Acadia,

I think it's worse that that. I don't think it's a mail server issue at all. I think the member database has been broken into, or sold by a dishonest employee. I talk about this all the time with colleages - security policies don't mean a thing if there are humans involved who have an interest in violating them for personal gain. As far as I'm concerned, putting your credit card info into a computer is dangerous, like having unprotected sex. The more partners you engage with, the bigger your risk. I don't do it.

I also never give any web site my real email. I have seen this sort of thing amongst my coworkers many times. We all keep our real email a secret now, and use spamgourmet.com to make forwarding addresses that we can shut off.

I verified that the SPAM I got never went through a rendo server, according to the header. It came from IndiaTimes.com - but my mail forwarder tagged that as a forgery. Frankly, the mail header is pretty easy to forge - I can fabricate a path up to the point where it finally reaches you that says it came from the US president's desk, or make it seem to come from Colonel Klink@stalag13

If you'll recall from last week, I was really nervous about putting real info into this system. I wish now that I had not done so, even for that one transaction.

---

Renderosity forum reply notifications are wonky. If I read a follow-up in a thread, but I don't myself reply, then notifications no longer happen AT ALL on that thread. So if I seem to be ignoring a question, that's why. (Updated September 23, 2019)