What is spam?
Spam is any email message that contains commercial advertising. In most cases, spam is unsolicited, is sent on an extremely large scale, and is a nuisance to email users. It is estimated that up to 95% of all emails sent are spam of some kind.
Spammers, as the senders are called, typically buy email recipient lists or collect email addresses from various places on the web, including information forms and public sites with email lists. Additionally, spammers can also use computer programs that also randomly “guess” email addresses.
Effects of spam
Besides cluttering your inbox and being a waste of time and annoyance, there are other reasons why spam needs to be controlled. First of all, spam is often a source of computer viruses. Malicious people creating viruses often disguise them as emails from legitimate advertising sources to encourage users to open or download content. Second, spam is often used as a weapon for robbery, fraud, or scams. Emails mimicking real companies asking for your login information, personal details, or payment information cost innocent consumers every day.
Avoid spam
The easiest way to protect yourself from the headaches associated with spam is to know how to avoid it completely. These are some of the most effective techniques!
Use a spam filter: Most email accounts will offer some type of spam filter. However, it is up to the user to enable this feature and configure its parameters. Take the time to ensure that there is a spam filter on all email accounts and review or adjust the settings to make sure it is effective. Also, as an email appears in your inbox that you identify as spam, take the time to mark it as spam instead of simply deleting it.
Create a disposable email address: If you must deliver your email to sources that will list it publicly, sell it, or are generally questionable, having a disposable email account for this purpose is a great idea. Basically this is an email that is only used for spam or subscriptions, and not for important or personal emails.
Have a unique email address: As mentioned above, many spammers use programs that randomly generate email addresses based on “guesswork.” These are commonly used emails (such as [email protected]). To prevent your account from being “guessed”, use a combination of letters and numbers and keep it as unusual as possible.
Drop out: When you sign up for various things on the web, you often have the opportunity to uncheck a subscription box for the email. Get in the habit of doing this for every registration you make. Also, many online stores, merchants, and advertisers will have instructions at the bottom of the emails on how to unsubscribe if you want. Doing this will help remove your email address from many spam lists.
Hide your identity / email address: Many people become spam targets because they post to the web, chat, and perform other functions online with their email address visible. When commenting on blog posts, posting in forums, chatting, or other communications that are public, do not post your email address, use it in a signature, or create a screen name that is identical to your email address. If you must tell someone your email address in a public place, use a disposable email address instead of your primary email.