is it safe to open mails from bulk folder, if you do not know who sent them to you? can opening them do any harm to your computer?
2006-08-11 10:20:23 · 13 answers · asked by Anonymous in Computers & Internet ➔ Internet
Sometimes the bulk folder will have okay stuff in it. It's okay to open if you know who it's from and want to reply. Bulk folders usually just collect spam. It doesn't collect mail with viruses alone (although viruses can be in any email). Just make sure there is writing in the body of the email if you receive attachments.. People who send viruses only use the subject line. they never write in body of email because they don't know the font you use. So use a font and color of your choice with all your emails and people will recognize you by that.. Hopefully they will do the same. If they don't then don't open the email. Particularly any attachment with .exe (executable) file in it.
Hope that helps.
2006-08-11 10:26:45 · answer #1 · answered by phy333 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No, it is not a good idea to open mail from an unknown sender. The "Re:..." in the subject line does not mean that it is a reply to anything you have sent. They type in "Re:..." as part of the subject line. They do it, because they know that people are more likely to open an e-mail if the person thinks it's a reply to a message that they have sent.....and that is their goal...get people to open the message.
2006-08-11 10:52:57 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
When sending an email, the sender can specify the Subject line. For example, you can type in Re: Fwd: Funny cat video. and it will appear that way. Re: is a default, not a rule. Bulk spammers often do this to try to get you to open their mail thinkging, "Oh, did I send a mail to spam234@spam.hoster.net?"
Generally it is safe to open emails, especially within the Yahoo environment. They have really good anti-virus software that scans everything in it HOWEVER:
1. Any links within the email are not checked. Do not ever download and run a file sent by someone you do not know. Except for blatant viruses, the scanner cannot trap all potential virused attachments.
2. If you do not have a current up-to-date virus protection, clicking a link can infect you with mal-ware and viruses. When it opens the page, it can auto-install depending on your browser settings.
3. Emails are tracked with hidden identfiers, sometimes known as web-bugs, but also from within the email itself. If you open the mail, it can sometimes trigger an alert that lets the spammer know your email is valid and you open spam. This causes more spam.
3. Double this for links clicked in a spam mail. The funky web addresses are often encoded to alert the spammer that you used their link. (As well as give them money for successfully spamming you.)
One last side note:
The "Unsubscribe" links on the bottom of spam is generally a trap. Ubscribing MAY actually help, but more often than not, it is a way for you to say "Hey, here is my valid email, send me loads of garbage and sell this verified address to as many scum bags as you know!"
2006-08-11 10:38:03 · answer #3 · answered by Vern 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
This is just one way a spammer gets people to open a piece of mail sometimes, by making it appear as though you have previously emailed them. That's what it likely is, if you don't remember emailing anything to them before.
This also explains why it's in bulk mail. For it to go to bulk mail, it has to have several people it's being addressed to, not just to you.
So, someone is spamming, sending it to a bunch of people, hoping a lot of people will open it and respond.
2006-08-11 10:24:40 · answer #4 · answered by drizzt_234 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The sender may have typed the Re:... in themselves. I wouldn't open it if the person wasn't in my contact list. Even if an email has been virus scanned it doesn't mean that it's 100% virus free. It only means that it doesn't have any KNOWN viruses. So yes, it could do harm to your computer.
2006-08-11 10:24:40 · answer #5 · answered by C K Platypus 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You can make the subject line of your email anything you want. If adding a Re: makes more people open it then the spammer will probably add it.
Yahoo! runs sophisticated anti-virus systems, so you're probably ok in terms of it harming your computer. If you do open it you'll probably just discover that it's regular spam and you'll want that 30 seconds of your life back ;-)
2006-08-11 10:26:56 · answer #6 · answered by greigmcl 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
not its not safe at all, they may be really harmfull for your computer, the people sent this mails (Spammers) mean to put the (RE) in the subject, to make you think that they are replying in a subject that you have sent, thus you may open the e-mail.
2006-08-11 10:24:20 · answer #7 · answered by Wish Master 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
'zemazima' has the correct answer.
Its a deceptive technique used by SPAM companies to trick you into thinking the mail is something you requested.
All SPAM employees should be tied down in a desert, covered with sugar syrup, and eaten alive by red ants. This would stop SPAM forever.
.
2006-08-11 10:28:31 · answer #8 · answered by robabard 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
spam sender just prints the "Re" in the subject line of the E-mail
2006-08-11 10:26:13 · answer #9 · answered by Inadept 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It's a trick to get people to think that you sent something to them and they replied. Anyone can type "Re:" in a subject line and fake a reply.
2006-08-11 10:27:14 · answer #10 · answered by Zzyzzxzzyx 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋