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Thursday, January 24, 2008

Episode 37, Fighting Spam, Is this a Canned Show?, Techno Granny Talks About Spam

1-14-08 Episdoe 37 Fighting spam, Is this a Canned Show?


Monty Python has done comedy sketches on Spam, which refer specifically to the meat, which is a canned product put out by Hormel. Since then, many other uses of the term have emerged and spam on the internet is no joke. The most likely definition is undesirabe and/or unsolicited e-mail in your in box, on your mobile phone, on your forum, blogs, wikis or guest books.
You have probably seen an increase in the amount of "junk mail" which shows up in your email box, or on your favorite newsgroup.. How many unscrupulous people post “Make money at home” multiple messages in a row on your message board of your website? The activities of a small number of people are becoming a bigger problem for the Internet
Anti Spam software is a necessity because Spam compromises the security of your computers and exposes it to various risks besides being a permanent source of botheration.
Before we learn about anti-spam tactics, we need to first know what is spam. To put it succinctly, spam is unsolicited and unwanted email. Other names for spam are Unsolicited Bulk Mail, Excessive Multi-Posting, and Unsolicited Commercial email, in addition to the more common - spam mail, bulk email or just junk mail.
Along with the beauty of e-mail came the beast. For the multitudes of marketing manicas out there, e-mail created an opportunity to send unsolicited promotions of their products, instantly, and at a very low cost. Today, spam has reached such monumental proportions that 10 out of every 13 emails (76.9%) we receive are spam, one way or the other. This is why anti-Spam filter has become a must have software for almost all PC users.
A good spam filter will:
• Block emails using both lists and preset filters - block specific addresses, watch subject lines, and messages within.
• Update filters automatically.
• Isolate spam outside of your inbox.
• Put acceptable emails automatically into your safe list.
• Monitor and filter multiple email accounts.
Before we talk about products what can you do to limit spam on your own.
1. Most e-mail providers have the ability to block spam with a click by hi-lighting or checking message and then clicking, block sender or junk mail. It may take a while but eventually messages from this sender or group of senders will automatically go to your junk mail. Hint: go to your junk mail folder now and then to make sure that some of the good has not been graveyarded there along with the ugly because that can happen when you set your spy ware or filters on maximum. Goes with the territory if you are tired of the time that spam waists.
2. Download Free version of Spamfighter
3. Always use the bcc or blind copy line on your multiple e-mails and when you get one from a newbie or by accident,remind the sender that you do not want your e-mail on a long list that can be seen and copied by unscrupulous marketers.
4. Always report spam
5. Be careful yourself to send info only to those people you know or have requested it, you would not like to be on a black list for e-mail for one of these spam filters
6. When someone asks you to “unsubscribe” them do two things, first reply that you will and then immediately(within 24 hours if your e-mail campaign is aggressive) take them off of your distribution list.

(c)Joanne Quinn-Smith, 2008


This blog post may be reproduced in its entirety with the following tag-line
Next episode: Joanne Quinn-Smith is Creative Energy Officer of Dreamweaver Markeing Associates, host of the Techno Granny Show, 7 AM every Monday at www.talkshoe.com, Show blog at: technogrannyshow.blogspot.com

Next EPISODE38 - Trends in E-Marketing, Don't Get an F!, January 21, 08 at 7 AM, EST: Cathy von Bergelen of E-Biz-IT will keep you up to date with E-Marketing trends!

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