| This article which you are about to read has | | | | emails, which can hide addresses or also b) |
| been written because of a growing concern | | | | use addresses like instead of your full |
| amongst all email users of the rise in spam | | | | address to help battle the problem. c) There |
| emails which threatens to overwhelm us. | | | | are also programs that encode your email, |
| | | | like jsGuard, which encodes your email |
| How prevalent is Spam? According to Scott | | | | address on web pages so that spam spiders |
| McAdams, OMA Public Affairs and | | | | find it difficult or impossible to read your |
| Communications Department,studies show | | | | email address. |
| unsolicited or junk e-mail, known as spam, | | | | |
| accounts for roughly half of all email | | | | Number 2: Get spam blocking software. There |
| messages received. Although once regarded as | | | | are many programs out there for this. (go to |
| little more than a nuisance, the prevalence | | | | or for example). You may also buy a |
| of spam has increased to the point where many | | | | professional version. Whatever you do, get |
| users have begun to express a general lack of | | | | the software. It will save you time. The |
| confidence in the effectiveness of email | | | | software is not foolproof, but they really do |
| transmissions, and increased concern over the | | | | help. You usually have to do some manual set |
| spread of computer viruses via unsolicited | | | | up to block certain types of email. |
| messages. | | | | |
| | | | Number 3: Use the multiple email address |
| In 2003, President Bush signed the Can Spam | | | | approach. |
| bill, in December of 2003, which is the first | | | | |
| national standards around bulk unsolicited | | | | There are a lot of free email addresses to be |
| commercial email. The bill, approved by the | | | | had. If you must subscribe to newsletters, |
| Senate by a vote of 97 to 0, prohibits | | | | then have a back up email address. It would |
| senders of unsolicited commercial email from | | | | be like giving your cell phone number to your |
| using false return addresses to disguise | | | | best friends and the business number to |
| their identity (spoofing) and the use of | | | | everyone else. |
| dictionaries to generate such mailers. In | | | | |
| addition, it prohibits the use of misleading | | | | Number 4: Attachments from people you dont |
| subject lines and requires that emails | | | | know are BAD, BAD, BAD. |
| include an opt out mechanism. The legislation | | | | |
| also prohibits senders from harvesting | | | | A common problem with spam is that they have |
| addresses off Web sites. Violations | | | | attachments and attachments can have viruses. |
| constitute a misdemeanor crime subject to up | | | | Corporations often have filters that dont let |
| to one year in jail. | | | | such things pass to you. Personal email is |
| | | | far more open country for spamers. General |
| One major point that needs to be discussed | | | | rule of thumb: if you do not know who is |
| about this: spam is now coming from other | | | | sending you something, DO NOT OPEN THE |
| countries in ever greater numbers. These | | | | ATTACHMENT. Secondly, look for services that |
| emails are harder to fight, because they come | | | | offer filtering. Firewall vendors offer this |
| from outside our countrys laws and | | | | type of service as well. |
| regulations. Because the Internet opens | | | | |
| borders and thinks globally, these laws are | | | | Number 5: Email services now have bulk mail |
| fine and good, but do not stop the problem. | | | | baskets. If what you use currently does not |
| | | | support this, think about moving to a new |
| So what do you do about this? Her are the top | | | | vendor. The concept is simple. If you know |
| 5 Rules to do to protect yourself from spam. | | | | someone, they can send you emails. If you |
| | | | dont know them, put them in the bulk email |
| Number 1: Do what you can to avoid having | | | | pile and then choose to allow them into your |
| your email address out on the net. | | | | circle. Spam Blocking software has this |
| | | | concept as well, but having extra layers |
| There are products called spam spiders that | | | | seems critical these days, so it is worth |
| search the Internet for email addresses to | | | | looking into. |
| send email to. If you are interested, do a | | | | |
| search on spam spider and you will be amazed | | | | Let me finish by saying that I do hope you |
| at what you get back. Interestingly, there is | | | | found this article helpful and informative. |
| a site, WebPoison.org, which is an open | | | | There is a lot of information out there on |
| source project geared to fight Internet | | | | this subject, in your local bookstore, your |
| spambots and spam spiders, by giving them | | | | library, my Blog, details which follow, and |
| bogus HTML web pages, which contain bogus | | | | indeed the internet, so please spend some |
| email addresses. | | | | time on research, you will be well rewarded |
| | | | for your efforts. |
| A couple of suggestions for you: a) use form | | | | |