Outlook Express preview pane +spam

I heard that opening spam in outlook express can aleart the spammers that they have reached a ligitmate email address and therefore you shouldn't have your preview pane turned on...Is this true?

Thanks

Glen

 

Yes that is true if the email is HTML format. I would use something like Thunderbird or Pegasus as an alternative to using Outlook Express.

 

Yes it's true. For you to be able to read your email, it must be downloaded from somewhere.

Once that link is established, then the Spammer knows your address is active.

 

brownizs and Insomniac
Thanks for the replies

But I'm still not quit clear on this.

I heard from a reputable source that if left unopened the spammer doesn't know if nis message has reached a legitimate address

When my mail is downloaded from the server, It sits in my inbox, doing nothing untill i open it? Everything gets downloaded, right? Is it too late at this point or does the act of opening the message send the spammer a reciept or something?

Will marking the message as "Read" be the same as opening it?

If I read the message by right clicking the unopened message, then clicking properties, details, message source will this foil the process?

 

The usual problem with Preview is that one cannot delete the spam mail without it being "opened".
Lots of spam mail is HTML mail with links to external images, usually the image is placed at website the spammer controls, so when the image is loaded from the website then your email address is confirmed by the spammer.
Another danger with HTML mail is the ability to perform scripting, and maybe activate a security hole that will open your machine for attacks.

An updated Outlook Express 6.0 should include the option to block the loading of external HTML images: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/q883613/

Outlook Express 5.0/6.0 can be configured to disable scripting http://support.microsoft.com/kb/q192846/

Even when having disabled these known vulnerabilities, then there is still no need to "open" email that is clearly unwanted.

 

That is true. Even though I use Junkmail filter for Outlook, I still get SPAM in my email, which gets deleted right off the bat.

It is always best to open a email you are unsure of in "Plain Text", which Pegasus and Thunderbird are very good for.

 

Thanks for all the responses

So, I'm still not one hundred percent sure if opening the message by this method (below)...is safe?

"If I read the message by right clicking the unopened message, then clicking properties, details, message source will this foil the process?" I assume that because this is a non HTML program that it is OK????

I also wonder if marking a message as "read" could be harmful, I assume not????

Thanks Glen

 

Thanks for everones help

I have taken your advece and started using Pegasus; one problem though,

I cant figure out how to transfer my (fair size) address book from Outlook to pegasus (there are only "first name" "last name" and "email address" fields in the book but to copy and paste would take hours)

any suggestions

Thanks

Glen

 

I had problems getting my Outlook addressbook to import into Pegasus also. I have had no problems getting Thunderbird to do it, which is easier then Pegasus.

 

I use this little app that can show and delete emails at the servers end.Still in beta but I have found it useful,also free!
Palmail