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Some ways to get rid of Spam.SPAM? Stuff Posing As Mail. The Internet version of junk mail. Obtrusive ads that you want to get rid of. What ever you call it, you don't want it. It takes up a lot of time. Here, we'll discuss a few ways to get rid of this nuisance. Some are very easy, some will take a little extra work on your part. Why am I getting spam?Spammers can get to your e-mail address when you give it out either on purpose or by accident. Before giving out your e-mail address to a company, either online or off, make sure the company is legitimate and will not sell or share your e-mail address. Many company Web sites include this information in a privacy policy posted on the site. Most legitimate companies do not share customers' e-mail addresses. If you spend time in chat rooms or post messages on online message boards, use an e-mail address that you create specifically for that purpose — and expect it to be overrun with spam. What not to doDon't reply to spam. If it is truly spam and from a shady operator, responding signals that it's an active e-mail address. If the company sending it is legitimate, you can ask to be removed from its mailing list. Here is an interesting article on spammer techniques for getting email addresses. Here are some other tips: • Do not open an e-mail message unless you know who it is from. Opening it signals that your e-mail address is active, and more spam will follow • Do not reply to or forward junk e-mail and especially chain letters. • Be careful about giving out your e-mail address. If possible, spell it out rather than use the @ symbol. For example: john at email dot com • Investigate getting software to block and filter e-mail. Some are free, but you have to pay for the most sophisticated shields A few ways to help keep it out of you InboxThe Delete key (easiest)The easiest way to remove it from your Inbox is to hit the delete key on your keyboard. It doesn't keep it from coming back, just takes care of it in the present. Think of it as a Spam-inator key! Block sender from e-mailing you (easy)Blocking a sender is very easy. If you are using Outlook Express, all you need to do is click once on the spam. Click Message on the toolbar and then choose Block Sender. You will get a box saying something like spammer@spam.com has been added to your blocked senders list. Click Yes and you are done! Is this fool proof? Not even. Why? Most spammers change their email address all the time. The next step will help take it to the next level of protection. Block the whole domain, not just a user (More effective)Click Tools. Then go to Message Rules and from that menu choose Blocked Senders. You will get a list of everyone that you have put into this list, from the above step. Sometimes you will notice that a certain domain (the part after the @ sign) comes up alot. Well, instead blocking everyone, one at a time, let's take them out in one fell swoop. Highlight a user in the block list. Click Modify. Erase everything to the left of the @ sign. Also, get rid of everything but the main domain name. Example, mts631.yourfreecar.com. All you need is yourfreecar.com in the list. Click OK and you're done! Block certain naughty words (Most effective)Okay, I know the above just blocks users from getting to you. You need dirty words blocked as well. Or at least some topics that you would rather not deal with. Click Tools. Go to Message Rules and from that menu choose Mail. Yep, same section of Outlook Express. Click New. There are four sections to this. 1. You get several choices on what your need is. I like choosing "Where the message body contains specific words." It is more effective than choosing the subject line because you don't even need a subject. 2. I always choose Delete it. This just moves everything to the Deleted Folder, as does all the previous methods. 3. The should be a series of blue words. Click them. Type in the word that you want to block. Click Add then OK. Click OK one more time and you are done! Now, this is a time to not worry about typing a naughty word. No one will think less of you!! Better to be a bit embarrassed now than really embarrassed later when an email comes in. In closingSpam is a part of the Internet life. These steps will stop all spam. There are programs that you can buy that will stop even more. Spammers are ever evolving in their methods. The newest one is, one big picture. No words. To stop that, go to the section that deals with Bad Pictures. If you have any favorite methods, questions or comments, please let me know! Good luck in the fight! |
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