Would You Like Some Spam With That Email?

I've missed several days here since they've been spent at work (with our IT staff of 2, which includes me) transitioning from an old (and really slow) mail server to a new one with the latest and greatest mail software from Microsoft. While the "greatest" part is open for debate, it is the latest (2007) version of their Microsoft Exchange system.

Anyway, since I've spent the last several days around email, I might as well center this post around that subject too.

One of the biggest annoyances with email has to be spam. Everyone has gotten it at one time or another, but how do you avoid getting it altogether (or at least minimize it)?

First, be careful where you use your email address. Using it for public posting on blogs, web pages; using it for signing up for mailing lists or daily emails can really be the first step in being targeted for spam. The more people that see or have access to your email address, the more likely it will be picked up either by a spammer or some automated program (referred to as a bot) that will find it and add it to a list for spammers to use.

Second, be careful when you are signing up with a company (either for informational emails from them or when registering because you are buying something online). The majority of these companies allow you to select something like "Allow our 3rd party partners to contact you" or "Receive emails from related companies or for related services." Once you tell them yes, you have just allowed that company to provide other companies your email address. If that means selling a list, with your address on it, to another company (related or not), that's what they will do. I NEVER allow 3rd party companies to contact me. Sometimes I don't even allow the company I'm registering with to contact me.

Third, if you do receive spam NEVER, EVER, EVER reply to the email asking to be removed from the list even if they provide you a convenient link to do so. All you will be doing is telling the spammer, "Yes, I'm a real person and this is a valid email address, so please send me a lot more spam!" In fact, your email address has become a somewhat valuable commodity now that it has been confirmed as a valid address and that you actually OPEN spam to read it.

Fourth, don't ever buy from a spam email, even if it's something you like. Try to find it from a legitimate company (even if it costs you more). Whenever you buy something from a spam email, the web address (aka, the URL) is designed in such a way to tell the company that you found them through the spam email that they sent. You have just proved to them that it pays to send spam. If they don't make money from sending spam, they will stop using it for advertising. It's basically the reason that Super Bowl commercials cost so much. Millions of people will be watching it and the advertisers have a captive audience of sorts. If spammers don't ever get any business from their spam emails, they will change how they advertise (giving you less spam in your inbox).

Following these four simple rules might not keep you from ever receiving any spam, but it will greatly minimize the amount that you will see in your inbox.

As always, comments are welcome.