i am interesed in visiting a captivating lady who requires as part of her screening process that one send an e-mail from one's work e-mail address to a 'safe' account that is _not_ her e-mail account.

since i am not CEO, CIO, COB this might be trackable. OTOH i am a bit of a valued asset and can get away with an awful lot.

logic tells me that the tracking of visited websites is not different in difficulty from tracking addresses of sent e-mail.

now i loathe all things Microsoft (forgive me Redmondites, it _is_ a religious thing). i prefer real operating systems like Unix/Linux and am too damn lazy to look up the details about their Exchange Server to assess risks.

any advice?

your statement... "OTOH i am a bit of a valued asset and can get away with an awful lot." is a flawed belief system.  No one is irreplacable.  I know, I've been there, I've done that.

Second, tracking - if they want to get you, they will.

This is kind of an unusual request.  is the e-mail that she requests her private one?  if so, that is still not so good.  I would ask her to send an e-mail from the account in question to your e-mail.  Then you reply that you are not the party she intended to reach... that makes more sense... I get a TON of e-mail from people who have the wrong person... sometimes I do reply and try to steer them right.  not always but enough so that it would not be atypical behaviour if I did that.

hope this helps.

i have a dry sense of humor at times. i do get away with much but i know i'm not irreplacable. i've even replaced myself on a few occasions.

it is pretty convoluted.....

the e-mail she requests as the recipient of my e-mail is _not_ her personal one. she also needs a "heads up" e-mail from my personal e-mail to her personal e-mail alerting her to find the the company e-mail sent this anonymous account.

whew....

she's well reviewed but low volume.

Texcat, my IT departments randomly check our outlook e-mails account because it has a limited capacity, but I work for a government entity so that may not apply to you.  Having said that, I NEVER was questioned because IT focused on website visits and since this account is not her or linked to a website that may be problematic, I think its ok.

This is a very good point.  "The owner" has the right to moniter use of company equipment (computers, phones).  As cut backs have happened & such, companies have become more touchy about use of their equipment (presumably on company time).  They would be totally within their rights to have monitoring software.  Even if they do not...  sooner or later the unit needs service & the IT guy sees where you've been.    
Some have used personal laptops but there's still some risk if using the company wireless.  Using a 3G devise or USB adaptor would steer clear of this totally.

I think that your idea of an incoming e-mail which you could give a prescribed reply to, is a great idea.
skb

Putting aside the security question, the number of absurd hurdles this provider is requiring you to jump through makes me think she's not worth it.  Too anal-compulsive for my tastes ...

Frankly, if it's an innocent sounding email to an innocent email address, i.e. "Thanks for loaning me the book." to [email protected], I can't imagine anything happening, with the possible exception of a reprimand for using company email to send a personal message.  If you send the email during lunch or after the work day, perhaps not even that.

Certainly I don't see how your company IT Security could link the recipient with another, no-so-innocent account.  It would take a subpeona to get all the access logs for the recipient account.

Would the MS Exchange Server log the email?  Sure.  Would anything come of it?  As you describe it, probably not.

Sounds like she is really trying to make sure you are safe.  I think however, it is up to her to research the company, and make sure your work email is ligit.  I would concure that she should email you first, so that you may email a response.  This way it lessons the chane of getting into trouble at the work place.
XOXO
McKayla

if I accept the Professorship I am looking at (I have been self empliued for the past 4 years), this would simply be too much to ask of me.  I have needs for security as well; this would be too much for me.

I agree, it's actually a fairly good screening tool though not usually used. Just send an innocuous e-mail to the account she created for this and be done with it. Seriously, unless you have NEVER sent an e-mail to an unknown from the job as a matter of company policy, I don't see the dilemma.  Happy Hobbying!

Just sending an innocent e-mail to a stranger is cool.
Surfing TER would not be.
skb

actually i have sent e-mails to ex spouses, ex employers, possible future employers, folks asking random questions, etc.

i am smitten by her website and will likely ask for a slightly modified procedure (response to an initial e-mail) before i take the plunge and see this lovely up close....

-- Modified on 4/11/2009 7:07:10 PM

this is her standard procedure and she is very low volume. i will ask as you suggest.

such as gmail.
Never use your work email.

use company email for the hobby.

It's a really bad idea, especially if you work for a large company.

Don't do it -- I am a Network Security Engineer. Very easily tracked from an e-mail server such as exchange

Preferred411 is the best for screening easy and safe. You get to see  the people that the client have seen and you have to be vouchered to join..

Depending on your business, simple send an email saying something to the effect of "thank you for your inquiry regarding our company's products/services.  A brochure which descries these is attached.  If you have further interest, I will be pleased to have the appropriate staff person contact you."

This is so innocent it causes no harm and poses no risk - I send these out all the time.

nice suggestion. unfortunately i never send out e-mails like that.

she has agreed to send me an e-mail i have composed making a different sort of inquiry that i do respond to regularly.