Spam

Are you sick & tired of getting unwanted email from idiots offering viagra, get-rich-quick scams and more? You're not alone. Most of us are. But how do we stop the flood?

See the examples of spam emails I've received. The list is on the left.

First of all, we need to understand where the unwanted email comes from. There's no one answer to that, but a basic look at where spam comes from is this:

  1. You have an email account. You post a message or register somewhere and your address gets posted on the web. A harvesting bot comes by and picks the address up. You now get spammed.
  2. You are careful with your address and don't post it. You still get spammed. Why? Usually it's because of 'dictionary' spamming of some sort. This means that the spammer starts at a@hotmail.com, aa@hotmail.com and works his way (via computer software) thru the alphabet. You're bound to get hit at some time.

The first thing I usually tell people is never, ever, ever respond to unsolicited emails. When you respond, either you send in vain because the reply to address is bogus, or you let the spammer know that the email address they have is a valid one and it now becomes worth more to them.

"All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing." (Edmund Burke)

To paraphrase that "All that is necessary to get more spam is that good men do nothing." These days, we must be proactive in cutting off the source of spam. But little can be done at the 'consumer' end of things (that's you). You can report it, but if the people you report it to refuse to take action, we're stuck getting spammed.

There is, however, one thing you can do. Refuse to buy any product that is advertised by spammers. If we make it unprofitable for the peddlers of questionable crap, they won't spend the money on spam. It's not a quick fix, by any means, but it's a sure-fire eventually.

So, what is to be done? Here's my take on it:

  • First off, never use your real email address in posts, blogs, site registration, etc. Get a 'throw-away' account like Yahoo!. Keep your personal email just that - personal.
  • Again, never respond to the spammers
  • Never buy their products.
  • Report the spammer to the ISP where the spam originated. One good source (if the ISPs pay attention to the reports) is SpamCop. Get a reporting account and post all the spam. I even go so far as to call the ISP (if it's located in the states) or send them an email in addition to SpamCop's report. Make sure they get it.