| The internet provides us with endless opportunities | | | | mailings list you have signed up to in the past. The |
| to seek new information, communicate with other | | | | internet is not as well regulated as the direct mail |
| people and even earn a living. However, all this comes | | | | industry in terms of passing on your details to other |
| at a price and one of the biggest and nastiest are | | | | companies for promotional purposes. If you are on a |
| the dreaded spammers. The reality is someone has | | | | mailing list that you are not sure off then, ask for |
| or will fall victim to spammers and the best thing you | | | | your email address to be removed immediately. It is |
| can do is limit your risk to it. | | | | a good idea to protect your main email address by |
| The following tips should help to minimise the risk of | | | | creating other secondary emails. With many ISP's you |
| you getting spammed: | | | | can set up a number of remote emails that you can |
| Remember this, your email address is your own | | | | use to sign up for promotions and mailing lists. You |
| personality it is your internet DNA therefore, you | | | | would then try and limit the use of your main |
| need to take the necessary steps to protect it from | | | | personal or business email to people and organisations |
| spam. Be careful to whom you give your email to for | | | | that you really trust. |
| example, do you sign up to certain email groups, | | | | When you purchase a computer it will usually come |
| marketing promotions or do you frequent chat | | | | with a bundled e-mail package. A bundled email |
| rooms and forums?. Have you checked these | | | | program has both the internet browser and the email |
| companies' policies on how they use your email? It is | | | | program together. Although, having both the browser |
| a good idea to check who you signed up with your | | | | and the email program is convenient it can also |
| email and find out if the company who has it is | | | | increase your risk of getting spammed. Spammers |
| adequately protecting it. A quick and easy way to do | | | | and unethical webmasters have neat tricks like |
| this is to type in your email in a browser and see | | | | malware to pluck your email address from your |
| what results come up. You never know, this may | | | | browser. If you currently use a bundled program you |
| come up with a few surprises for you. | | | | may want to consider using a separate email |
| Make sure you protect your main personal email | | | | program that can minimize the risk of getting |
| address as this links back to your private and | | | | spammed. |
| personal details. It is worth doing a check on what | | | | |