Spam Continues To Grow -
Don't Rely Entirely
On Your Junk Mail Filter
We can all help to reduce Junk Mail. Think twice before you respond to it or forward it.
Scam Spam
Scam spam is another blight on the Internet. Typically, it will be an email outlining some personal tragedy and asking for your help in getting a huge sum of money out of some distant country.
In return they offer you a slice of the cash. Sounds too good to be true, eh? It is. They just want your bank details and will ask you for money. Don't respond. Bin it!
Chain Emails
They're rarely a security threat but they are a nuisance.
“Send this to seven friends in the next ten minutes or your ears will fall off! If you send it NOW, a leprechaun will leave a million dollars in your shoes and you'll see an angel.”
You won't find a million dollars or see an angel if you send it but your friends might think you're a bit simple, which we know you're not. And whatever happens I promise you, your ears won't fall off! Bin it!
If you have a friend or colleague who regularly sends you this kind of stuff, and it irritates you, ask them politely to desist.
If you like sending these kinds of emails you should give it a rest. Your friends may just be too polite to tell you.
Hoax Virus Alerts
Most of us at some time have received a hoax virus alert. A well-intentioned warning arrives from someone you know about an awful new threat that no-one can stop.
It tells you not to open any emails that mention Budweiser Frogs or an Olympic Torch, or some such thing. You are asked to 'forward this to all your friends'.
Being asked to 'forward' the warning usually indicates that it is a hoax. A quick search on Google or Yahoo will usually reveal if the threat is genuine. Don't automatically forward these warnings. You will only be adding to the Junk problem.
That said, you should NEVER follow any link that arrives in spam email. A classic way of spreading malware is to invite you to follow a link to an electronic greeting card from 'a friend' or 'someone you know'. Don't do it.
Spammers are becoming ever more devious. According to Google a recent spam email pretending to be from CNN actually contained a mixture of genuine news story links and malware links.
The trend is to spread malware through bogus links rather than attachments. So, even though it might not look like typical Junk if you weren't expecting it, treat it like it is!
Think before you link!
Click here for an effective, FREE junk filter!
Legitimate Email Marketing
Often referred to as Junk, genuine email marketing is slightly different. Used responsibly it is a legitimate form of sales promotion. But we often invite it to our inbox without realising.
If you enter an online competition, complete a survey or subscribe to a newsletter you may be giving the organiser 'permission' to send you more 'information' from themselves and third-parties.
Always check the small print at the bottom of the page.
Responsible promoters and companies ask you to 'opt-in' to receive further information. Others may automatically assume you want more offers and information if you don't 'opt-out'.
In these cases you should be able to opt out easily and safely.
Using Your 'bcc'
We all love to forward jokes and funny pictures to everyone in our address book.
Try using the 'bcc' (blind carbon copy) option in your mail client. This 'hides' each recipient's address from all the other recipients.
It makes life harder for the evil email harvesters out there and helps to control the flow of junk.
Click here for an effective FREE junk filter!
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