Avoiding Spam
'Spam' or unwanted emails are a major source of irritation to computer users. It has been estimated that spam account for 40% of global email. Dealing with spam and clearing out mailboxes takes up time whether at home or at work - and many of these coded like web pages (HTML) to include pictures are much larger than a short message, so they take time to download. Pornographic spam is fast increasing, and most viruses these days are passed on through email.
Another less visible danger is that many of those which in web page format contain hidden code; it is estimated that as many as 8 out of ten. This is aimed at logging your email address as soon as the message is opened, and confirming you exist. A further less obvious downside is that they add to the traffic on the internet, and so 'hog bandwidth'; this slows the net down for all users.
Prevention is better than cure!
In this instance that so very true. Once your email address becomes known, it is impossible to prevent the spammers sending emails to you. We offer a downloadable advice sheet on ways in which you can protect your email address. However Mailwasher does prevent spam from actually reaching your system and allows you to automatically filter out the ones you get regularly .
The solution
Córas ITis happy to endorse Mailwasher Pro. This program allows YOU to "Head 'em off at the pass" (as they used to say in the westerns); you to view whatever is in your mailbox before you download it. It warns of likely spam and probable viruses; you can preview the first few lines of emails from unknown senders.
You then have the option to simply delete the mail. It is also possible to "bounce" it so as to give the sender the impression that your mailbox doesn't exist. HOWEVER most spammers spoof or hijack valid emails addresses; thus bouncing does nothing more than clogging up some inocent user's mailbox. We have found that by merely deleting; the volume of spam from a particular source will decrease to zero over a period of time.
Experienced users can also set up filters which will automatically delete emails with particular words in the subject or the sender's name so that you don't even see them.
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