The Truth about Email Spam

Spam is unwanted solicitations that come into your inbox without warning. It is similar to bulk mailings that make their way to your mailbox regularly. In some cases, those emails could even be dangerous, especially in the form of phishing scams that set out to steal your personal information like account and social security numbers. Even harmless spam messages can cost you in lost productivity and bandwidth. However, you can take steps to reduce the amount of email spam you receive by understanding where it comes from and what it looks like.

Getting your Address

The first question many ask when they receive email spam is how the company obtained their email address in the first place. There are many possibilities and most you have little or no control over. Many spammers use robot software that scans websites for email addresses. It finds them by searching for an @ symbol in the line. These "robots" can compile relatively large email lists rather quickly using this technique.

The second method of capturing emails is to scan Usenet postings. If you have ever placed an article on one of these thousands websites, you are at higher risk for email spam. Finally, hooking in new customers isn't the only way spammers make a buck. They also sell their lists of email addresses to other spammers. If you get one spam, you are likely to get more from other culprits.

Recognizing Spam

There are some specific features consistent with email spam that make it easier to recognize these buggers in your inbox. First, many spammers do not place your email address in the "To" box. Instead, they might use an empty field or a bogus address that doesn't contain the @ symbol. Some will even remove the "To" box altogether. The same is true for the "From" box. This one may be the same as the "To" box, it might be empty or it might be missing completely.

The message ID, which tells the receiver where the message is coming from, will also be skewed or missing. You might also see a popular spam ware like Floodgate or Extractor in the X-mailer field. Spam emails are often littered with phrases like "free," "click here now" and "limited time offer" to get recipients to act. They may also overuse exclamation points or capitals in the text.

What about Phishing?

Phishing is much more devious than your average email spam, since the goal is to steal your personal information. These scams come through email, social networking sites and instant messaging programs. In many cases, the scam is placed in the form of a link that can open the door to your information if you click on it. It is important to use extreme caution when opening any link or attachment, even if it appears to come from a person or company with whom you are familiar.

Phishing scams will often masquerade as legitimate businesses that ask for your personal information to update a file or resolve an issue. It is never a good idea to respond to these unsolicited messages directly. Instead, delete the message immediately and contact the company directly using a phone number off of a bank statement or previous bill.

Both email spam and phishing scams can be largely prevented by installing filters and updating them regularly. It is also important to protect yourself by deleting suspicious emails right away and never opening links from unknown sources. With a bit of Internet savvy and a lot of caution, you can keep many of those unscrupulous techno-wizards at bay.