But What if My Bank Really Sent Me an Email?

I get several notices claiming to be from my bank daily. They say they need for me to verify my account info. When I click on the link, they take me to a website that looks like it belongs to my bank, but I know it doesn't. The messages are a subset of spam known as "phishing" attempts.

SpamButcher's spam email filter catches most of them. Sometimes they sneak past. Other times I'll recover them from the intercepted spam bin, just in case they're real. They never are.

Over time, I've gotten in the habit of deleting anything banking related that makes it to my inbox. But what if my bank actually did need to get a hold of me?

Due to commercial spam and other unsolicited email, email is simply not a reliable way to contact someone about something really important. Programs designed to stop spam also block email that's legitimate. If it's really important to get in contact with you, your bank won't do it via email.

There's not a universally adopted standard for "certified" email. There have been a few efforts at it, but none have caught on. Sending something via snail mail, or leaving them a voicemail are both likely more reliable ways to drop a note to someone. ISP's are regularly installing tougher anti-spam packages. Spam free email is impossible without some collateral damage.

SpamButcher can be used as a spam filter for Outlook Express or with most other mail programs.

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