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- Use a unique e-mail address: Spammers often use "dictionary attacks" to try and guess common e-mail addresses. If you select an email address that is unique and hard to guess, it may help prevent spammers from guessing your address.
- Read Privacy Policies closely: This goes for every site you submit personal information to. Make sure they will not share or sell your information with third parties. How to Read a Privacy Policy
- Look for the fine print: Many times when you sign up for an account on a web site, there is fine print at the bottom. If you look closely, you may find little checkboxes (often checked by default) that state you agree to receive e-mail offers from third parties. Sometimes these options are only available after you sign up and go back to modify your account settings!
- Be careful where you post your e-mail address: Spammers often harvest e-mail addresses from web sites, message boards, domain name registrars and internet registries.
- Inform family and friends: Let them know to be cautious when giving out your e-mail address. For instance, did you know that e-greeting card web sites may be a front end for spammers? You might consider giving them a different "disposable" address to use for this sort of communication or suggest that they send e-greetings through reputable companies who have a privacy policy.
- Use alternate email addresses: Sign up for a free email address that you can cancel if you must give your e-mail out to a questionable site that you are afraid might share your e-mail address. Then if this "disposable" address starts receiving spam, you can cancel it.
- NEVER click on an 'unsubscribe' link or any other link in a SPAM message: Doing this confirms that you read the spam and took the time to click on an item in it. This makes you a prime target for more spam and is likely to result in you getting MORE spam not LESS! Sometimes links in spam messages are designed so that when you click them, it confirms that you not only read the spam, but looked at the site it advertised. Sometimes even previewing a message in the 'Preview' pane of an e-mail client may be enough to confirm you are a good target for more spam!
- Remember, you can refuse to give out your e-mail address: Many organizations will ask for your e-mail address when they don't need it. If you have no reason to give it to them, simply decline.
- Be careful of what you download: Many "cute" or "cool" tools that you find advertised on the web install spyware that is designed to steal your private information. Be careful of what you and your family install on your computer and run spyware detection tools daily.
- Install a virus scanner.: Viruses may drop trojans onto your computer that allows it to be remotely controlled. This means that spammers can steal your e-mail address (and do all sorts of other malicious things!) Need a free virus scanner?
- Filter spam: Enable and customize your e-mail content filters to help block more spam before it reaches your mailbox and filter what does make it through to a junk mail folder.
- Don't ever buy anything advertised in a SPAM message: If no one ever responded to spam then spamming wouldn't be profitable!
- Don't reply to spam: The address is usually forged, and if it is not, a reply will likely only confirm your email address is a good target for more spam.
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