Satellite Internet
Wireless Internet
Fiber Optic Internet
High Speed Topics
Bookmark and Share

Home > Articles > Stop Spam Mail

Guide To Stopping Spam Mail


SPAM. It’s not just some mystery meat anymore and it doesn't matter if you use a dialup connection or have High Speed Internet. As a matter of fact, it’s something that many people regard as way worse—junk mail. This is not your average junk mail, either—it’s junk mail in your e-mail inbox. Is nowhere safe?

There was a day when junk mail in your e-mail inbox was practically unheard of, but not anymore. These days, most email providers have a specific folder that they automatically route suspected SPAM mail to. While these SPAM filters help some, they don’t always do the trick and most people would rather not have to deal with junk mail at all.

 

How is SPAM Harmful?

Not all SPAM is harmful. Some SPAM is just plain annoying, and the fact that it takes time to open just to realize that it is isn’t a legitimate or solicited email can be quite annoying. That in itself can be harmful to a good day. At the same time, not all SPAM is as harmless as that.

Some junk mail is known to contain harmful spyware or viruses. A person who doesn’t know any better can open an email and introduce malware onto their computer—likely one of their biggest investments.

Spammers are not always out to destroy your computer. Sometimes the aim is to collect sensitive and personal information, such as names, address, credit card information, social security numbers, and other such information. This can be done by typing it in without the user knowing the true intent (phishing), or it being collected from the computer. This is used to make purchases and steal identities, one of the leading crimes in the United States today.

 

How to Stop SPAM

There are numerous ways that you can go about taking steps to reduce the amount of SPAM you receive. For one, opting out of all pre-approved offers can help.

Removing yourself from the Direct Marketing Association list can also help, as that can reduce the number of emails you receive with the intent of marketing.

Also, never purchase anything from junk mail—ever. Not only does this open up your information to other potential SPAM-mers, but it also encourages them. If one person buys something from junk mail, it pays for hundreds upon hundreds of other emails to be sent. There are other ways to sell things, and junk mail is not the way to do it.

Don’t ever give your email out. Any company that is at all reputable should promise not to sell, give away, share, or otherwise show your email to anyone—period. Anyone without a bulletproof privacy policy should not be trusted. Period.

Learn to identify SPAM mail. Many scammers have become great at disguising their intentions. Get educated and be smarter than them.

Keep your email filters current and use email with built in SPAM filters. If you are unsure of which ones to use, check with the more well-known email providers as they are usually the ones with the best filters.

 

SPAM Laws

SPAM isn’t just annoying and sometimes harmful to the computer. It is also in violation of many laws. While SPAM laws differ from place to place, the bottom line is always the same: SPAM is against the law, because it bothers people and harms computers. Of all of the anti-SPAM legislation out there, perhaps the most well-known is the CAN-SPAM law. This stands for Controlling the Assault of Non-Solicited Pornography and Marketing and was enacted in 2003. It defines SPAM and places strict regulations on what can and cannot be sent over the internet to computers and wireless devices—especially if it stands to cause harm to these devices.

Take the basic steps to protect your computer from SPAM the best you can by getting educated and staying safe. SPAM filters, up-to-date email hosting providers and email clients, and knowledge of what to open and what not to open are your best defenses against junk mail evils.

 
Our Most Popular Pages
 

The High Speed Internet Access Guide reviews several High Speed Internet providers and lists helpful articles on topics related to the Internet and the World Wide Web.