1 Overview
Ø Counter-Measures
Ø Cautions
2 Email client features
3 omf.net server spam filtering
4 Software filtering
5 Avoidance practices
6 Links
1 Overview
Ø Counter-measures
Users can reduce the amount of spam they receive by using a variety of techniques. They may modify their email addresses in headers so that human readers will edit out the spam trap. They may use filtering features found on their email software (email clients). They can use special software on their computers and filter spam before they download messages. They can use spam filters available on their mail server. Or they may use third party software and/or routing services to filter their messages.
Ø Cautions
Filtering depends on the use of words, phrases or combinations of characters that are frequently found in spam. However, if those same words or character combinations are used in legitimate messages, those will also be treated as spam.
This means that spam blocking carries the risk of discarding genuine messages. Users must beware of this, and use only techniques and filters in which the genuine message loss is acceptable to them.
A further caution is that there is no “once-for-all” solution to spam-blocking. Constant vigilance and updating of the filters we use is needed.
2 Email client counter-measures
2.1 Modify email addresses
Some people counter spam by using modified email addresses for the “From” and “Reply To” fields when setting up their email account on their machine. They enter their address as myNOSPAMname@domain.cm. It is best combined with a footer or signature saying that, to send a reply or a message, their correspondent should edit out the NOSPAM section of the address.
2.2 Email client filter features
Ø Outlook / Outlook Express
Outlook has a “Junk Mail” and “Adult Content” spam-blocking
feature. Details are found in Outlook
Help, Using Inbox | Dealing with Junk or Adult Content Messages. To access it, click the Organize
button on the toolbar. Outlook uses a
file named filters.txt as its filter source. In Windows, using Start | Find or Search (depending
on the version) and the file name, you can open that file and modify it
yourself, following the format given in the file.
Ø Eudora
A resource for handling spam if you use Eudora is
http://www.cs.northwestern.edu/~beim/eudora/index.html#spam
If you have Eudora v 3, one technique is at
http://www.cs.northwestern.edu/~beim/eudora/eudora-3-0-spam-filter.html
3 omf.net server spam filtering
There is a spam-filtering facility available on the omf.net server. To activate it for your mailbox, go to www.omf.net, and select the Personal Mail (Mail Settings) option. On the Spam Filter tab, click the checkbox; then click OK. Fuller details are available by clicking the Help button, labeled as “?”
Please remember that using this (or any spam filter carries the risk of losing genuine messages because of the way in which filters work.
4 Software filtering
A number of products and services are available. While there are freeware products, most are for sale or by subscription at relatively modest costs.
Some process the mail downloaded onto your PC (similar to Outlook). Others dial into your mailbox, identify spam and delete it from the server. This stops the download of spam onto your computer through your email client. Still others forward your messages to their server, filter your mail, and then you download it from the intermediate server.
We do not recommend any particular product. Each has its advocates and critics. Members should make their own assessment of the products according to their preferences when deciding which, if any, to use.
5 Do’s and Don’ts – Response & Avoidance
5.1 Don’ts
Ø Don’t respond to spam. This just tells the spammer that he has a live address, with a real reader. That’s gold to him!
Ø Don’t respond to the spam instructions to reply with the word "remove." It is the same as above – and the outcome is that your address is placed on more lists and you get more spam.
Ø Never sign up with sites that promise to remove your name from spam lists. Again, what this does is add value to your address because you have confirmed that you read the messages.
5.2 Do’s
Ø Do use different email addresses to reduce spam coming into your omf.net mailbox.
Besides your omf.net mailbox, you have one issued by your ISP; some ISP’s give additional mailboxes at no extra charge. There are free ones like Hotmail and Yahoo. Use one for newsletters, and another for registering at web sites to access materials, etc. Reserve your omf.net address for family, friends and supporters. This will help keep your regular, personal correspondence free of spam, and quite possibly you will be able to identify the source which released your address to spammers.
Ø Filter email using your email client – but don’t set it to automatically delete! Have spam delivered to a special folder and then regularly scan the senders / subject lines before deleting. This way, you will be able to retrieve genuine messages wrongly classified as spam.
6 Links
The following are links giving web sites or pages on the subject of anti-spam measures. They are given in no special order of priority, and are at varying levels of technical language.
Good introduction to spam
Another, more comprehensive starting place with useful links.
Spam filtering 3rd party software – adware (i.e. free but it includes advertisements) or pay for the ad-free version.
Paid spam filtering service
http://www.jcphome.com/nospam.html
Useful personal summary of spam related topics
http://www.email911.com/resources/antispam.html
Helpful materials, useful links