I recently read an email from a CFC member who received what appeared to be a perfectly appropriate email from a supposedly legitimate source in a foreign country. The member wondered how they managed to obtain their email address, and my response was "I have no idea!"

At one time or another, all of us have received emails from individuals or groups that we don't know and haven't solicited information from that we generally refer to as "spam". Unfortunately, as internet usage increases, this kind of solicitation will continue to proliferate and grow.

There are numerous ways that "spammers" obtain email addresses. Some come from companies you do business with or organizations you belong to that have a 'relationship' with entities they call "third-party affiliates" who provide services or products they state you may be interested in. They are required to give you the option of 'opting out' of these programs, and generally you must renew that option every year. Credit card companies are notorious for this sort of thing. That is why it is important for you to read the "Privacy Policy" of these businesses or organizations before giving them your email address. (See a real-life example of the one I received just this morning from my bank at the end of this page.)

Another way that email address lists are compiled is from websites like this one, where we have provided email contact information for some of the officers of our International staff, chapter officers, rally wagonmasters, and other members from time to time. There are organizations that search for or "mine" this information from websites like ours to sell to "spammers" and other nefarious groups.

My real-life example ...