Spam
Question: What can I do about Spam emails?
Answer: "Spam" means Unsolicited Bulk Emails (UBE) sent to a large number of emails. Spam emails are usually commercial in nature, often containing sales promotions, "get rich quick" schemes, potentally illegal product information, pornography and occasionally advertising websites containing images of child sexual abuse. However there is now a website where you can report spams. Visit the Information Commissioner for more information.
If you receive a spam you believe contains potentially illegal content please do the following:
- Go to our reporting page, then tick the box that applies to your email, when the page asks you where you found it tick Email. If the spam you have received is listed here we are aware of it and there is no need to report it.
- Do not open the email, however if you do – do not click on any images or links within the email. If you have clicked on an image delete the content from the Temporary Internet Files. If you have clicked on a link clear the History file.
- Delete the email
Tips to help combat Spam
- Never open spam especially if it comes with any kind of attachment. It might contain a virus that could severely damage your computer. Delete it.
- If possible do not use the 'preview pane' in outlook as this can allow malicious code to be run without even fully opening the email.
Be careful whom you give your email address to when you are online. Check out companies’ privacy policies before you subscribe to anything or buy anything from them. In Chat Rooms, do not disclose your email address. Remember also, if you allow your email address to appear on any web site, it could always be harvested by one of thousands of bots (automated programmes run from PC's or other IT equipment) that wander around the Internet looking for them. - Particularly if you have younger children, think about setting up a list of people they can receive emails from, and send them to.
- The larger, better known free email service providers seem to attract a huge amount of Spam whereas others do not. Check out how effectively different service providers keep Spam at bay.
- There are various firewall programmes, anti-spamming software packages and other technical measures that can help keep your email address a secret. Details of such software and Spam in general is available at Fight Spam.
- Another good site for filtering tools is Get Netwise, where you will find details of the various types of software, some of which can be downloaded for free. If you click on the "Tools for Families" icon, you can fill in a questionnaire designed to help identify the most suitable software for your needs.
- We suggest using more than one email address: one which is relatively private, and for use for surfing or want to sign on for various Internet-based services. That’s where the Spam will end up.
- Do not respond to any links within an email that give you an opportunity to be removed from the sender's list. A response from you confirms that a "real person" has been found and may lead to more Spam.
Page Created: Tue, September 7th, 2004
Page Modified: Tue, November 27th, 2007
