By Dan Izydorek
As you probably already know from firsthand experience, once you’re on a spammer’s list, it’s next to impossible to get off. To make matters worse, spammers resell your e-mail address to other spammers, multiplying the problem. If changing your e-mail address is a major inconvenience, then take heart with the following 5 tips for reducing your chances of getting on a spammer’s list in the first place:
1. Use a disposable e-mail address. If you buy products online or occasionally subscribe to web sites that interest you, chances are you’re going to get spammed. To avoid your main e-mail address from ending up on their broadcast list, set up a free Internet e-mail address with Hotmail, Yahoo or G-Mail and use it when buying or opting in to online newsletters. You can also use a throwaway e-mail address when making purchases or subscribing to newsletters (see #4 below).
2. Pay attention to check boxes that automatically opt you in for newsletters and spam. Whenever you subscribe to a web site or make a purchase online, be very watchful of small, pre-checked boxes that say, ‘Yes! I want to receive offers from third party companies.? If you do not un-check the box to opt-out, your e-mail address can (and will) be sold to every online advertiser. To avoid this from happening, simply take a closer look at every online form you fill out, especially way down at the bottom where you have to scroll down to find it.
3. Don’t use your main e-mail address on web sites, web forums, or newsgroups. Spammers have special programs that can glean e-mail addresses from web sites without your permission. If you are posting to a web forum or newsgroup, use your disposable e-mail address instead of your main e-mail address. If you want to post an e-mail address on your home page, use ‘info@? and have all replies forwarded to a folder in your in-box that won’t interfere with your main address.
4. Create throwaway e-mail accounts. If you own a web domain, all mail going to an address at your domain is probably set up to come directly to you by default. For example, an e-mail addressed to anything@ yourdomain.com will be delivered to your in-box. This is a great way to fight spam without missing out on important e-mails you want to get. The next time you sign up for a newsletter, use the title of the web site in your e-mail address. For example, if the web site is titled ‘petstuff.com,? enter ‘petsuff@your domain.com? as your e-mail address. If you get spammed, look at what address the spam was sent to. If petstuff@yourdomain.com shows up as the original recipient, you know the source since that e-mail address was unique to that web site. Now you can easily stop the spam by making any e-mail sent to that address bounce back to the sender.
5. Don’t open, reply to or try to opt-out of obvious spam e-mails. Opening, replying to, or even clicking a bogus opt-out link in an obvious spam e-mail signals that your e-mail address is active, and more spam will follow. The only time it is safe to click on the opt-out link or reply to the e-mail is when the message was sent from a legitimate company you know or do business with.?
If you have a question or an idea for this column contact Dan via e-mail at info@pcmiracles.com or call 248-620-2201.