titlerep1 --- 'Spam-Bots' are programs that search (scan) internet forums and other similar places on the internet for email addresses.
What alerts them are the @ and the .
Once they have your addy ... you become the possible target for a barrage of unwanted 'junk email'.
That's why you see most folks here giving out their email addies like ... someone(at)somwhere(dot)com ... or something along those lines!