How to: avoid spam

Use email fi ltering software at your email gateway:

You should run email fi ltering software at the email gateway, as this will protect your business from spam, as well as email-borne spyware, viruses and worms.

Never make a purchase from an unsolicited email:

By making a purchase, you are funding future spam. Your email address may also be added to lists that are sold to other spammers, so that you receive even more junk email. Worse still, you could be the victim of a fraud.

If you do not know the sender of an unsolicited email, delete it:

Most spam is just a nuisance, but sometimes it can contain a virus that damages or compromises the computer when the email is opened.

Never respond to any spam messages or click on any links in the message:

If you reply to spam – even to unsubscribe from the mailing list – you confi rm that your email address is a valid one, so encouraging more spam.

Don’t use the preview mode in your email viewer:

Many spammers can track when a message is viewed, even if you don’t click on the email. The preview setting effectively opens the email and lets spammers know that you receive their messages. When you check your email, try to decide whether a message is spam on the basis of the subject line only.

Use the “bcc” fi eld if you email many people at once:

The “bcc” or blind copy fi eld hides the list of recipients from other users. If you put the addresses in the “To” fi eld, spammers may harvest them and add them to mailing lists.

Never provide your email address on the internet:

Don’t publish your email address on websites, newsgroup lists or other online public forums. Spammers use programs that surf the internet to fi nd addresses in such places.

Only give your main address to people you trust:

Give your main email address only to friends and colleagues.

Use one or two secondary email addresses:

If you fi ll out web registration forms or surveys on sites from which you don’t want further information, use a secondary email address. This protects your main address from spam.

Opt out of further information or offers:

When you fi ll out forms on websites, look for the checkbox that lets you choose whether to accept further information or offers. Check or uncheck the box as appropriate.

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