Please help: My email is being flooded w/returned email sent by spammers using MY url

[Dabbi]

Hello,

My inbox and spam folder is being flooded with mail undeliverable type messages. When I checked a couple to see what the "from" was it shows it's from a totally fabricated names using MY domain. (ex: sochoh@thehowcafe.com)

I'm extremely anti-spam and spammers and am livid about this. I know it's not actually them getting a legitimate email addie with my url since I just double checked my cpanel. Is there a way to stop this flooding and is there any way I can prevent them from doing this in the future? The last thing I want is my site to get a bad rep for spamming.

Help would be truly appreciated & please keep it as simple as possible since I'm still relatively new and learning server care, etc.

Thank you!

ETA subscribe so I'll get notice of replies.

[Dismounted]

Inside cPanel, there should be an option for a "catch-all email address". All email without a valid recipient goes to this address.

[Dabbi]

Thank you for replying.

I'm finding things that mention a "catch all" and default but nothing that tells me how to turn it off, etc. I'm sorry, I really don't know that much about cpanel, etc.

[snakes1100]

It would be better to blackhole invalid email recipients versus sending them to the catchall address, there's no sense in catching 500 or more emails with invalid email addresses.

As exim sucks in its functionality & overall performance, you should add some RBL's to the exim configuration, dont add to many as exim will puke on itself.

I'd also suggest plugging in mailscanner from configserver.

[Dabbi]

Originally Posted by snakes1100

It would be better to blackhole invalid email recipients versus sending them to the catchall address, there's no sense in catching 500 or more emails with invalid email addresses.

As exim sucks in its functionality & overall performance, you should add some RBL's to the exim configuration, dont add to many as exim will puke on itself.

I'd also suggest plugging in mailscanner from configserver.

Thank you...

I have it set to discard and send notice to sender but that will come back to me at the default doesn't it?

I'm unfamiliar with the term "exim".. what is that please? Also how to I plug in mailscanner from configserver?

This stuff is really maddening.. I sort of feel like I'm being attacked.

[snakes1100]

:blackhole: the catchall, it goes no place, no notice will be received by you.

exim = www.exim.org

mailscanner = www.configserver.com

If you do not have ssh access to the server, you wont be able to install configserver anyways, as well if you dont have WHM access to the server, you cant change exim configurations either to add the RBL's.

If you do have root & ssh access to the server, i would suggest if you do not know linux commands, do NOT be doing this on your own.

[Dabbi]

Thank you.

I have a dedi server and have full access I'm pretty sure but am still green and admittedly don't know what I'm doing so am nervous about doing something wrong and messing it up.

I've email the host in hopes that they may help. I used to have a managed server but the retail host I had it through dropped dedicated servers and I haven't added it on to the base host since ATM it's cost prohibitive.

I've been (very) slowly trying to learn more about running a server but am still extremely lacking.

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Update: It looks like it's at least not hitting my email any longer so just those helped that much at least.

I put up a notice so any one who gets this spam, thinking it's from me, and coming to the site will know what has happened.

Thank you both again for your help. It's very much appreciated.