| The most common complaint that internet users have | | | | limits in place that prohibit the sending of massive |
| is regarding the large amount of unsolicited junk mail | | | | amounts of email. To get around this, spammers often |
| they receive. This unwanted email is called spam, and | | | | use large groups of "slave" or "robot" computers called |
| despite attempts by governments and ISP's to control | | | | "botnets" to send out their spam emails. These |
| it, the problem continues to get worse. Today it is | | | | computers have been hijacked through spyware, and |
| estimated that over 75% of email received is spam. | | | | are totally in the spammer's control. The spamming |
| According to Spamhous, an organization dedicated to | | | | task is split up between all the PC's in the botnet, |
| the monitoring and prevention of spam, most | | | | allowing millions of spam emails to be sent by |
| spammers send out between 1 million to 100 million | | | | computers like yours and mine, without the owner's |
| spams every day, peddling everything from | | | | knowledge. It is very difficult to catch and stop |
| prescription drugs to pornographic websites. Spam is a | | | | spammers because they are sending spam from |
| big nuisance to email users and an expensive problem | | | | hijacked computers all over the world. |
| for ISP's, as it takes up an enormous amount of disk | | | | Spam can be dangerous |
| space as well as bandwidth. | | | | A dangerous type of spam that is becoming very |
| Spam is not just offensive, resource-hogging, harmless | | | | popular is called phishing. This is a method of tricking |
| junk mail. It is usually associated with a criminal element, | | | | consumers into giving up personal information such as |
| and should be treated with extreme caution. In order to | | | | bank account numbers, passwords, user id's, and credit |
| understand exactly what the junk in your inbox is all | | | | card details. These fraudulent spam emails usually |
| about, here is some information on spam: | | | | appear to come from financial institutions, typically |
| Why do spammers spam? | | | | informing the user of a problem with his/her account. |
| Although most of us never open spam email, a small | | | | The victim is presented with a link to the banks |
| percentage of people actually purchase products from | | | | website, and instructed to log in and verify information. |
| spammers, making this a lucrative business for them. If | | | | The website is actually a copy of the real site, |
| a spammer sends out 10 million emails advertising a | | | | designed to illegally gather information regarding |
| product that pays a $10 commission and only 500 | | | | account credentials so the spammer can clean out the |
| people purchase the item, he will make $5000 for a | | | | victims account. |
| few minutes work. | | | | Spam is also used to lure you to websites that will |
| Are spammers selling legitimate products? | | | | install spyware on your computer in the blink of an eye. |
| Ethical and responsible companies selling legitimate | | | | This spyware can steal your personal information or |
| goods never send out unsolicited bulk email. When you | | | | turn your computer into a member of a spamming |
| see spam advertisements for pharmaceutical drugs | | | | botnet. Interesting spam messages are also used to |
| such as Valium, Viagra, Cialis, etc... you can bet these | | | | transmit and install computer viruses upon opening. |
| medications are counterfeit and probably dangerous. | | | | How to handle spam |
| Spam that is selling "get rich quick" and other | | | | Since spam it is annoying, offensive, time consuming, |
| informational products is selling a scam. Spam that is | | | | and potentially dangerous, it is wise to use anti-spam |
| peddling pornographic websites is most likely selling | | | | software. Spam filtering software screens your |
| access to illegal sites. | | | | incoming email and immediately sends spam |
| How do spammers get your email address? | | | | messages into a special junk mail folder where you |
| Spammers copy email addresses that are posted on | | | | can delete it all without ever looking at it. Most of the |
| websites, forums, newsgroups, and "read and pass on" | | | | newer computer security suites include anti-spam |
| email messages that circle the globe. They also steal | | | | software, and there are some good stand-alone |
| email addresses by hacking into insecure mail servers | | | | anti-spam products as well. |
| and by using computer viruses and spyware to scrape | | | | If you want a good "all inclusive" internet security suite |
| the information from personal address books. Many | | | | that includes a spam blocker, consider BitDefender |
| spammers also purchase massive lists of email | | | | Professional Plus, Kaspersky Internet Security, |
| addresses that other spammers and cyber-criminals | | | | F-Secure Internet Security or eTrust Internet Security. |
| have harvested. | | | | For a good stand-alone anti spam product, consider |
| How do spammers send out millions of emails at | | | | McAfee Spam Killer, Bit Defender Spam Deny, Mail |
| once? | | | | Washer Pro or ZapASpam. |
| Most internet service providers have bandwidth control | | | | |