Spam emails are a common annoyance, with experts estimating that almost 80% of emails are spam. Companies use various methods to harvest email addresses and use tricks to evade spam filters. Taking precautions such as setting up a separate email account and investing in a firewall can help reduce the number of unwanted emails.
While the Internet has revolutionized the way we live, it has also created a whole new set of annoyances for savvy web surfers. Spam emails, unsolicited junk messages selling free porn, cheap Viagra, or discount auto insurance can quickly clog up your inbox. In fact, some experts believe that almost 80% of the emails sent every day can be classified as spam. If you use email during your work day, dealing with spam emails can seem like an overwhelming task.
Companies that spam unsuspecting Internet users use a variety of methods to harvest email addresses. Some spammers purchase client lists from large corporations, while others use computers programmed to automatically harvest email addresses from websites and online newsgroups. In some cases, spammers will simply generate random address combinations in hopes of reaching an active email account.
Unfortunately, companies that send out spam emails have developed various tricks to evade even the most sophisticated spam filters and spam blockers. Anti-spam software works by analyzing the text of an email for keywords that indicate the subject of the message. Intentionally misspelled words allow spam emails to slip through the cracks without permanently obscuring the meaning of the text. Another common tactic is to use substitutions such as the number “0” for the letter “o” – spelling “free mortgage quotes” as “free mortgage quotes”.
If you receive spam emails that seem completely garbled, you can assume that the message was originally written in a foreign language. The internet has opened up new opportunities for global entrepreneurs, including spammers. However, most computers in English-speaking countries cannot display the unique characters used in Chinese or Japanese text. Commonly, email software will simply render these spam emails as a jumble of random letters, boxes, sun symbols, and upside-down question marks.
While spam emails are nearly impossible to get rid of, you can help reduce the number of unwanted emails you receive by taking a few simple precautions. Find out how your email account handles spam so you can take full advantage of the available spam filters and spam blockers. Don’t give your work or school email address to anyone online; set up a separate email account to use for answering online surveys or posting to Internet message boards. Turn off your computer’s automatic acknowledgment of receipt feature and never reply to a spam email yourself, as you will only be confirming to the spammer that your email address is active. Finally, invest in a firewall for better Internet security.
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