Possible Hijacked Email Question

[donstephens]

I have been getting some weird email returns, and I am thinking that someone has hijacked my email and is using it to send spam.

Is there a way to detect this, and if so how do I get rid of it?

Thanks

[anogee]

The return address on an e-mail means absolutely nothing, and most e-mail systems let you use anything in that field. So if someone else gets a SPAM with your return address on it, it doesn't in the least mean that your e-mail is being used to send SPAM, it just means the SPAMMER got your e-mail address somewhere and is using in an attempt to fool your friends. Bounce-back e-mails are also common, and again, it does NOT mean that you send the original e-mail. I get ones saying I sent a virus to so-in-so. Don't believe it.

It seems like e-mail programs could use a simple method of validating an e-mail's return address by asking the "sending" server if it really sent the e-mail in question, and if not distroying the e-mail, but I know of no servers or client that support such a simple authentification. Maybe someday.