ANTI-SPAM
CENTRAL: HOW TO STOP SPAM EMAIL
Plain English Tips For Reporting, Blocking & Stopping Internet
Junk Mail
Fight Spam With Software Remedies: Filters, Killers & Blockers
Thank you for visiting Anti-Spam Central: How To Stop
Spam Email. This site provides ordinary computer users
with simple, plain English advice on how to stop spam.
Scroll down to see information on the following
topics:
How To Fight Spam
Daily Habits That Reduce Spam
How To Report Spam
Spammer Tricks
Fake Senders
How To Discover A Spammer's True
Identity
Spam Filters
Spam Blockers
Free Spam Software
Links To Additional Spam
Information
Along with all the advantages of email has come a problem:
internet junk mail known as spam. Remarkably, about half of
all internet email traffic is generated by spammers. Spammers
abuse email
systems by mass mailing unsolicited advertisements to your in box.
Sorting spam wastes your time and computer resources.
Spam
email can also be offensive. Spam emails frequently promote
pornography
or sexual material which shouldn't be read by children.
I hate spam. If you do too, here's how to fight your own war
on spam:
PERSONAL WAR PLAN FOR FIGHTING SPAM
To block spam
effectively, there are some general guidelines by which you must live.
> MAINTAIN TWO E-MAIL ADDRESSES: Set up a primary
email address as your private, personal account. Give
this address only to family, friends and coworkers. Do
not give it to businesses or use it on the internet. Most
internet service providers (like AOL and MSN) offer e-mail accounts
with their monthly internet service. These are typically the
accounts people use as their primary email
address.
Also establish a secondary email address
you can use as "junk" account. Use this address to use
when you fill out forms at businesses, enter contests, sign up for
email newsletters or complete forms on the internet. This is the
address that will get sold on lists and inevitably be used by spammers.
Once your current secondary address becomes clogged by spammers,
stop using it and establish a new secondary account.
Free web-based email providers like HotMail and FastMail are excellent sources for
secondary email accounts. Click
here to see a list of the best free email service providers.
> DON'T GIVE BUSINESSES YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS: When
filling out applications, surveys and forms, it's standard to find a
space for
your email address. Don't provide it unless it is absolutely
necessary. Guard against spam by guarding your email address.
It's okay to write "N/A" or leave the space blank.
> REMOVE YOUR E-MAIL ADDRESS FROM ANY PUBLIC PLACE:
This includes internet message boards, chat rooms, newsgroups,
member profiles and directories. Automated computer programs
(called SpamBots or
Spam Robots) continually search these sites to "mine" email addresses.
AOL users should delete their personal profile,
which is an excellent source of information for spammers.
Click
here if you would like to know more about how email addresses are
gathered
on the internet.
> LIMIT YOUR SIGN-UPS: Spammers may get your email address
when you sign up for online newsletters, contests or "freebies."
Only sign up for things you really need. Know how your email
address will be used by reading the web site's terms of service
and privacy policy. Be suspicious when a web site
requests your email address. Provide a your secondary email
address when signing up for anything.
When you do sign up, make sure you do not give the
company permission to send you promotional e-mails. Read the
information around the "check box" carefully. It may or may not
need to be checked depending on how the offer is worded.
> DISGUISE ("MUNG") YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS: Control spam by
disguising your email address when posting on the internet.
"Munging" your email address makes your email address obvious
to humans, but not to email address harvesting spambots.
Post your address on bulletin boards as "nameATsampleDOTcom"
can be understood by humans, but not by internet robots. Click here to
read more about disguising your email address on the internet.
> LIST SUBSCRIPTIONS: Spammers can easily get email
addresses from list subscriptions. Control spam by sending a note
to the administrator of your list subscription and requesting that your
email address be protected.
> SET UP AND USE EMAIL FILTERS: Use the spam filter
capacities of your email program. Information on how to set up
existing filters can be found below.
> USE ANTI-SPAM EMAIL SERVICES: AntiSpam email services
can be found below.
DAILY BATTLE PLAN FOR FIGHTING THE WAR ON SPAM
Once you've taken the
general precautions above, here are the things to do on a daily basis
to stop spam:
> NEVER RESPOND TO SPAM: Do not buy a product
promoted by using spam. A spammer may only get one response from
sending 100,000 junk emails, but that is enough to encourage additional
mass mailings.
> NEVER CLICK "REMOVE": The "remove" button on spam is
a scam. By replying, you let the spammer know your e-mail
account is active. Active e-mail accounts are of greater value.
Your email address will be placed on additional lists and you
will receive more spam.
> DO NOT USE "REMOVE ME" WEB SITES: Internet sites that
promise to remove your e-mail address are frequently operated by
spammers to collect active e-mail address.
> READ YOUR EMAIL OFF-LINE OR IN PLAIN TEXT FORM:
When spam is created in the attractive HTML format, a small
graphic
(1 pixel) can be embedded. This graphic is put there to spy
on you. When you open the spam email, the embedded graphic
reports
back to the spammer. It lets him/her know that you have opened
the
email and that your email address is active.
To view email in plain text (not HTML) form, use the
Options menu on your email program to select plain text mode.
> DO NOT OPEN SPAM: Emails that are clearly spam
should be deleted before they are opened. This eliminates any
chance that spyware (like the 1 pixel graphic mentioned above) or
viruses will be activated on your computer.
THE "BIG GUNS" IN YOUR WAR ON SPAM: HOW TO
REPORT SPAM
The way to end
spam is ban spammers from using their internet connections.
Each company that provides internet email services has people who
can investigate spam originating on its system. Once the offender
is caught, he/she is barred from using the system again.
Spammers won't be caught unless spam recipients report their
unwanted e-mails to the system operators. In short, if
someone using the HotMail email service is sending you spam, you can
contact the abuse department at HotMail. HotMail will then
investigate and deny service to the spammer.
SPAMMER TRICKS: Spammers know what they do is
wrong. Sending spam violates the agreement they made when they
signed up for email service. As such, spammers work hard to hide
their tracks. Catching spammers is a game of cat and mouse.
FAKE SENDER: Chances are that the sender's
name displayed on the "From:" line is fake. Spammers can
easily disguise their identity under a false name and email system.
For example
spam e-mail from sexample@hotmail.com isn't from the user "example"
and did not come from "hotmail.com." The real user and
system must be another way.
DISCOVERING THE REAL SOURCE OF EMAIL: Here's how
to find out who really sent the spam.
> Open the spam email.
> Use the tool bar function on your email program to read the
email's full header. For example on Microsoft Outlook, select
VIEW, then OPTIONS. The full header will be displayed in a box.
Click here
for instructions on seeing full, unmodified headers on your specific
email program.
> A complete email header will look like this:
Received: from mail.example.com ([237.987.6.29]) by
mail1.example.com with SMTP (Microsoft Exchange Internet Mail Service
Version 5.1.49279.13)
id n8Y7V7N; Wed, 23 Jun 2006 18:32:03 -0400
Received: from mail pickup service by hotmail.com with Microsoft
SMVRMVC;
Wed, 23 Jun 2006 16:31:37 -0900
Received: from 121.55.103.19 by bay2-dav66.bay5.hotmail.com with DAV;
Thu, 24 Jun 2006 02:31:36 +0100
X-Originating-IP: [102.22.121.10]
X-Originating-Email: [larry0xmuhgn8shss@msn.com]
From: "Example Smith" <ExampleSmith@netscape.com>
To: "Example Carter" <ExampleCarter@email.com>
Subject: Buy CDs Online Cheap
X-MIMEOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.2600.0100
X-Originating-Ip: [2.666.232.252]
X-Priority: 3 (Normal)
X-Mailer: Mutt 2.0pui4us
Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary=""
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit
Message-ID: <CAS3-DDT77iRNhFCfyw00022bu1@hotmail.com>
X-OriginalArrivalTime: 17 Jun 2006 02:31:38.0755 (UTC)
FILETIME=[3490B0:01C44470]
Date: 23 Jun 2006 16:31:27 -0600
--81olgXml7KkQCri8p7gdW4dClBu2TG0BeETkO1r4U7OhCj1miqu3pGRJdUo5jJK
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 5bit
Content-Type: text/html; charset="US-ASCII"
(NOTE: This full header example is for demonstration purposes only.
It does not contain any real users)
The full header shows the chain of computers
that have circulated the e-mail. The most recent computer
to receive the email is listed at the top. The originating
computer
is listed towards the bottom.
Each computer is identified by its unique "IP" address (103.22.142.10
for example). You can see that this piece of spam passed through
several computer servers between the time it was sent (by X-Originating
Ip: [2.666.232.252] ) and it was received by receiver's computer
(from
the receiver's email server at 237.987.6.29)
Click
here
if you would like to see a detailed explanation of email headers.
HOW TO UNMASK THE SPAMMER FROM BEHIND THEIR IP ADDRESS
Now you know the IP address of the original sender (X-Originating Ip:
[2.666.232.252] ). Next you plug this IP address into a web
site that will determine what Internet Service Provider is
hosting the spammer.
Cut-and-paste the spammer's IP address into the WHOIS
database (click here
to look
up an IP address using WHOIS) This will give you the name of the
sender's Internet provider (spammer.com).
Click
here to read detailed information on Tracking The Elusive
Spammer.
REPORTING SPAMMERS
To report the spammer, go back to your original email
and open it. Call up the full email header. Highlight the
entire header. Now right click your mouse and "copy"
the header information.
Hit the "Forward" button. "Paste" the full
header above the original spam message you are about to forward.
Write a simple note to the investigator at the spammer's
Internet Service Provider. Example: "Hello. Please
know that I have received spam email that appears to have originated
from your system. Please investigate and stop any such future
spam mailings to my email address. Thank you."
Use your web browser to look at the home page of spammer's
Internet Service Provider. There should be a "contact"
section that will tell you specifically how to report abuse or at least
an email address to send comments.
If this does not work, in the "To:" line of your
report place the following: abuse@spammer.com; admin@spammer.com;
info@spammer.com; webmaster@spammer.com
. The "abuse, admin, info and webmaster"
names are common at most services. When combined with the name of
the spammer's Internet Service Provider (for this example I've used spammer.com),
these addresses may get your report in hands of investigators.
Note: when you use all four of the above address names, expect
that one or two will be returned. Not all systems have people
reading emails to these names.
Using your report, an inspector will compare the IP
address and sending times with the company's server logs.
This will allow investigators to identify of the specific person
who sent the spam. Appropriate action will then be taken by the
inspector against the spammer.
Click
here for detailed information on how to report spam and how
spammers operate.
AUTOMATIC SPAM REPORTING
There are services that offer free spam reporting. They
simply the spam reporting process explained above. Click here to learn about Spam
Cop and its free anti-spam reporting and filter services. You
can also sign up to use the mail forwarding service at the Network
Abuse Clearing House.
Click here to see the
anti-spam services available at Abuse.net.
THE RISKS OF REPORTING SPAM
Informing systems of spam abuse is the right thing to do.
However, it's not without risk. If your email should end up
in the hands of a spam friendly system, your name could be put on an
"active" spam list.
Web sites that actively fight spam can invite abuse.
SpamCop says that its systems sometimes comes under attack by
hackers upset at its spam fighting efforts.
While the benefits of fighting spam easily outweigh the risks,
know that you may encounter some unscrupulous characters.
FREE SPAM BLOCKER SOFTWARE - SPAM KILLER
SOFTWARE
MailWasher: Free spam
killer software.
Free Spam Killer:
Free software from Spamming Bureau .com.
Free Spam Blocker: Free spam
blocker from Spam.N-Dream .com.
Sygate
Personal Firewall: Free firewall software download for your
PC.
FREE SPAM FILTERS
Free
Spam Filter: Free Online Spam Filter with spam report feature from
SpamFilter For The Web.
Spam
Weasel: Free spam filter software to stop spam.
0 Spam: Free spam filter.
Setting
Up
A Spam Filter: How to set up a spam filter on popular email
programs
like Microsoft Outlook, Microsoft Outlook Express, Netscape,
Mozilla and
AOL. This technique is free, uses your existing mail service
and
does not require you to download software or install it.
Spam
Filtering FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions on email filtering.
FREE
ANTI-SPAM EMAIL SERVICES
Despammed .com: Free spam
filter email service.
SneakEmail: Popular free
anti-spam email service.
BumpyMail: Free spam
blocker email
service. BumpyMail creates limited life email addresses to
prevent spam.
Spam Motel: Free spam
blocker email service.
COMMERCIAL SPAM SOFTWARE
Nucem 3 Spam Terminator:
Block spam with this commercially available software.
Spam Killer:
Spam Killer commercial software from McAfee.
BrightMail: Commercial
spam blocker. Free trial download.
REPORTING SPAM
Report Fraudulent Spam:
The FTC wants to know about fraud committed through spam.
Report spam using this link.
How To Report
Spam: Detailed instruction for reporting spam. Includes a
good section on how spammers operate.
How To
Read Full Email Headers: Stop spam with this detailed information
on reading email headers, which are necessary to report abuse.
Report Spam Abuse Automatically:
Sign up for a free account at SpamCop.
Report Spam Abuse: Use the
mail forwarding service on Abuse.net, the Network Abuse Clearinghouse
to stop spam.
SPAM PROTECTION TIPS
Prevent Spam
By using A Graphic :@" : This site provides "@" signs that
are graphics, not text based. Using the graphic based "@"
discourages
spambots.
Disguising Email
Addresses: How to keep your inbox spam free by disguising
("munging") your email address when posting on the internet.
Prevent
Spam Relaying On Your Computer: Your computer could be used
to relay spam messages. This site gives step-by-step instructions
for stopping spam relaying.
Best Practices .Org: Help
eliminate spam with this anti-spam association. It encourages
"best practice in email spam prevention and eradication."
SPAM PREVENTION FOR WEBMASTERS
Spambot Beware:
Information on how to detect, avoid and harass spambots.
Stopping Spambots:
A Spambot trap for webmasters.
Anit-Spam
HTML Code For Webmasters: If you have a web site, simply
cut-and-paste in this code. It discourages use of spam bots by
spammers.
Poisoning
The Well: Tips for confusing and stopping spambots.
Fake Email
Addresses: List of fake email address to confuse spambots.
SPAM FROM THE SPAMMER'S PERSPECTIVE
List Of Spam
Companies: List of sites you can visit to see who is
reportedly promoting spam email.
Spammer Programs: A
look at spam from the other side. This site shows software being
sold to enable mass emailing. Includes a spam how-to section
called "Dirty Marketing Articles: Tips, tricks and traps of
marking on the
internet the dirty way."
DON'T
MISS THIS GOOD LAUGH:
PERSON WHO REPLIED TO NIGERIAN SCAM SPAM
Who says Spam is an entirely serious matter? Check out
what
one person did upon getting spammed with Nigerian Scam emails. Click here
for a good laugh at the expense of spammers.
FINAL
THOUGHT
There are several levels of fighting the War On Spam.
The first is to operate within best practice
guidelines (listed in the "Personal War Plan: above.) The second
is remain vigilant on a daily basis (the "Daily Battle Plan.")
These two strategies are effective. They'll help
you avoid spam without taking
a lot of your time and energy.
The last level requires you to fight "hand to hand."
This requires a lot of sleuthing through headers and IP
addresses. It also requires you to contact system operators who
are already weary from the fight. If you have the time and
inclination, by all means
use "the Big Guns" in your fight on spam. However, please
know
successes may be hard to come by.
As a practical matter, the War On Spam will likely not be won.
You email address is going to end up on spam list no matter what
you do. Your in box may never be spam free. Simply delete
without opening it and move on to the day's business.
It's not your job to shut down the all spammers. Rather, your
energy should be spent looking after your turf (keeping your inbox
as clear as possible.) Holding spammers at bay is an
accomplishment. If everyone looks after their own, spamming will cease
to profitable and the War On Spam will be won.
Thank
you for visiting Spam Central: How To Stop Spam Email.
Good luck in the war on spam!
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