| Wednesday, January 11, 2006 |
| Anti-Spam Tech Check part 2 - already overwhelmed |
Tips if you're already overwhelmed with Spam.
1. If you are using Outlook to get your mail, it's time to try using a Spam Filter. Outlook has a built in filter, but the free programs we list below will probably work better. A Spam filtering program will block most email that has spam characteristics, and keep it out of your main inbox. You'll have to watch out for false positives, though - sometimes a spam filtering program will filter out a legitimate email, and you'll miss it if you don't check the folder that the filter sends spam to. If you decide to use one of the programs below, be sure to follow the links to learn how to install and "train" the spam filter - it will work a little bit when you install it, but it will get much better over time.
2. If you are using another email provider, (Hotmail, etc) click on their help section, and see if they have any settings that are designed to mitigate spam. Some email vendors provide a level of anti-spam filtering that is set to low or medium by default. If you are being overrun, it's worth bumping the spam filtering up a notch or two, but be sure and check your junk or spam folder from time to time so you don't miss any legit email.
3. If your current email account is totally overrun by spam, with more coming in daily - maybe it's time to ditch it and get a new one. Try using a free internet account that does a good job filtering out spam emails. Both Yahoo and Gmail do fairly well at this. If your account is bombed by dozens of spam emails every day - it's time to change email addresses, and implement the five prevention tips above.
4. Although it won't help your spam problem in the short run, sending a full copy of any spam you get to the right place will help the "spam police" track down the most notorious spammers. You need to send a full copy of the email (including the headers - you'll need to click the "show headers" or "show original" or "show all" button in most programs) to: Spamcop.net. They will send a complaint letter on your behalf to the appropriate network administrator. BE SURE YOU READ SPAMCOP'S RULES before you send them a suspected Spam email.
5. If you are really desperate, use a Challenge/Response anti-spam program. This type program will intercept every single email you receive and send an email to the sender making sure they are authorized. Once they respond properly, the email goes into your inbox - if they don't respond, you won't get the email. Two caveats: One, if you are subscribed to online newsletters that you want to receive, you need to set the program to allow those newsletters in, as most newsletter senders have no patience to deal with challenge/response systems. Two: Be prepared to spend some time upfront approving all of your email - once you approve mail from an address, the system assumes that any other mail you get is okay, but in the early stages you'll have a bit of approving to do, and every email sent to you will be delayed by this. There is a free challenge/response anti-spam program listed below from Spamresearchcenter.com |
posted by Chase Thompson @ 1:11 PM   |
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