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Fighting Spam
What is SPAM?
Where does SPAM come from?
How to identify SPAM
How to Stop SPAM
How to Report SPAM
SPAM is unsolicited, unwanted or unwelcome e-mail and/or online sending of information such as electronic junk mail or junk newsgroup postings. SPAMming is often used to deliberately (and unintentionally) crash a program by overrunning a fixed-site buffer with excessively large input data. SPAMming is also used to cause a person or newsgroup to be flooded with irrelevant or inappropriate messages. SPAM mail (email) sends massive amounts of e-mail promotions or advertisements (including scams) to email addresses that people have not asked to receive.
Companies from around the world, some being "bricks & mortar" companies (physical offices), while others are virtual companies (online companies), bulk distribute emails and other electronic postings.
You'll notice junk emails are never from the same address, so blocking email addresses becomes a fruitless effort.
You'll also notice there are millions of different ways to spell "viagra". I'm told there are 600,426,974,379,824,381,952 ways to spell Viagra. Have a look at your in box and you'll notice V!agra or is that V|agra and so on. So blocking specific words also becomes endless and non-productive.
These companies turnover millions of dollars every year. Australia is a leader in introducing anti-spam laws and enforcing those laws.
There are some easy ways to identify SPAM.
- Subject line
- An offer of money
- Finding your long lost high school classmate
- Re: Error
- Re: Hello
- Hello {your name}
- Dear {your name} There are hundreds... Emails are like phone calls. Most are good and you know, while others you politely dismiss.
- Dates and times Email programs sort emails via dates and times sent. First sent, first displayed. SPAMmers will change the dates and times of their emails in order to be first listed in your in tray. Emails are often received that are over a month old, even up to years old. The dates have been changed to appear on top of the email list.
- Unknown Addressee Emails received from unknown addresses. Email accounts that are easily set-up, such as those through hotmail, yahoo, or msn are used by spammers. They set the account up, spam, and then by the time the Service Provider identifies their account as a SPAM account, its discarded.
- Scrambled, random addresses X62FT849@yahoo.com is a prime example. These are definitely not to be trusted and should be deleted immediately.
- Bank Account Emails asking you to go to the bank's site, emails asking you to provide confidential information such as a password, bank account details, asking you to confirm your details by providing them including simple details like your name, mother's maiden name, telephone number, account balance, children's names, pet names, birth dates etc, don't give those details out. These details don't need to be confirmed through emails - and never should they be confirmed through an email sent to you that you do not know about. This is a method used to steal your identity, money or gain access to your computer, bank accounts, set up bank accounts and then borrow money against it (i.e. you are responsible for the loan) etc.
SPAM filters are available to assist in filtering out unwanted emails. These range from free to expensive.
Click here to go to the download site for a free SPAM filter system that works with Outlook Express.
The Australian Government, Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA), have implemented a SPAM reporting system that is easy to install and easy to use.
ACMA is responsible for enforcing Australia's anti-spam law, the Spam Act 2003.
ACMA has made available to SpamMATTERS reporting 'button' for download and installation for use with Microsoft Outlook and Outlook Express email programs (these are two different programs - if you don't know the difference, the chances are you're using Outlook Express.)
Users can simultaneously delete the spam received and report it to ACMA with just one click of the mouse.
This will aid ACMA's forensic analysis to track down spammers and enforce action against Australian spammers and advise overseas countries of spammers operating in their jurisdiction.
Users of other systems can still report spam by registering online at www.submit.spam.acma.gov.au for a 'key' and then submitting an online form.
DISCLAIMER This information has been developed and produced by Online Creations as a guide only. While due care has been exercised by Online Creations to ensure the accuracy and currency of the material contained in this publication, we strongly recommend that users exercise their own skill and care with respect to its use and seek specialised professional advice where appropriate. All references made within this site are of a professional choice and Online Creations does not gain any benefit from these references, monetarily, or in any other way.
