Spam, Spam, Spammity Spam

Spam

If you're having trouble keeping the junk out of your e-mail and texts, or if you're just sick of skimming through dozens of ads to find actual messages, check out these spam fighting-tips.

1) Fight phony messages with disposable addresses

It may seen daunting, but a great way to limit spam is to set up multiple e-mail addresses, each one for a different purpose. Fortunately, most e-mail clients (Outlook, Entourage, Apple Mail) support multiple accounts, so it won't be too hard to set up. Create a personal account that you only use for contacting close friends and family members. For other online activities like paying bills or your bank account, create a separate account.

It's well worth the effort of setting up another address (use a free e-mail service like Gmail, AOL Mail, or Yahoo!) for Web purchases, newsletters, subscriptions, and registering for cool new Web services. If one account is compromised, and the little spam buggers start sneaking through, drop it and open another.

2) Beware the pesky check mark

When signing up or registering for anything on the Web, always look for the little check boxes at the bottom of the page. Sites typically ask if you'd like to register for updates or discounts, and the boxes tend to be checked by default. Uncheck them to opt out of third-party mailing lists. Also, look for the company's privacy policy to determine whether they share e-mail addresses and other information with third parties. If you don't see a privacy statement, think twice about whether you really want to use that site.

3) Use security software to block the bad stuff

This one is important, even if you don't have a raging spam problem. Other than regularly backing up your files you should always install security software on your computer. These apps protect you not only from spam, but also from viruses and other nasty computer intruders. Not all packages include spam protection, so be sure to check out their feature lists. Many free and pay options exist, but just make sure to keep your software up-to-date.

4) Set up a filter to snag spam

The last line of defense is your e-mail client's built-in spam filter. Whether you're using online services like Gmail and AOL Mail or pulling your e-mail into a desktop app like Thunderbird, you've probably got a built-in spam filter automatically scanning and filtering your incoming e-mail for spam. It's important to alert service providers to junk that still gets through so they can block the messages in the future. Do your part and mark junk mail as spam if you have the option.

5) Complicate your e-mail to confuse the spammers

If you really want to cut down on inbox spam as much as possible, don't use your name or simple words when creating your e-mail address. Why? Automated spamming software can easily generate simple addresses based on basic name and word combinations. Make the address as long as you can remember, use numbers and symbols, and try to start it with a letter from the end of the alphabet.

6) Google it

Just Google your e-mail address, and if it pops up in search results, you've probably found at least one reason why you're getting more spam than usual. If your e-mail address is showing up in blogs or Web sites you've joined, check the site's preferences to see if you can hide or remove your address. Otherwise, if you're bogged down in spam, it may be time for a new address.

7) What not to do............IMPORTANT

When it comes to keeping spam out of your inbox, common sense is the order of the day.

Here's what not to do:

Don't open suspicious messages from e-mail address you don't recognize or with titles that are too good to be true (something like, "You've Just Won 10-Bazillion Dollar!" should set off a mental alarm)

If (for some reason) you accidentally opened the message, don't respond, even if the message simply requests you remove yourself from a mailing list by clicking on a link.
Which brings up another point: Blindly clicking links in an e-mail is a great way to get caught by a phishing scam. If you get a message from your bank, for example, don't click on the link in the e-mail. Call the bank or visit its site directly.

Now kick that spam to the curb folks.