacker

A person who enjoys exploring the details of programmable systems and stretching their technical capabilities. Hackers often break into others' computer systems illegally just for the challenge and "fun" of it.

Headers

The section of an email that contains the sender's name, date the message was sent, recipients' names, title, routing details, message priority, and other information. Most email programs only display some headers — typically, the date, message title, and sender and recipients' names. You have to click a button or choose View Full Headers to see more details. When reporting a spam to abuse@corp.earthlink.net, please include the full headers. Some spammers alter headers to hide their tracks.

Mail bomb

The result of sending a spammer (or anyone for that matter) lots of email until his or her site or account crashes.

Spam

Spam can include but is not limited to the following: unsolicited email, off-topic newsgroup postings, junk mail, chain letters, scam letters, fraudulent messages for products or services, and threatening email.

Spamming

The act of sending out spam.

Spoofing

The practice of putting in a false return email address.