How to Avoid Spam

Along with spam filters and other technology solutions, there are several simple things you can do to control spam.

Here are some basic tips to help you reduce the amount of spam you receive:

• Share your primary e-mail address only with people you know. Avoid listing your e-mail address in large Internet directories and job-posting Web sites. Don't even post it on your own Web site (unless you disguise it as described below).
• Set up an e-mail address dedicated solely to Web transactions. Consider using a free e-mail service to help keep your primary e-mail address private. When you get too much spam there, simply drop it for a new one.
• Create an e-mail name that is tough to crack. Try a combination of letters, numbers, and other characters:  Don2Funk9@example.com or J0e_Y0ng@example.com (substituting zero for the letter "O"). Research shows that people with such e-mail names receive less spam.
• Disguise your e-mail address when you post it to a newsgroup, chat room, bulletin board, or other public Web page. For example, spell out the symbols that usually appear in e-mail names, such as SairajUdin AT example DOT com. This way, a person can interpret your address, but the automated programs that spammers use often cannot.
• Watch out for pre-checked boxes. When you buy things online, companies sometimes pre-select check boxes to indicate that it is fine to sell or give your e-mail address to responsible parties. Clear the check box if you don't want to be contacted, to help keep your e-mail address out of circulation.

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