[MoneyGuy]

Originally Posted by photon

They'll send messages out to common patterns for known domains as well. alan.aardvark@whatever.com, april.aardvark@whatever.com, etc etc..

Then the ones that don't bounce back they know are real addresses so they add them to the list.

But my name (which is in my address) has an unusual spelling, so I don't see them guessing it.