If you think spam is a canned marvel of delicious goodness, you likely haven't
been on the internet for very long. For the rest of us, spam is the nemesis
of all electronic messagers. Spam is the generic term used for unsolicited
email messages that hawk everything from get-rich-quick schemes to erectile
dysfunction tablets. Unlike their offline counterpart, junk mail, spam-mongers
pay almost nothing to send you a message.
Unfortunately, spam is profitable enough that there is no sign of it ending
anytime soon. Despite the best efforts of lawmakers to curb unsolicited email,
spam is more prolific than ever. Penalties and fines are nothing more than
deterrents. Some of the big-name internet service providers such as AOL and
Earthlink try to cut off spam before it gets to your inbox, but it is a losing
proposition. Now, just because ISPs and lawmakers can't stop it from happening,
you don't have to sit idly by while your inbox tries to sell you the latest
weight loss fad. There are some things you can do to help prevent and alleviate
spam from attacking you.
Spammers get your email address by buying a mailing list, or they use a bot
to crawl the web in search of text that even remotely resembles an email address.
If your email is ever posted in a public area, such as a discussion forum,
chat room, or a website, a bot will be able to mine your address. Therefore,
one of the best things you can do to avoid spam is to avoid posting your email
address in any public forum. Not only does this help curb spam, but it also
maintains your privacy.
If your surfing activities require you to disseminate your email address,
consider opening multiple email accounts. It is so easy to set up an email
account on the internet these days that many people end up forgetting some
of the addresses they have registered. Create an email address that will be
used only for online activities. That way, you are prepared for the spam and
don't need to wade through it in order to find the important emails. Keep your
main account outside of the public eye and only hand them out to friends and
family members.
Email programs such as Microsoft Outlook have the capability to allow you
to customize or filter what comes through to your Inbox. For example, you can
set up a filter that sends any email with the word "breakthrough" in
the subject line directly to your trash folder, or any other folder you designate.
You can also set up rules to filter messages based on the sender's email address.
You can even filter emails originating from any domain you choose. Be careful
with filters, however, as you might end up redirecting a piece of email that
you actually wanted to read. Setting up filters is not difficult. Some programs
have built-in wizards to help walk you through the process, or you can use
the application's help features to guide you.
If you don't mind shelling out a little cash, you can purchase anti-spam software
to help filter your emails. Some applications cross-reference the incoming
email addresses against a list of known spammers. Other applications work on
an "exclusive" basis; that is, you have to specify what domains or
addresses you want to let through. If any email doesn't match your criteria,
it will be excluded or blocked.
No matter how exciting or enticing the spam offers seem, never purchase a
product from spam email. If you really want the product, search elsewhere and
try to buy it from a reputable website if possible. As well, use an alternate
email address when you do purchase something. Once they get a whiff that you
buy these products, you will get an avalanche of email. Most spam has an unsubscribe
link or some kind of mailing list removal instruction guide. Never click on
any links in a spam message, nor should you follow any unsubscribe instructions.
Doing so alerts the spammer that your email address is, in fact, legitimate,
and you will continue to receive spam. If your email program has the capability
to download email images separately, use it. Once a picture is downloaded from
a piece of spam, the spammer will be able to tell if you opened the email,
also alerting them that your address is active. Simply ignore the message and
delete it right away.
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