Someone has sent me an email with my own email address.

[whohewho]

Someone has sent me an email with my own email address, but with someone else’s name in front of my email address. E.g. john doe(myname@myaddress.com) How is this possible.? It is a pop3 account.
I am using Windows XP Pro, Zonealarm Firewall, Norton Antivirus up to date, Outlook Express 6, and I vet all the messages I receive through Mailwasher 3.1 this is where I have intercepted it, and it looks like Spam mail as it has a line that says click here if you want to be removed from this list, as well as other offers of products.
I use Mailwasher to bounce back and delete messages from spammers and from people I don’t know, without downloading to Outlook Express. Would this have caused someone to get hold of my email address in some way? Is it Mailwasher that some how leaks out info? Although I have been using it for some time now without any problems.
I haven’t downloaded or deleted this message yet, it is still sitting on my IPS servers.
I am the only person that has access to this stand alone computer, so I know there is no physical way that anyone can get info from this computer, eg. passwords.
If you require more information please let me know.
Anyone’s help would be much appreciated.
Thanx.

 

[random621]

Most likely this person either knows you or has gotten an email from you.

With most email programs, I use Outlook 2002, it is easy enough to make it look like the email is coming from a different address then it actually is. For instance, I could easily send an email that looks like it came from forrest@gump.com, although that is not my email address.

Depending on which email client you use, you should be able to view the message header which contains the actual routing information the message was sent with.

 

[whohewho]

Thank you for responding so quickly...
I don't think this person knows me, and the only way I can think of them getting an email from me is when I bounce mail back using Mailwasher.
You say it is possible to make emails look as if they come from someone else, how is this possible? and is it possible with Outlook Express.
I can view the message header with Mailwasher but I don't know what to look for, to find out who sent this message.
Thank you again

 

[josephk]

There are mail services out there that permit their customers to make-up different email addresses. One such service is Mailshell.com. These services serve a very good purpose as people who are under spam harassment need a way to continually start over; and, there is no better way than to continually change your email address. 1)It frustrates whoever is trying to harass you. 2) The attacker eventually gives up.

However, based on your experience, I can see how someone could abuse the system.

 

[whohewho]

Thank you all for your help.
I have just figured it out with your help of course.
I can’t believe it, I am SHOCKED at how easy it is to send email as someone else, I just done it to myself, from one of my email addresses to another one of my email addresses.
I thought I was being clever by bouncing spammers emails back at them, but it looks like for the determined idiots out there. There is no stopping them......