How do the operators of an e-mail fraud from India get my mail id?

Question

I'm an Aussie and haven't ever gone to India.I get loads of junk, but this one beat it all. I tried blocking it, reporting as spam, but they somehow finds a way to keep sending me the same mail asking me to put my money in a scheme called LIS DEEPASTHAMBHAM PROJECT. Indian, it says. Can I sue the promoters for filling my inbox with junk? Or should I play along and try my luck? By the way, how can I remit payment to India?

Answer 1

Unfortunately you are probably the one who provided it. Here are some suggestions to avoid providing information for scam artists.

If you get an email or pop-up message that asks for personal or financial information, do not reply. And don’t click on the link in the message, either. Legitimate companies don’t ask for this information via email. If you are concerned about your account, contact the organization mentioned in the email using a telephone number you know to be genuine, or open a new Internet browser session and type in the company’s correct Web address yourself. In any case, don’t cut and paste the link from the message into your Internet browser — phishers can make links look like they go to one place, but that actually send you to a different site.

Use anti-virus software and a firewall, and keep them up to date. Some phishing emails contain software that can harm your computer or track your activities on the Internet without your knowledge.

Anti-virus software and a firewall can protect you from inadvertently accepting such unwanted files. Anti-virus software scans incoming communications for troublesome files. Look for anti-virus software that recognizes current viruses as well as older ones; that can effectively reverse the damage; and that updates automatically.

A firewall helps make you invisible on the Internet and blocks all communications from unauthorized sources. It’s especially important to run a firewall if you have a broadband connection. Operating systems (like Windows or Linux) or browsers (like Internet Explorer or Netscape) also may offer free software “patches” to close holes in the system that hackers or phishers could exploit.


Don’t email personal or financial information. Email is not a secure method of transmitting personal information. If you initiate a transaction and want to provide your personal or financial information through an organization’s website, look for indicators that the site is secure, like a lock icon on the browser’s status bar or a URL for a website that begins “https:” (the “s” stands for “secure”). Unfortunately, no indicator is foolproof; some phishers have forged security icons.
Review credit card and bank account statements as soon as you receive them to check for unauthorized charges. If your statement is late by more than a couple of days, call your credit card company or bank to confirm your billing address and account balances.


Be cautious about opening any attachment or downloading any files from emails you receive, regardless of who sent them. These files can contain viruses or other software that can weaken your computer’s security.

Answer 2

For God's sake (and your own safety!) do NOT answer their email! Don't click on anything in it. That will only make it worse, by showing them that they have a valid email for you and that you are willing to take the bait. If Australia has anti-spam laws for email then there is likely a place to report them, that may eventually do some good. Otherwise just mark them as spam in your own email program. A lot of folks (myself included) get dozens or hundreds of such emails every day. It is unfortunately part of the current state of the Internet.