Author Topic: Does Avast buy emails?  (Read 2389 times)

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Offline avast736

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Does Avast buy emails?
« on: December 11, 2021, 11:35:56 PM »
Hi,
I run individual honeypot emails for every single website I visit recently I got an Avast email (it was legitimate - checked the email source) to one of my addresses. Just wondering does Avast buy emails from email lists? Trying to figure out who on the other end sold it, but also interested to find out if Avast buys email addresses too?

Offline DavidR

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Re: Does Avast buy emails?
« Reply #1 on: December 11, 2021, 11:51:15 PM »
First are you an Avast user ?

I'm not an Avast Team member but an avast user, I would think it unlikely.

Buying email lists would have to come from a legit company and even then most lists are full of dead emails, one off use and they would have to be security interested email address or they really are a waste of time, very unproductive.

If you are an avast user, have you used the hacked email check service (I'm not sure if that is the correct name) as I don't use it and I have never received any unrequested/unexpected emails for avast.

You don't say what the email was about, so it is hard to guess what the reason might have been.

Do you happen to use the
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Offline avast736

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Re: Does Avast buy emails?
« Reply #2 on: December 12, 2021, 12:17:32 AM »
No I am not an Avast user, the email was from the Avast hack check service. I was just curious if this was an underhand way of getting some awareness of Avast out there by signing me up for a check.

I understand completely that buying email addresses is pretty much a waste of time, I was just curious as to how my single-use email address ended up at Avast (never used with Avast), only ever signed on to other site once with this throw-away email. Then I get an Avast email saying my throwaway email has had "no leaks" - the irony... I am curious because surely there are better things a hacker could be doing they signing my email up for a free leak check?

Alternatively, do email list providers use the Avast service to "rank" the quality of an email address they have newly acquired? e.g. no hits on the avast hack check website = email worth more?

Offline DavidR

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Re: Does Avast buy emails?
« Reply #3 on: December 12, 2021, 01:32:49 AM »
No I am not an Avast user, the email was from the Avast hack check service. I was just curious if this was an underhand way of getting some awareness of Avast out there by signing me up for a check.

I don't know how this could have resulted in an email for the Avast hack check service.  As far as I'm aware that service would have to be running on your system for avast to even check the emails used.  Personally I don't use the Avast hack check service, so I'm not too familiar with how it actually works.

I understand completely that buying email addresses is pretty much a waste of time, I was just curious as to how my single-use email address ended up at Avast (never used with Avast), only ever signed on to other site once with this throw-away email. Then I get an Avast email saying my throwaway email has had "no leaks" - the irony... I am curious because surely there are better things a hacker could be doing they signing my email up for a free leak check?

I don't use multiple single use emails, but I can't see how it could be entered in some kind of batch service or who could have got your email address other than the site you used it on.  Then I guess it would have to be manually entered via the on-line check https://www.avast.com/hackcheck/#pc  and someone with knowledge of your email address would have to input it manually.

Alternatively, do email list providers use the Avast service to "rank" the quality of an email address they have newly acquired? e.g. no hits on the avast hack check website = email worth more?

I honestly don't know, but again they would first have to have your email address and input it to be checked.  I can't see it being worth any more than any other email if it comes back as not hacked.
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Offline bob3160

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Re: Does Avast buy emails?
« Reply #4 on: December 12, 2021, 06:20:24 PM »
Maybe this will help.
Using Avast Hack Check Website
https://youtu.be/g0YTWgmyFXQ
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Offline DavidR

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Re: Does Avast buy emails?
« Reply #5 on: December 12, 2021, 07:57:33 PM »
Maybe this will help.
Using Avast Hack Check Website
https://youtu.be/g0YTWgmyFXQ

Quote from: avast736
I was just curious as to how my single-use email address ended up at Avast (never used with Avast), only ever signed on to other site once with this throw-away email.

I'm not sure it will as the OP is trying to figure out why he got an email from avast (when he doesn't use avast) and presumably not used the Hack Check website link I mentioned it as a question 'had he used the link' in my Reply #1.

Up until this email he was unaware of the Avast Hack Check other than he received an email relating to it they he basically considered spam.
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Offline avast736

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Re: Does Avast buy emails?
« Reply #6 on: December 15, 2021, 09:32:36 PM »
I ended up getting to the bottom of it via the site which used the email. They were testing some customer emails via that hack check site to see if they were compromised without realizing that it was also sending me an email too.

Offline bob3160

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Re: Does Avast buy emails?
« Reply #7 on: December 15, 2021, 09:38:28 PM »
I ended up getting to the bottom of it via the site which used the email. They were testing some customer emails via that hack check site to see if they were compromised without realizing that it was also sending me an email too.
So this had nothing to do with Avast at all?
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Offline DavidR

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Re: Does Avast buy emails?
« Reply #8 on: December 15, 2021, 10:24:03 PM »
I ended up getting to the bottom of it via the site which used the email. They were testing some customer emails via that hack check site to see if they were compromised without realizing that it was also sending me an email too.

Seems my guess was correct, only those who know it could have enterer it.

Quote from: avast736
Then I guess it would have to be manually entered via the on-line check https://www.avast.com/hackcheck/#pc  and someone with knowledge of your email address would have to input it manually.

Thanks for the confirmation.
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