Spam Emails: How to Control?

What is Spam Email?

Spam is the slang term for unsolicited email. The practice of sending unsolicited bulk email ("spam") is an increasing problem on the Internet and it provides criminals with a way of reaching Internet anywhere in the world, no matter where they are located themselves. In order to reduce the amount of spam that you receive, you should be careful about disclosing your e-mail address and consider taking some of the measures below to protect yourself from spam.

Individuals behind these mass mailings, 'Spammers' collect addresses from a number of sources including websites or newsgroups/forums where they are displayed in full and buying address lists from websites where people have signed up for free offers or ordered something online. They also employ more malicious means such as using mass mailing viruses and worms, as well as dictionary-based attacks on popular domains.

7 ways to reduce spam:

Disguise your e-mail address on websites, newsgroup posts, chat rooms, or bulletin boards. You can display your address on your website as an image (without using the mailto attributes), on your website insert an image in place of the @ sign, write it as your.name at my-isp.com, insert zeros instead of "o" (y0ur.name@my-isp.c0m), or insert additional words (your.name@my-ispREMOVE-THIS.com). By doing this you will still make it possible for other people to read your address, but prevent the automated programs that spammers use from harvesting your email address.

Use an email programme that includes spam filters, an anti-spam product, or a service that scans your email for spam automatically. I suggest you Thunder Bird

on't list your e-mail address in full on any websites, newsgroups or forums Or use a separate email address for such use.

Only share your main e-mail address with people you know.

Make sure that you opt out of marketing offers allowing your address to be sold to third parties when registering or buying products or services.

NEVER reply to spam emails or attempt to use the "remove me" link as this will confirm that your address is live and you will receive more spam.

Don't open or preview spam messages as this may enable them to validate that the message has been opened. After validating your email address , spammers will send flood of eamils to your inbox.