Spam

If you are new to the Internet and the email system, the following information provided may be use to you.

Basically, you can only receive spam if you have an email address that actually exists! Logical?

To find out whether a specific email address is registered with an Internet Service Provider (known as ISP), persons who spend their time sending out junk and spam mail will use a programme that will contain literally 1000's of email addresses. This programme can send out to multiple email addresses at one click of a mouse. Sometimes you will see some the other email addresses that have been bombarded, situated at the top of the email that you have received, other times it appears that it has only come to you, but this is not so. You are not privileged! Far from it.

So how did they know your email address? Well, it is possible that 'they' did not. The programme used chooses multiple permutations of an existing (true) email address. As an example, someone early on registers with BT and is given or chosen an email address. Say they are called Richard. So, it is quite good to have as near s personal email address as possible isn't it? Like richard @bt.com . Actually, no! The next Richard will want the next best thing, so he may choose richard2 @bt.com. As so it goes on. This is dead easy for those spammers to search out email addresses like this. I should know, as I now receive many each day! So for starters, have an email address that is quite unique to yourself.

Okay, so you receive a junk email. It states within it that if you do not wish to receive any more from this company to click onto a web address to register the fact. Well, aren't they considerate? Really?! It is highly probable that in doing so, all you are doing is acknowledging the fact that your email address exists, i.e. valid. If the email was sent out as a random address, then it is hopeful that you do not have many more come through from the same person. Once you confirm that your address exists, this will be sold on to block programmes for the use of emails that are guaranteed to exist!

Today you turn on your pc, and log on to accept the latest emails. There are 24 new ones. You click onto each one to read. One states that your bank details are incorrect, and are requesting that you click to go online to confirm your personal details. This is 'spoof spam'. The web site will appear to be the bank's, but is not. You fill in the appropriate boxes and click. Well done. Next time you go to your account it is possible (actually, most likely) that either you have no money left, or that you are overdrawn by several thousand pounds! Get the picture? Nearly...

If you receive any type of email that appears to come from a bank, building society, money transaction service, credit card company, on-line auction company, do not in any way respond. if you are concerned that it could be genuine service (highly unlikely) contact the company by telephone (not the number given on the email - it's dodgy also!) or email them via their own web site (no, not the link that has been provided via the email !).

Next there are the emails that contain a file for one to click onto to open. NEVER open these. it could wipe out your pc. The only files to open are those that are sent from a friend or a known business associate, and then only when you know that you were due to receive one. Use a code word with the sender, changing this each time. This is because there are programmes that can read your files, and emails sent out. A spam email may look genuine at first glance because it has included a word in the subject box that you yourself used.

Listed here are some examples that are from my own incoming box, unopened emails because I know that they are all rubbish. These are all typical 'Subject' of junk and spam email. "re" is an obvious use of word, as it appears that you have already corresponded ~ look at the email address. Does it match any that you sent?

    ---                    blank (no subject whatsoever) * also applies to no sender's address
Re:                              just 'Re' is the same as blank
Re: your Bill
Re: your document
Here is the document
re: your enquiry
Re: you picture
re: your text
re: Details
(23) message (45)            numbers either side of words
22-    message                     commencing with a number
Re: message
Re: Thanks!
hi   no message
Final warning...
Please confirm your details
Important! Your payment is overdue
update required
read immediately
virus warning
warning payment overdue
warning etc
you have a virus
your order is ready
stolen
fake
Question for seller   this appears to come from an on-line auction, and you are led to believe that
                                         it is a genuine error coming to the wrong person. It is another scam from an
                                       outsider to get you to confirm your email address.

With reference to the above messages that can and will be received, always look at the sender's email address. If at all genuine, it will display a full credible address, and not (just) someone's name or the inclusion of your own email address!

Any email subject that refers to porn, saving money, body implants or extensions, potency, etc, is obvious. So are any that are from persons who are illiterate, or slovenly in their grammar.

It is wise to read any that you know are genuine, then delete all in one go by selecting Ctrl + A, the press delete. This way you are not opening them. By deleting each one individually, you are actually opening.
If you wish to transfer a genuine email into another file box, select Copy Message and choose the file. If you 'drag' it, this will only open up the following (next) unwanted email. Don't risk it!

Tip: set up (add) a new email address, then register this with all the services that need to know - the ones that you use on-line. Then when you receive any supposed notifications from these bodies, you will be able to recognise by the "To" address if it is genuine - or not !

You can obtain programmes that supposedly filter out the bad ones, but it can also filter out genuine emails!
if your pc does get infected with a unknown virus, it is one big inconvenience, and expense!

Another way to find a valid email address is to use a programme that will search the Internet for web sites that include an email address. To prevent an email being confirmed in this manner, there is only one infallible way to do this, and that is to have one's email address as a jpeg image! This is okay for private users, but in business this is not so practical. So an alternative is to have the email address in html. This can be achieved by going to typing in your email address, then copy and paste the results onto your web page. This will not prevent all spammers from seeking out your email address, but it does cut out around 95% of them!

April 2007:
Okay, now we are in a 'free for all' age... scam-wise that is! It does not matter whether the perpetrator resides in Africa, China, Russia, or Milton Keynes; your hard earned money can disappear overnight courtesy of unscrupulous persons unknown.

You can be the most cautious person in the land, who does not fall foul of bogus emails offering one money just to set up an account and be a third party, accepting payment for the a trust fund, auction payments, etc., but...

..are your Credit/ Debit Card/s details secure? In a word - no. Here are some ways to prevent fraud:

* signing in and online payments through a website: ensure that the company's site is using
     a secure server. This is identified by https://www ('s' included)

* ensure that the company does not retain your card details on file (can be accessed by most employees).
    This option should be available at the time of purchase.

* unless you are converse with the seller, or their reputation of high standing,
   do not purchase from countries that are known for their corruption.

* if not desperate to receive goods within 48 hours, pay with a cheque.

I do hope that some of the information set out on this page has been of some use.
if you have anything further to add that would be interesting and helpful to include here,
please feel free to email.

UK Residents: if you require information on :
     Letter Mail Preference Service (stop unsolicited post through your letter box)
      Email Preference Service
       Telephone Preference Service (stop unsolicited telephone calls, including junk fax)
       + Premium rate telephone no's on your statement that are possibly bogus due to a virus, click here.

Theses are free to register. You should not pay person/ organisation offering the above
services, as it would only be the same on your behalf (i.e. using your personal information).

UK ~ Worldwide Residents: report a bogus email + here that
         purports to be a bank or similar requesting personal data.

This section does not refer wholly to scams:

Before downloading ANYTHING from the Internet, decide whether it is actually a necessity or required. Liking to the adage 'if it ain't broke - don't fix it', think about what the actual usage and gain will be.

One can get very excited about a new concept... that is hype!. But like the latest design of car, let the eager beavers buy the first ones off the assembly line - or in this case, 'download' the preliminary programme. When it becomes apparent what the glitches are, and a revised and updated version is available, along with the relevant report, it should be more secure? If not - shop around.

Final (top) tip here:
on Google's Advance Search facility, type Beware of ...followed by the programme, file, site, service, that you wish to check up on. You will be pleasantly surprised by the information that is available within .05 seconds!

DO NOT GO ON TO THESE SITES...

http://videosoftonline.com
http://asecurityassurance.com
http://ismymovies.com
http://www.tvsetmp3.com

....OR ANY OTHER AND DOWNLOAD ANYTHING IF REQUESTED TO,
INDICATING THIS IS A MUST TO VIEW THIS OR ANY SITE.

No extra files or programmes need to be installed to view this site! No flash media. No annoying PDF Files.

If you find yourself on a site with the notification telling you to download a file, and will not let you decline, and it will not go away (you will not be able to close the window manually) - reboot your pc immediately (Ctrl + Alt + Delete).. If you cannot, turn off at the mains immediately. When switching back on, your pc will should correct any files you corrupted by doing this action. If asked if you want to return to the last site/s viewed, you must decline / select No.

Extra info here. (no affiliation)