Send an e-mail using any random e-mail ID

2010-05-20T21:28:00.000+05:30

Did you ever get complaints from your friends that you were sending them a lot of Spam e-mails, when you actually didn't? I did. Did you ever get Spam e-mails addressed to 'you' by 'you'? I did. If you did, what did you do? I simply ignored those complaints and e-mails. I ignored them for so long, until one day, when I got a phone call from Neeraj. He said "Sai, check your inbox." I did and there, I found a new e-mail addressed to 'me by 'me'. I opened it and in there, he wrote something (personal :P), that made me sure, that this is his work. The next day, when Neeraj did show me how the heck did he manage to do that, I grinned, the things revolving around in my head were those complaints and those Spam e-mails.

The following is a 'How to' article by Neeraj, elucidating the process of sending an e-mail to anyone using any random e-mail ID.

So, that was Sai and Hi!, this is Neeraj. Let's get started. But before that, like everywhere, where you see such stuff, even here, this article starts with a boring disclaimer.

Disclaimer:

This article is solely intended for educational purposes. The SciTech Clique will not be responsible for any of your activities.

So, what all do we need?

A Computer

An access to an SMTP server

(Source) SMTP stands for Simple Mail Transfer Protocol. It is a TCP/IP protocol used in sending and receiving e-mail. However, since it is limited in its ability to queue messages at the receiving end, it is usually used with one of two other protocols, POP3 or IMAP, that let the user save messages in a server mailbox and download them periodically from the server. In other words, users typically use a program that uses SMTP for sending e-mail and either POP3 or IMAP for receiving e-mail.

(If you want to know more about the above technical jargon, follow the links in the above para. If you are a beginner, I suggest you to just leave them, for later. You will figure things out gradually.)

So in short, an SMTP server is used for sending e-mails (where as, HTTP servers are used to host web pages).

Note: The SMTP server must have an inside or an outside relay possible. Huh! What does that mean? Relax, we will find out about that soon.

At this point, I just want you to get the fact that you need an access to a server, rest don't worry, things will get clearer as we move on.

A Mailing Client

We suggest you to use Thunderbird. One, it is free and easily available and two, unlike Outlook, it does not, by default (unless we ask it to), require authentication i.e. username and password of the sender’s email account (assuming you have an access to an SMTP server to which Thunderbird connects and sends the e-mail).

Now let us configure the Thunderbird client to enable us to send fake e-mails to anyone using any e-mail ID.

Install Mozilla Thunderbird, open it and from the Tools menu, select Account Settings.

If you are opening it for the first time, you will be prompted to create a new account. Select Email account and then, click Next.

Enter the name of the person and his/her e-mail address, using which you want to send e-mails and then, click next.

Select POP or IMAP as the type of incoming server to be used. If you are not sure about your incoming server, just type anything you want. Given, we are using an e-mail ID that is not ours and we are not interested in receiving mails, the incoming server is not of any importance. After that, click Next.

In the fields Incoming User Name and Outgoing User Name enter the e-mail address, using which you want to send e-mails. Click Next.

Enter a name (any name) for your email account and then, click Next.

Verify your account information and then, click Finish.

In the Account Settings window, select Outgoing Server listed below your new account. Select Use name and password and in the User Name field type the e-mail address, using which you want to send e-mails. (Thunderbird will ask you for your password the first time you try to send mail.) Now, click on OK. In the Server Name you have to type your SMTP server’s name or it’s IP address. In the Port field, type the port number through which the server allows you to connect. (mostly, it is 25). The User Name and Password you enter, are required by the SMTP server, to which, you are trying to gain access. So, if the SMTP server wants these details, how can we access the SMTP server?

Some SMTP servers, like the one BITS Pilani (our university) has, do not require authentication, if you are inside the university's network and for such SMTP servers, uncheck the 'Use name and password'. But the problem is, it is a server with only inside relay possible. Didn't get me? Go on reading...

So, 'relay', what does it mean? BITS Pilani has its own SMTP server with inside relay possible. Inside relay means, people inside the (BITS Pilani) network have an access to this server (Server Name: mailserver.bits-pilani.ac.in) and the port 25, is open for them, to use the server without authentication. People outside this network can not send e-mails through this the server as outside relay is not possible through this server, without proper authentication. I hope by this time, though not completely, you got an idea of what the term 'relay' means.

So, if you are in a university/office, then most probably, you might be having an access to an SMTP server which most probably should have the port 25 open for access. But, if you are not inside such network or/and you don't have any access to any such server, is there any alternative? Yes, there is. You can make your own computer an SMTP server and send e-mails through it. I'll leave that process for Sai to explain it to you in another article. You can also use your ISP's SMTP server, how? Just ask your ISP for it's name or IP address and the port at which it is open. Cool, but, how will you find out that the e-mails you are receiving are fake, if someone sends you such fake e-mails? Not in this article. Adieu :)

Queries? Suggestions? Eh, any Requests? Found any mistakes? Shoot 'em here:

mailbox.kneeraj [at] gmail [dot] com
mailbox.sai [at] gmail [dot] com