# Spam from leaked (?) user details

**URL:** <https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/spam-from-leaked-user-details/115022>\
**Category:** Ruby\
**Created:** [September 19, 2007, 8:23pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/spam-from-leaked-user-details/115022 "2007-09-19T20:23:29Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![mschwab](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/m/59ef9b/32.png) [@mschwab](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/mschwab)\
**Post date:** [September 19, 2007, 8:23pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/spam-from-leaked-user-details/115022/1 "2007-09-19T20:23:29Z")

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I get a disturbing amount of email spam addressed to the email address I  
used only to register here - rubfor@etc. How have people got hold of  
these details?

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**Author:** ![mschwab](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/m/59ef9b/32.png) [@mschwab](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/mschwab)\
**Post date:** [September 19, 2007, 8:31pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/spam-from-leaked-user-details/115022/2 "2007-09-19T20:31:57Z")

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Mike S. wrote:

> I get a disturbing amount of email spam addressed to the email address I  
> used only to register here - rubfor@etc. How have people got hold of  
> these details?

Anyone with usenet access can download your messages from comp.lang.ruby  
and  
read the From-header, which includes your email address.

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**Author:** ![mschwab](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/m/59ef9b/32.png) [@mschwab](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/mschwab)\
**Post date:** [September 19, 2007, 8:38pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/spam-from-leaked-user-details/115022/3 "2007-09-19T20:38:58Z")

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> these details?  
> Your email is clear text _at least_ on usenet.

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**Author:** ![mschwab](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/m/59ef9b/32.png) [@mschwab](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/mschwab)\
**Post date:** [September 19, 2007, 8:43pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/spam-from-leaked-user-details/115022/4 "2007-09-19T20:43:58Z")

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From: “Mike S.” [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid)  
Newsgroups: comp.lang.ruby  
To: “ruby-talk ML” [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid)

> I get a disturbing amount of email spam addressed to the email address I  
> used only to register here - rubfor@etc. How have people got hold of  
> these details?

See above. In short,

ruby-talk mailing list \<======\> usenet comp.lang.ruby  
^  
  
  
\> ruby forums

The ruby-forum is a web gateway to the ruby-talk mailing list.  
The ruby-talk mailing list is also gatewayed to the  
comp.lang.ruby usenet group.

Our email addresses travel far and wide.

Regards,

Bill