Many users of CCN are occasionally troubled with junkmail aka 'spam' etc, from individuals and/or companies wanting to sell something. Your name may not even be in the header of the email but that just means they sent it you with your name in the Bcc: (blind carbon copy) field with a fake name in the main header. There have been requests for mail screening programs but there are difficulties with any screening process, ie.. privacy, errors etc. The important things to remember about junkmailers is that: a) they usually only use a fake address once, discarding it and creating another fake address for the next mailing so screening these fake addresses is impossible because they are usually a one-shot deal. b) if, by chance, you screen a global address, for example...hotmail.com, because some junkmail comes from people with hotmail accounts, then the thousands, if not millions of legitimate hotmail'ers get penalized by the actions of a couple of junkmailers. Add to that, if this were the case and you have friends using hotmail, you would not be able to receive mail from them because the screening program would catch them. You can't pick a typical address like: 'JunkMailer@hotmail.com' because tomorrow they could be called 'Spammer@hotmail.com' and so on, constantly changing their names. This happens constantly with most junkmailers (having learned to circumvent screening techniques). Complaining to the service provider usually doesn't help much either because they can't track each and every name change on their system. As well, complaining to the provider usually only temporarily stops the junkmailer until they can apply for another account under a different name. Complaining to authorities may work for large scale pornography or other pyramid schemes, depending on the size of the operation is and how widespread it is. Some junkmailers run multiple accounts already. It is in violation of the User Agreement for any CCN user to have multiple accounts under different names and/or to junkmail anyone. Some providers, unfortunately, aren't as diligent as CCN. Junkmailers use a variety of 'tricks' to get email addresses. They can buy them from other junkmailers, trade for new lists using their lists as trading material, set up 'text skimmers' which pick up USENET traffic, as well as using alpha-numeric schemes for junkmailing freenets as such. Alpha-numerics run aa001, aa002, aa003, aa004...etc. Since the return address is a fake, they don't have to worry about bounces from inactive accounts. The more you post to USENET, the more junkmail you can expect as a result. Junkmailers also have 'free' sites set up for visiting but log the email address of every visitor. They can sell these addresses for cash to keep their 'free' sites operational. Changing your email address would only work for a short time as the Junkmailers do such a blanket mailing, they will probably get you in the end. Also, by changing your account, all of your past email acquaintances will no longer be able to reach you. You won't be able to forward your mail because that would forward the junkmail. The worst thing you can do is to respond to the junkmailer by demanding they 'REMOVE' you from their mailing list. This is just telling them that your email address is a 'good' one and that there is a human respondent at that address. Proven respondents' addresses probably sell for even more on the junkmail market. The most powerful weapon you have regarding junkmail is the letter 'd' for delete on your keyboard. When you see junkmail, press 'd' and don't give it another thought. It may seem like a 'defeatist' way out but it is for the best.