Is that spam message from you? I have been receiving e-mail messages with my address in the From field. It looks like I sent them. When I look at the headers, I can see that they are sent by someone else. Should I forward them to spam@uce.gov? Will they know that I'm reporting the actual sender, or will they come after me? Is this kind of trickery common?

The FTC owns spam@uce.gov. You can forward fraudulent spam to this address. You might get messages promoting weight-loss, credit repair and pyramid schemes. If they make misleading or false claims, the FTC wants them. The FTC uses the spam to find and stop fraudulent spammers. So, I recommend that you forward these messages to the FTC. When you forward the spam, send the full headers. The headers contain information about the message. The FTC is especially interested in the headers' Internet Protocol addresses.

The messages will contain the IP addresses of the machines where they originated. They also contain IP addresses for the servers that relayed the messages. The FTC knows spammers use deceptive techniques. And, of course, it is seeking deceptive messages in particular. The FTC won't take information in the From field at face value. It isn't uncommon for spammers to spoof e-mail addresses. In fact, return e-mail addresses are usually fraudulent.

I often see spam messages in my inbox bearing my own e-mail address. So have many other computer users. I really wouldn't worry that the FTC will come after you. I don't know if there will ever be a solution to spam.

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