Simple Steps to Prevent Spam
Rick Hellewell - from DigitalChoke.com

Last Updated  May 23, 2011 07:59 PM

If you have an email address, then you are vulnerable to spam messages. While you probably can't prevent all spam, you can do several simple things to reduce the amount of spam that you do get.

Here are the simple steps that apply to whatever computer you use. We recommend that you share this information -- and perhaps the information from those other reports over in that box -- with others.

Here we go. First, print out this page, and then "bookmark" it. (Print this) Click here to add this page to your "Favorites" list. We'll update this page when necessary. You'll see the latest dates on these reports on our main "Daynotes" page, found here.

And let me know how this works out for you -- here's the mail form. When you use our mail form, your email address will never be used or given to anyone else. We always keep all of our reader's identities (yes, both of them) private. We don't even track your access (no hidden web bugs around here), other than the standard page visit information.

So, let's get started and see what we can do to reduce the amount of spam that you get.

 Don't Purchase from Spammers

As Pogo once said "We have met the enemy, and he is us". Spammers send out hundreds of thousands of messages for each spam "pitch". It's easy to do, and doesn't cost very much. And they regularly get a response rate of 1/2 of 1% (or less). But even that response rate is worthwhile.

Consider that a spammer can get a mailing list of a million mail addresses for about $100 (or less). Add in some overhead (spamming software, a computer system, connection to the Internet, hosting costs on a spam-friendly server), and you are probably at about $1000. Now, find something that you can sell for a $20 profit, and let someone else to the order fulfillment.

When you send out your first mailing to your million mail addresses, you could get 5,000 orders (that is your 1/2 percent response rate). With a $20 profit on each order, that's $100,000 in the bank. Not a bad return on your $1000 investment. And, you now have 5,000 email addresses of people that order things. Not only can you sell a product, you can now sell those email addresses.

So spamming is very profitable -- low cost, high profit. That's why you get a lot of it.

So don't buy things from spammers. If you don't buy things, perhaps they are less likely to spam you.

 Just Delete

If you don't know who the sender is, just delete the message. Don't even open it, and watch out for the 'preview' function in your mail software (see below).

 Don't Click - Don't Open - Don't Preview

If you do open an email, step away from the links. Don't click on any link in a spam message, no matter what those links are. If you click on a link, you'll more than likely verify your email address. And the spammer will put you in their "live email address" database.

I've tested that a few times. With a message that I know contains a track-back identification, I open the message, or click on a link in the message. Then I close the message and browser window. And about an hour later, I'm getting more spam from the same spammer.

Even opening the message (or previewing it) can cause the track-back to work. Or cause a virus/worm to be installed on your computer.

Set your mail software to block track-back content. Don't click on the 'un-subscribe' link -- that just verifies your email address back to the spammer.

Clicking, opening, or previewing just makes you a perfect target for more spam.

 Use "BCC"

If you are sending mail to a number of recipients (like the members of your family), put everyone's email address in the "BCC" (Blind Carbon Copy) field. That hides all the email addresses from others.

Remember that email is not private. Once you send the message, it can go to anyone else with a simple "Forward" command. By putting addresses in the BCC field, at least others won't see all your contacts. And it prevents those addresses from being 'harvested' by spammers (or viruses).

 Keep Your Email Address Private

If you write messages in public areas (forums, newsgroups, lists, etc), don't include your email address. Spammers use address 'harvesting' software that wanders around the Internet looking for email address, much like Google wanders around to get web pages.

I once used a throwaway address on a single message I posted to a widely read web site. It only took two weeks for that address to be 'harvested' to spammers. That was a year ago, and I still get messages to that one address.

And don't give out your email addresses to untrusted places. Just like you don't tell everyone your home address.

 Have Some "Throwaway" Addresses

Many sites want you to give them your email address when you register for information or surveys. If you really don't want any more information from them, then use a free email address from Yahoo or HotMail. The site can send all the mail they want to those throwaway addresses. You don't have to read them.

And watch out for those checkboxes that say something like "Can we share your information with our marketing partners?". Uncheck those boxes, unless you really like junk mail.

 Watch Out for "mailto's"

A "mailto" is a code you can put on a web page for an easy email link. And it's a great way for those mail harvesting programs to find email addresses.

In fact, you might try a Google search for your email address. Or search for "mailto" on your company's web site (use the Google "advanced tools" to help with those searches). You might be surprised with the number of pages that Google will find. And if Google can find your email address out there on the Internet, then so can the spammers.

Instead of the "mailto" command, use a mail form like we do here. Because we use server-side code (PHP commands) to send out an email message, you can't find our email address on our mail form page, even if you look at the page's "source code".

Some will advise that you can use an address like "my name at my site dot com" to obscure your email address, but some mail harvesting programs are smart enough to decode that. A mail form is the easiest way to provide a mail link on your web page.

 Don't Be a Spammer

You might think this was obvious. But there are strong indications that a lot of spam comes from home computers that are infected by viruses or worms. Spammers route their message through these home computers. And the computer owner doesn't even know.

So check out your computer for viruses or worms. Take a look at our "Simple Steps for Safe Computing" report (and our other reports up in that box at the top of the page). You can protect yourself.

You might be a spammer and don't even know it.

 This Will Work

Email is a great tool. But it is easily abused. If you follow these practices, you'll see a reduction in the amount of email you get. It may be a slow reduction, but it will happen.

I hope this helps. Share this information. Print and bookmark this page. Send out this link (below) to others so they will get the latest. (Print this) Click here to add this page to your "Favorites" list (this page will be updated when necessary).

"Let's be careful out there" (Sergeant Phil Esterase [Michael Conrad], "Hill Street Blues", 1981-1984). Not everyone on the 'net is a nice person.

Lock your doors. Take your keys. Eat your vegetables. Hug your spouse and children. Call your mother -- or Father.

Rick Hellewell --  May 23, 2011 07:59 PM

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