Random MSN Adds...how do they happen?!

Have you ever been sitting at your computer, minding your own business, and then a window pops up to inform you that somebody new has added you to their MSN list? Of course you have. Now, once you've gotten your list in a respectable shape- how many of these windows are people you ACTUALLY KNOW?

I've had my MSN account since about grade 7. MSN was a shell of what it is today, but at the time we were so amazed at the ability to instantly message people over the internet that it really didn't matter. I'm sure if the internet were brand-new now it'd be much the same (holly hell I'm really aging myself here).

But ever since day one, I've had adds from people I don't know, and have no idea how they got my email address. Now granted, back in those days I actually USED my hotmail address as my primary email, it made an appearance on pretty much every form I filled in on the internet for ever account known to man. I'd get adds from people in Autralia, Brazil, Korea, remote areas of Africa, everywhere! When I was younger it seemed like fun, to talk to all these people from all over the world. I knew I didn't know them personally and I exercised caution with personal details, but it wasn't a great source of alarm (again, because my MSN address was pretty much public).

But now it's just creepy. I've long-since reduced my hotmail account to MSN-only usage. I get an email that's been directed there on average once every two months, and even then it's set up to forward those random messages to my Gmail. I've often considered migrating my entire MSN account over to my Gmail address, but what with automatic sign-in, it seems a mite pointless for very little gain. I no longer use it for sign-ups, mailing lists, or job applications. It's listed on my Facebook profile- although it's privacy-protected for friends only. (And I am not one of those people who adds every Tom, Dick, and Harry that asks for the privilege). So HOW may I ask do these creepers get my MSN address?

And worse yet, why do people have the time to sit there searching out MSN account addresses, only to be rude/sexist/pervy to the people they add? Because I'm the admin to a very large support group I tend to allow anyone who adds me...initially. But if you don't immediately pop up saying "Hi I'm so-and-so from your MG group" then I start to get suspicious! And telling me your sister left her MSN open and you're just checking in does not make it okay, nor does popping up asking me for my a/s/l! I've also had instances where the person on the other end is just as confused as I am. When asked who they are they would like to know the same thing, when asked how they got my address they say that I added them, not vise-versa. So what, are they just playing dumb or has MSN just dropped the ball? Or maybe there's somebody at MSN whose secretly a match-maker hoping her roque addage will bring two people who otherwise never would have met together? Whatever the reason, it's not cool!

So forgive me if I'm not all warm- and- fuzzy to you if you add me and refuse to tell me who you are or how you got my address. I'm not on the market to get cyber-raped.