Tired of Junk Mail?
Put a Lid on it!
It clogs your inbox, wastes your time, and is just
plain annoying. The culprit? Junk e-mail — also known as "spam"
or "unsolicited e-mail." Solicitations range from legitimate
commercial offers to get-rich-quick schemes and links to Web sites with adult
content. There are ways to manage and cut down on spam, however.
ISOT mail server filters thousands of junk emails every day to keep out spam
while helping to ensure you don't lose important messages. While
there isn't a way to totally stop receiving spam in your mailbox, by following
these tips you can better control the e-mail messages that you do receive.
- Set your filters. For those using ISOT
webmail gateway (webmail.isot.com), once the message has been opened,
use an option "Blacklist". For
those using Outlook Express, select Tools->Message Rules->Mails.
- Be careful about disclosing your e-mail address.
Junk mail gets to your inbox several ways. Some spammers send e-mail to
random variations of e-mail addresses. Others buy address lists from Web sites
where you registered or entered a contest that required you to give your e-mail
address. Spammers can obtain your address from Internet white pages listings,
guest books, newsgroups, resume postings, and chat rooms, too.
- Help protect your privacy. If you plan to
register at a Web site or enter a contest, check the site's privacy policy
and terms of use statement. If the Web site doesn't explain how they use your
information, reconsider registering your e-mail address and sharing other
personal information.
- Don't reply. Answering spam, even to "unsubscribe,"
just confirms your e-mail address is valid. Spammers usually ignore your wish
to unsubscribe and add your e-mail address to their list. Then they send more
spam and/or sell their list, creating more junk mail. Your best bet is to
simply delete the spam messages from your inbox.
- Forward spam to the originating ISP. Check
the e-mail header information to see what Internet domain the spam came from.
If it came from isot.com, forward the entire e-mail, with headers, to abuse@isot.com.
If the spam originated from another ISP, forward it directly to the postmaster
or abuse alias at that ISP.
- Stay updated. Learn about the latest news,
software, and legislation related to controlling spam online. TRUSTe (http://www.truste.org)
is an independent organization dedicated to building consumer trust and confidence
in the Internet. Or visit CAUCE, (http://www.cauce.org/)
the Coalition Against Unsolicited Commercial Email.
- How do I get my email program to reveal the full,
unmodified email? It depends on your email software. Click
Here for instructions of some of the more popular programs:
