5

I have a Google Apps account set up for my domain with catch-all enabled. Recently I've been receiving bounced mail that I didn't send from random aliases for my domain (for example, [email protected]) with account names such as "BuyVigara Today", so I guess someone is using my domain to spam.

I have disabled the option in the Google Apps control panel that says Allow users to send mail through an external SMTP when configuring a "from" address hosted outside your email domains thinking that was the issue, but I'm still getting the bouncebacks. I've also changed the passwords for all accounts in the domain.

Here is an example of one of the bouncebacks (with emails removed for privacy):

MailEnable: Message could not be delivered to some recipients.
The following recipient(s) could not be reached:

        Recipient: [SMTP:***@verizon.net]
        Reason: Remote SMTP Server Returned: 550 5.1.1 unknown or illegal alias: [email protected]


Message headers follow:

Received: with MailEnable Postoffice Connector; Fri, 7 Sep 2012 13:17:56 -0400
Received: from ([74.193.112.141]) by vstaticip.com with MailEnable ESMTP; Fri, 7 Sep 2012 13:17:55 -0400
From: "BuyVigara Today" <C03481751@***.com>
To: <***@***.com>
Subject: Friday sales
Date: Fri, 07 Sep 2012 12:17:58 -0500
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain;
        charset="iso-8859-1"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit
List-Unsubscribe: <mailto:886B315F805[email protected]>
Message-ID: <20120907121758.255564C230A99B6A4E65@DANIEL-PC>
X-ME-Content: Deliver-To=Junk
X-ME-Bayesian: 0.000913

Any suggestions as to how this can be prevented?

Improve this question
3
  • +1, I came on here to post the exact same question. I tried adding SPF records to my domain with no success either. I've got 2 domains on Google Apps (both with near-enough the default config), and both have this problem. I've also had the setting you de-selected turned off throughout the lifetimes of both accounts.
    – Matt
    Sep 13, 2012 at 17:20
  • 1
    This is addressed and answered here: superuser.com/questions/448326/…
    – Joseph Turian
    Sep 13, 2012 at 20:41
  • @JosephTurian: Thanks for the link. It's calmed my nerves substantially :).
    – Matt
    Sep 13, 2012 at 20:44

1 Answer 1

Reset to default
1

They're probably not "using" your domain to spam. That is, the spam is most likely not coming from the email system for your domain. It is ridiculously easy to send email from any address. The spammers in this case are probably just using yours. I've had it happen to me on my personal email address because I'd receive the same sort of spam messages bounced back.

You could always run the headers through a tool like http://spamcop.net to find out where the messages are really originating (or as near as can be determined). I'll bet that Google's mail servers aren't even involved.

Improve this answer

Your Answer

By clicking “Post Your Answer”, you agree to our terms of service and acknowledge that you have read and understand our privacy policy and code of conduct.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.