Why the same wrong username?

[lgh529]

I keep getting mail addressed to "jeff@mydom.ain" on my system when "jeff" has never been a valid username. The server then dutifully bounces the message.

I keep getting mail for this user about 40 times a day, all from different IP addresses and supposedly from different senders.

My question is this. Why would there be so much mail sent to a non-existant user (and never existed) when it always gets bounced?

Example log follows:

Oct 8 23:40:24 local postfix/smtpd[666]: connect from unknown[218.147.47.150]
Oct 8 23:40:25 local postfix/smtpd[666]: 13A5311EA5D: client=unknown[218.147.47.150]
Oct 8 23:40:27 local postfix/cleanup[667]: 13A5311EA5D: message-id=<7612433998.0456088327@cty-net.com>
Oct 8 23:40:27 local postfix/qmgr[657]: 13A5311EA5D: from=<civic-dhwges@cty-net.com>, size=1203, nrcpt=1 (queue active)
Oct 8 23:40:27 local postfix/local[669]: 13A5311EA5D: to=<jeff@mydom.ain>, relay=local, delay=2, status=bounced (unknown user: "jeff")
Oct 8 23:40:27 local postfix/cleanup[667]: 690DC11EA5E: message-id=<20051009054027.690DC11EA5E@local.mydom.ain>
Oct 8 23:40:27 local postfix/qmgr[657]: 690DC11EA5E: from=<>, size=2797, nrcpt=1 (queue active)
Oct 8 23:40:27 local postfix/smtpd[666]: disconnect from unknown[218.147.47.150]
Oct 8 23:40:55 local postfix/smtp[672]: 690DC11EA5E: to=<civic-dhwges@cty-net.com>, relay=feedsrv2.cynet.co.jp[202.221.162.123], delay=28, status=sent (250 ok 1128835586 qp 29283)

 

[ericbrunson]

It's SPAM, get used to it.

 

[jkupski]

Look on the bright side: anyone who sends mail to that address is almost certainly either a spammer or a zombie. Sounds like a nice way to populate a blacklist...