Spam Problem, Eh?

The Canadian government has setup a task force on spam. Its website at www.stopspamhere.ca offers Canadians some basic advice on avoiding and dealing with spam.

Their first piece of advice is to obtain some protection. They suggest deploying anti-virus and anti-spam software to block unwanted e-mail. Other security applications such as a firewall may also help protect your system from becoming a zombie and exploited by spammers.

They also recommend that you never open attachments that you didn't already expect to receive from someone you know. Message attachments are one of the most common ways that viruses and worms are spread. Many spam utilities can be configured to block all messages with dangerous attachments.

Avoid sharing your email address with those you don't trust. Also, selecting an email address that includes numbers can help make it more difficult for spammers to guess. It may be more troublesome for your friends, but you'll probably get less spam.

The best thing to do once you get spam is just to delete it. Do not respond to them. Do not ask to be removed from their list. Doing so will not stop unwanted messages. Spammers usually don't comply with such requests. In some cases, they'll consider your address to be validated, and send you more spam. Worse, they could sell your validated email address to other parties.

Whatever you do, don't buy anything from them.

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