can a website retrieve my email address?

[mm]

This certainly doesn't relate to a virus, what maybe it's a, what's
the word, deviant website...


An hour after I looked up plaisance at www.dictionary.com

I got a junk email adressed to my main email address that started off:

From: "Buh-Rein Estate - Plaisance" <[email protected]>

PLAINSANCE - BUH-REIN ESTATE
LOVE EVERY DAY

SOUTH AFRICA'S BEST ESTATE 2010
SAPI PLANNING AWARDS

2 BEDS,1 BATH,PARKING BAY APARTMENTS

ONLY R424 900
INCLUSIVE OF VAT, BOND AND TRANSFER COSTS

R5000 DEPOSIT SECURES....
--end quote--

I see it says "PLAINSANCE" in the text, but it's spelled Plaisance in
the from- field, as I spelled it.

Not a word you see often.

Is this just a coincidence, or is it possible a webpage could retrieve
my primary email address from inside Eudora? It might also be in
Outlook Express.

Thanks.

 

[Beauregard T. Shagnasty]

This certainly doesn't relate to a virus, what maybe it's a, what's
the word, deviant website...
An hour after I looked up plaisance at www.dictionary.com

Plai`sance"\, n. [F.] See Pleasance.

I got a junk email adressed to my main email address that started off:

From: "Buh-Rein Estate - Plaisance" <[email protected]>

What's with the "zzz..." in that South African email address? The extra
dots do not compute.

<snip>
Is this just a coincidence, or is it possible a webpage could retrieve
my primary email address from inside Eudora? It might also be in
Outlook Express.

What browser were you using?

 

[mm]

This certainly doesn't relate to a virus, what maybe it's a, what's
the word, deviant website...
An hour after I looked up plaisance at www.dictionary.com

Plai`sance"\, n. [F.] See Pleasance.

Yes, indeed.

What's with the "zzz..." in that South African email address? The extra
dots do not compute.

I didn't want to promote his address, since he's a spammer.

What browser were you using?

Firefox 3, latest version.

 

[Man-wai Chang]

An hour after I looked up plaisance at www.dictionary.com

... snipped ...
Is this just a coincidence, or is it possible a webpage could retrieve
my primary email address from inside Eudora? It might also be in
Outlook Express.

Did you submit anything related to your email address when visiting
www.dictionary.com? If not, then it's pure deja vu. As far as I knew,
dictionary.com is NOT a spam site.

 

[Beauregard T. Shagnasty]

This certainly doesn't relate to a virus, what maybe it's a, what's
the word, deviant website...
An hour after I looked up plaisance at www.dictionary.com

Plai`sance"\, n. [F.] See Pleasance.

Yes, indeed.

What's with the "zzz..." in that South African email address? The
extra dots do not compute.

I didn't want to promote his address, since he's a spammer.

Okay, but when asking technical questions, it's best to be more exact.
Perhaps you could have typed: (e-mail address removed)

Firefox 3, latest version.

As am I. No spam received here. I see you are probably using some
version of Windows. Have you run malware scans recently -- or since --
you received this alleged spam? Tools used and the results?

Did you google for the term: "Buh-rein Estate"
http://buhreinestate.com/plaisance.htm

 

[FromTheRafters]

This certainly doesn't relate to a virus, what maybe it's a, what's
the word, deviant website...

As it involves a possible egress of your information, I believe the
correct category for this would be 'spyware' though a general security
related group should be a good choice too.

[...]

Is this just a coincidence, or is it possible a webpage could retrieve
my primary email address from inside Eudora? It might also be in
Outlook Express.

Is your OS and application patch level up-to-date?

A website is not supposed to be able to do this, but malicious content
from (or through) an otherwise trustworthy site *might* be able to
leverage software flaws (or configuration) in your OS and/or application
software and accomplish this.