1. Turn off automatic processing of meeting requests and read and delivery receipts Spammers sometimes resort to sending meeting requests and messages with delivery receipts requested. Responding to meeting requests and read and delivery receipts automatically makes you vulnerable to Web beacons.
2. Limit where you post your e-mail address Be cautious about posting your e-mail address on public Web sites, and remove your e-mail address from your personal Web site. If you list or link to your e-mail address, you can expect to be spammed.
3. Disguise (or “munge”) your e-mail address when you post it to a newsgroup, chat room, bulletin board, or other public places For example, you can give your e-mail address as “s0me0ne@example.c0m” by using the number zero instead of the letter “o.” This way, a person can interpret your address, but the automated programs that spammers use cannot.
4. Use multiple e-mail addresses for different purposes You might set up one for personal use to correspond with friends, family, or colleagues, and use another for more public activities, such as requesting information, shopping, or for subscribing to newsletters, discussion lists, and newsgroups.
5. Review the privacy policies of Web sites When you sign up for online banking, shopping, and newsletters, review the privacy policy closely before you reveal your e-mail address and other personal information. Look at the Web site for a link (usually at the bottom of the home page) or section called “Privacy Statement,” “Privacy Policy,” “Terms and Conditions,” or “Terms of Use.” If the Web site does not explain how it will use your personal information, think twice about using that service.
6. Watch out for check boxes that are already selected When you buy things online, companies sometimes add a check box (already selected!) to indicate that it is fine to sell or give your e-mail address to other businesses (third parties). Clear the check box so that your e-mail address won’t be shared.
7. Don’t reply to spam Don’t reply even to unsubscribe unless you know and trust the sender. Answering spam just confirms that your e-mail address is live.
8. If a company uses e-mail messages to ask for personal information, don’t respond by sending a message. Most legitimate companies will not ask for personal information in e-mail. Be suspicious if they do. It could be a spoofed e-mail message meant to look like a legitimate one. This tactic is known as “phishing” because, as the name implies, the spam is used as a means to “fish” for your credentials, such as your account number and passwords that are necessary to access and manipulate your financial accounts. If the spam is from a company that you do business with — for example, your credit card company — call the company, but don’t use a phone number provided on the e-mail. Use a number that you find yourself, either through directory assistance, a bank statement, a bill, or other source. If it is a legitimate request, the telephone operator should be able to help you.
9. Don’t contribute to a charity based on a request in e-mail. Unfortunately, some spammers prey on your good will. If you receive an appeal from a charity, treat it as spam. If it is a charity that you want to support, find their number elsewhere and call them to find out how you can make a contribution.
10. Don’t forward chain e-mail messages Besides causing more traffic over the line, forwarding a chain e-mail message might be furthering a hoax, and you lose control over who sees your e-mail address.
