Spam, scams and shams... Spam

A guide to spam and how to avoid it

Author:  Tina Landers

Spam is the electronic equivalent of "junk mail". Spam is far more prolific than traditional paper-based junk mail because of its low cost and because anyone with a computer can do it. While the majority of spam mail is harmless, its sheer volume over the Internat causes network bandwidth problems. Regardless, none of us like receiving it and some of its content is offensive to most receipients.

Spamming is a numbers game. While spam messages and emails are sent out by the millions, it only takes a few responses to make the effort worthwhile. So while the vast majority of us simply ignore spam, the one or two who pay attention to it help continue the cycle.

Most email programs have some level of spam filtering built in. Additionally, most Service Providers offer some level (either free or as a paid service) of spam protection. Somehow, though, it still keeps coming!

So, how do you best reduce it? Well, you could start with some anti-spam software. There's a large selection of it on the Internet. There are even free versions - one of the better ones being Mailwasher - you can visit the website and download their free version here. If you'd like to know how to download and install software, you can read a more detailed article here.

I have a couple of ways that I use to combat spam. Firstly, I'm wary of handing out my email address to just anybody. Yes, I subscribe to various newsletters etc, but I check them out first to ensure that I really do want them. Secondly, I have a few email addresses - one purely for family and friends, another for my subscriptions to newsletters etc, and another which I use when I'm dubious about its use. They don't necessarily reduce the spam I receive, they simply make it easier to manage.

There are many free email systems available if you're looking to get a couple of email addresses. You could try Google Mail here, or Hotmail here, or Yahoo Mail here, or any one of the free Internet-based services.

While reputable email marketers give you the option to "unsubscribe" from their mailing list, spam does not. The best thing you can do with spam is to simply delete it. Don't respond to it, don't even open it. By responding you are simply confirming that your email address is still active and being used. Sometimes, merely opening a spam email sends back a response to the sender.

Which anti-spam filter do we use? We use Mailwasher Pro. It has more facilities and filters than the free version (as you'd expect) and it performs just the way we like it - quietly and efficiently. You can find out more about it here.

Lastly, and on a lighter note, why is it called spam? Well, it's widely accepted that this hilarious Monty Python skit was the basis for the name "spam":  

Click on the "Play" icon to watch the video