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How To Avoid Getting Spam
Spam is the scum of the universe. If you didn't already know, SPAM is the term used to describe unwanted, unneeded, unsolicited advertisements for products that are often scams or adult in nature. Lower mortgagees, free credit reports, Online Casinos, Find out anything about anyone, College Diplomas, Viagra, Human Growth Hormone, and "free" access to that adult site with new pictures of Britney Spears... these are just some of the most common types of spam e-mail I've received. Unfortunately, if you stay on the net long enough, you will eventually start getting spam messages like these. It is inevitable. Fortunately, there are a few tips that can keep your spam intake to a minimum.
About Me:
My name is Matt. I personally check about 16 e-mail accounts using Microsoft Outlook Express. I've been active on the net since 1992... and have had the same e-mail addresses for close to 4 years now. When I first set up my e-mail account on FrogNet, I only received mail from friends and family. It was a glorious time free from spammage. Then SPAM was born and my naivety in the ways of SAPM lead to me receiving close to 80 junk e-mail messages a day. I've finally gotten my SPAM levels under control, but I've become pretty resigned to the fact that it is darn near impossible to eliminate all SPAM. I still get tons of spam, but through e-mail filters and some trickery, most of it is deleted for me automatically, so I never have to deal with it.
Before we get started... remember this site. It is your friend: http://www.privacy.org
Tip #1) NEVER respond to SPAM
Often times a SPAMMER will send you an e-mail message which tells you that if you don't want further messages, all you have to do is reply with the word REMOVE in the subject or in the body. DON'T DO IT. This tells the spammer that your mail address is functional AND that you check it. This is like gold for the spammer who now knows that he can reach you AND he'll more than likely sell your e-mail address to as many lists as are willing to pay for it.
The best way to stop spam is to play dead. Never respond to SPAM and eventually they will give up. This can take months or years. But eventually, your name will fall off the list. Respond, and you'll get 3 times the spam you did before you tried to "unsubscribe"
Tip #2) NEVER give out your real e-mail address when filling out a BBS or Guest Book or other Online Feedback Form.
Spammers use "harvesting software" to scan web sites for e-mail addresses. These programs basically scan web page after web page looking for the pattern "someone@somplace.com" Great places to harvest new e-mail addresses are Bulletin Boards, Newsgroups, and Guest books If you want people on a newsgroups or bulletin board to e-mail you but don't want to have your e-mail address harvested, try mutilating your e-mail address. Instead of typing in joefrog@frognet.net try typing "joefrog@NO-SPAM-PLEASE.frognet.net" or "joefrog at frognet.net"
Mutilating an e-mail address is gaining popularity among people who are net-savvy. It fools the harvesting software and still lets people figure out what your REAL e-mail address is.
Tip #3) Change your address occasionally
If you start getting inundated with SPAM and it doesn't look like it's going to go away, you can close the e-mail account and get a new address. First, be sure to alert your friends, family, and coworkers that you are changing your address. For a few blessed months or years, your new address should be free from spam.
Tip #4) NEVER give your e-mail address to adult sites.
First off, shame on you. :-) Secondly, giving personal information to an adult site is like playing Russian roulette and the stakes are your e-mail address, your credit card information, and even your identity. Even the "established" adult sites like Playboy will sell your e-mail address to spammers... even if they say they won't. They ALWAYS do. Less reputable adult sites have been known to run off with your credit card information, and even sell your information to identity thieves.
Tip #5) Turn off your e-mail browser's Preview Pane
A lot of spammers send you HTML formatted e-mail That is e-mail that looks like a web page. Unfortunately, viewing an HTML formatted spam e-mail can alert spammers that your e-mail address is active and being checked regularly. They can insert code into the HTML message that basically says "Hey, someone read your spam and here is their e-mail address." If that happens, you'll probably get more e-mail from that spammer and from other spammers as well. Since the spammer now knows your check your e-mail, he'll sell your e-mail address to other companies.
In Microsoft Outlook Express, click on the View Menu, then select Layout, and uncheck the Preview Pane option.
Tip #6) Lie To On Line Registration Forms
A lot of companies require that you provide them with a valid e-mail address in order to register your new software, or other product. To ensure that you are telling the truth, they often e-mail you a registration KEY or other code. Without it, the software can not be "unlocked" and is therefore useless. These same companies often have an item you can check or uncheck that supposedly takes you off any e-mail lists. This only works some of the time. Most companies will eventually sell your e-mail address, or they may get hacked and have the information stolen.
Yahoo, one of the net's most popular web sites, recently switched it's privacy policy and is now selling your e-mail address and phone number to other companies unless you opt out. And opting out rarely ever is permanent for the reasons I stated above.
The only thing that seems to work is to create a new e-mail account prior to registering, get the code you need to activate your software, and then close the e-mail account.
If you are hosting a domain on FrogNet, you can do this very easily. Just log into the e-mail management page, create a new e-mail address, check it using webmail, and then delete it after you get your information.
If the form you are filling out doesn't need to send you a code to unlock anything, then don't give them your real address. Try using none@privacy.org instead. It is a real e-mail account created by the folks at privacy.org that goes straight to the trash. Hmmm I should have said none@NO.SPAM.privacy.org Viva la privacy!