Most people find unrecognized, unknown, unwanted email in their inboxes every day, some of which can even be graphic in nature. And those people all have better things to do than sort through those emails on a daily basis.
What millions of people around the world don't know is what they can do about spam.
The first thing to do is set up some filters to reduce the amount of spam that comes in, but it's not going to get rid of it completely. Other things can help as well.
The purpose of email filtering is to get your email account to work at looking for specific words, both in the subject of the email and the body of the message itself. You can then decide what action you want your email account to take when it finds an email with the keywords specified. Generally speaking the email can either be routed directly to your bulk or junk folder, or into the trash. Some programs allow for messages to be automatically deleted.
The downside to filters is that they only work so well. Spammers are always one step ahead, and about the time you put the word "viagra" into the filter, the spammers start coming up with alternate ways of spelling the word, like v*i*a*g*r*a. The insertion of the stars, or any other alternative spelling, will act as a loophole for the spammer to get their messages past your filters.
Additionally, what if you receive an email from someone you do know, who is talking about their husband getting on viagra. It's an email from a friend that you would normally receive, but because they use the word viagra in the email, it will be filtered as well.
In an effort to "help" consumers, many ISPs and email providers started putting in filters of their own, or added features that the user could tweak to their own personal preferences, that never worked really well at all. If you've ever wondered why there were more legitimate emails in your junk folder and more spam in your inbox, that is why. This is especially true for mailing lists that you opted to receive (like your daily horoscope, for example). The mail provider may have your best interests in mind, but they don't allow quite enough personal customization by the user for personal preference.
At this point, about the only thing a person can really do is create separate emails for private and public use, and when they create those email accounts they need to choose a name that is less likely to be guessed at by the software that spammers sometimes use to create lists. Use the private account for family and friends only, and never share it with anyone else outside of those you know and trust. Use the other account as a throwaway that you use for mailing lists and other subscriptions that you want to receive. If it starts becoming inundated with spam, simply close it and open a new one.
Interactive One Dedicates Black History Month to Pop Culture Icons and ... Sacramento Bee Sponsored by AT&T, the original series will feature Black Americans' inspiring stories of success in the face of adversity with a profile of their achievements and an accompanying photo gallery. The list includes such notable figures as Benjamin Alvin ... |
Zacks' Voice of the People Highlights Opportunities with Campbell Soup, CVS ... Sacramento Bee Despite black Monday in 1987, practically every trading strategy worked in the eighties and nineties. Excessive in this world means some 5% above the benchmark. The benchmark (S&P500) compounded 14%/year during those days, 17%/year including dividends. |
How to De-SPAM Your Life Lifehacker This guide covers all kinds of services that are targeted by spam in some fashion. You can read the whole guide, or you can just click on the topic you want from the list below to skip to that section. Whether your mobile or landline is plagued by ... |
How To De-Spam Your Life Lifehacker Australia Whatever type of spam you're getting, the blocking methods are the same. Android users have quite a few options to block unwanted texters. Handcent SMS and BlackList are two free filters which are worth trying out if you feel bombarded. |
Fred Meyer Jewelers & Littman Jewelers Launch Innovative Mobile E-Commerce ... Sacramento Bee They have been designed to provide a robust shopping experience, including access to the company's expansive jewelry assortment alongside options to purchase gift cards, access to a wish list and locating the nearest store. |
| |
| |
| |