Posted: 24th Jun, 2004 By: MarkJ
BT claims that 71% of all European e-mail traffic will be SPAM by 2008. In response the operator has issued a short list of 'TOP TIPS' for 'SLAMMING SPAM', which typically reads more like an advert for their own service:
BTS TOP TIPS ON SLAMMING SPAM
46% of all email traffic in Europe will be spam in 2004 and by 2008 this will rise to 71%.
So how can we protect our inboxes from the influx of unwanted email? After all, for adults theyre extremely annoying and for children some of the content in these unsolicited mails can be potentially dangerous or offensive.
To help combat spam, weve put together a five point guide:
1) The best protection any internet user can have against the inevitable deluge of spam is to put anti-spam software in place.
For example, BT Yahoo! Internet offers a sophisticated filtering service for free called SpamGuard, which automatically detects and directs spam into a separate folder. This gives people the option to control and review all of their incoming mail. Yahoo! currently traps 95% of spam destined for customers and prevents them from reaching their inboxes.
2) If you find that youre still receiving spam when youve activated your anti-spam filter dont panic! Our spam filtering technology, evaluates the feedback received by millions of users to better identify and filter spam so the more you interact with it - i.e. feed back when it misses a spam mail - the better it will become.
3) Use a number of email addresses. For example, have one address for when youre interacting with newsgroups and joining newsletter and another for personal mailing. When one address starts to deliver spam, deactivate it. This way you can minimise the amount of spam you receive.
BT Yahoo! Internet is ideal for this as it provides customers with one mail email account and 10 free email addresses.
4) Never respond to a spam. It seems obvious, but a recent Yahoo! Mail survey revealed that 17% of British internet users have replied to spam. This simply encourages spammers to send more. Even if the mail includes a link to remove from email distribution list, dont use it.
5) Finally, when you register for information, or buy something from a site (even well known ones with good reputations) always look out for the check boxes. Dont give companies permission to use your email address, or pass it on to other people. By agreeing, it means your email address will become more susceptible to spammers harvesting it.
For further security tips, go to http://www.btyahoo.com/safersurfingThere are some valid tips in there and a shameless plug for our own article is now in order ;) :
http://www.ispreview.co.uk/articles/tips