What is Spam?

Spam can be defined as unsolicited e-mail, electronic junk mail or junk newsgroup postings. Most spam is generally commercial advertising for some products or get-rich-quick schemes.

Spam usually targets users with direct mail messages. Spam lists can be created through stealing Internet mailing lists, searching the Web for addresses or scanning Usenet postings. Usenet is a worldwide public network on the Internet that can only be accessed with special software. Information on Usenet consists of a huge number of newsgroups on various topics.

Ways to prevent Spam.

Since the Internet is public, there is very little that can be done to prevent spam. Often times when you receive junk mail or spam, there is often an option at the bottom of the e-mail to be put on the do-not-mail lists. If that option is not present, reply back with an e-mail stating not to submit anymore information to that e-mail address. Another way to reduce the amount of unwanted mail is to get on as many do-not-mail lists as possible. Junkbusters Corporations is an organization that helps users to do this. There website consists of a form in which the user can specify what type of mail they do and do not want to receive. As a part of this free service, they will also help you get this information to many direct marketing companies. Their web address is http://www.junkbusters.com/ .

Ways to report Spam.

SpamCop is a free service that will send a public spam report to network administrators. To setup an account, go to http://spamcop.net/. You must be careful though! Many spammers setup fake anti-spam websites. If you ever receive an anti-spam email or visit an anti-spam website and either of them is asking for money, it is fake!! Report information like this to any anti-spam website or the National Fraud Information Center. You can also obtain more information on anti-spam scams through Internet Scambusters.

Click here to read our Spam Policy. There you will find more information on how to report spammers.