More than just a web designer: Essex based business-focused search engine & website professionals serving the south-east of England: tel: 01268 565033
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Control Spam
We have tried many ways to combat spam. Up to 98% of mail we receive is spam. It's not perfect, but we found that the challenge/response system from Spam Arrest is far, far better than local spam software. Now when we get an email, we know it's genuine.
Spam prevention
Spam? Not welcome here. We don't want it!
Some tips...
As we are all fed up to the hind teeth with emails offering to make parts of our anatomy work better or to sell pirate software or whatever it may be, we wonder why people send them.
It's a form of vandalism and people do it because they know it will annoy. And perhaps they may get some business out of it.
But we don't want it!
Rule no. 1
Do not reply to any spam. Indeed, do not even reply to have your name taken off the list as it confirms to the spammer that yours is an active email address.
(This applies to senders you do not know. If it comes from a list that you have signed up to or a company with whom you have done business, then it is usually safe to unsubscribe.)
Rule no. 1 (Another one!)
NEVER, but NEVER, open an attachment to an email that comes from an unknown sender. There is an extremely high chance it contains a virus or other code that will be to your detriment.
Rule no.2
If you get an email (usually warning you of a deadly virus) that requests you to send it on to everyone you know, DON'T! You may think that you are doing your friends a favour, but in reality you are helping put their email address on the next where spammers can gather it. See our virus/hoax page for more information.
If you legitimately need to send an email to lots of people, put only your own email address (or a dummy one) in the "To:" field and list everyone else's in "BCC:", which means "Blind Carbon Copy" and does not transmit everybody's email address to everyone else.
If you send out a regular newsletter, use Web-Wright's newsletter service or an email merge program.
Rule no.3
Have up-to-date Internet security software on your computer. Not just anti-spam (but we know a better way, see below), but the type that protects against worms and trojan horses that may compromise your email address and those of your contacts. A Firewall is very useful to stop hackers from puttiing ode on you computer that will allow them to to time bomb a virus or sneak your personal information.
Recommendation
We have tried all manner of anti-spam measures. Although not perfect, the most effective we have found is Spam Arrest.
It only lets through mail from people you know. Unknown senders will be asked to verify and that cuts out 99% of spammers. If you are taking sales enquiries from people you do not yet know, there are ways round that, too. Sign up for a free trial today and rediscover a spam-free inbox.
Deal with it
If you get spam, the best thing to do is delete it.
Under no circumstances open any attachments or follow any links.
Tip: for important things like banking, e-bay etc. use a diffrent email address to your normal one. Then if you get a suspected phishing email all you have to do is check that it was sent to the appropriate email address and if it's not, then it is phishing.
You may want to fight back, in which case you may find these sites of interest:
We don't spam
Our policy on spam is quite simply we don't do it. And we don't like other people doing it either! Our free e-zine operates on a double opt-in and double opt-out system. Please also check our ethical policy, our privacy policy and our acceptable use policy. Thanks.