Albea-I think you're thinking of hackers. The IP address is static. Also, we don't leave our computer on all the time. I'm really not sure where the thinking "all the time connected" started, because I connect and disconnect and turn my computer on and off when needed, just like anyone using voice phone lines, cable, etc. Lastly, since I use hotmail, my computer doesn't even enter into the equation. My ISP email address never gets spam - and now that I think of it, it probably works just like hotmail because I still have to "sign on" to get my email. So, anyway, I don't think it's because of the DSL line. But I'm not an expert, either! Incidentally, between my son and me, we have 8 email addresses, and this is the only one getting spam. I'm sure I have given out my email address somewhere, and it has been sold, resold, and sold again. I have not seen Ruthie (roopooroo) since she started this thread, but we both used to work at the same place. Neither one of us do now. But I remember that when signing up for various benenfits, there were blanks for email address. Never dreaming that giving Aetna, VALIC, etc my email address would be dangerous, I gave it. Now the spam. I'll bet Ruthie did, too, and that's how all this got started. It really won't be that big of a deal now. I have an email filter, too, but I still checked it daily to make sure someone I had never corresponded with wasn't sending me and email for the first time - specifically, someone at Pettalk! But with the pm, and with my email address no longer on my profile, that won't be happening, so I can now just ignore the junk mail folder and the items will be deleted without me ever having to look at them.

[ August 19, 2001: Message edited by: 4 feline house ]