07-05-2012, 01:54 PM
SPAMMING
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INTRODUCTION TO SPAMMING
The History of Spam:
It's been said that the term spam originated from an old Monty Python sketch that took place in a restaurant where everything on the menu came with spam (the food product). Spam, spam,spam, spam, was repeated over and over in the sketch and someone used it to coin the meaning of an unsolicited commercial post on Usenet (electronic bulletin boards, or better known as newsgroups) in the early 1990's and it stuck, much to Hormel's dismay, but that's another story better left alone.
Spam:
If you have an email address I bet you're fed up with the unsolicited mail you receive. The increase in spam has virtually relegated email as an adult only facility. Spam is a waste of our time. Many spam emails are obscene, many are offensive or insulting to one's intelligence e.g. "I have a zillion pounds that I want to put into your bank account, please fax your bank account details to me...This is not a scam, honest!".
In general, the predominant subjects of spam email are the following:
• Chain letters.
• Pyramid schemes (including Multilevel Marketing, or MLM).
• Other "Get Rich Quick" or "Make Money Fast" (MMF) schemes.
• Offers of phone sex lines and ads for pornographic web sites.
• Offers of software for collecting e-mail addresses and sending UCE.
• Offers of bulk e-mailing services for sending UCE.
• Stock offerings for unknown start-up corporations.
• Quack health products and remedies.
• Illegally pirated software.
There are steps you can take, with a marginal amount of effort and computer skills, to reclaim your inbox and put those fat gremlins where they belong, at a distance. With a little exercise and a fat blocker your inbox will smooth out in no time.
HOW TO PREVENT A SPAM
There are two sides to preventing spam:
1. Stop them getting your email address: The rest of this page is about how the spammers get your email address and how to stop them from getting it.
2. What to do if they have got your email address: If the spammers have already got your email address I recommend that you change it to a new address - after you have read the rest of this page and taken the appropriate action to stop them getting your new address. If you can't change your email address here is an excellent and free spam filter.
Below is a listing of general recommendations on how to handle spam that should help in reducing spam.
1. Be careful where you post your e-mail address. Never post in chat rooms, news groups, or other public places. We recommend that when you need to post or send your e-mail that you send it to a specific person, setup a temporary e-mail account as explained in number two, or make the e-mail hard to read by typing something such as "support <at> computerhope.com".
2. If you are concerned about a company sharing your e-mail address, register the site with a fake e-mail address.
3. Never buy products or use services that solicit to you in an e-mail.
4. Never send e-mail or reply to an e-mail requesting that you be removed or to unsubscribe unless you are familiar with the company. Some individuals and companies use this reply as a method of verifying the e-mail is valid and using this information to subscribe you to other mailing lists. If you do not know the individual or company deletes the e-mail.
5. When filling out any form on the Internet, watch carefully for any check box that by default may be checked for you to receive a newsletter or share your e-mail with a third-party.
6. When signing up for any e-mail list, see if the company has any SPAM or e-mail sharing disclaimer.
7. Be careful who you send your e-mail to. Sites that require you to sign up or request an e-mail for free products, free services, or contests commonly share your e-mail as a method of generating revenue.
8. Don't send or recommend a friends or families e-mail address unless you are familiar with the service.