Avoiding spam

Spam plagues us all. I have received more spam this year and wasted much time deleting it. I regularly visit my telus web mail account, delete all spam (generally around 85% of total) at the source: then I download the remainder to my computer. You can use the same method at Shaw Cable; visit your web mail account on their server, delete all spam, then download the rest. Or, if you have ADSL at Telus you can implement their spam filter provided to you through your telus email account. Shaw cable also provides a similiar service to their customers. On the whole, these spam filters work well

Spam robots have been "harvesting my email for years". "There are many sources for harvesting including web pages, newsgroups, chat rooms, message boards, and online directories for web pages, instant message users, domain names, resumes, and dating services. In almost all instances, the investigators found, the spam received was not related to the address used. As a result, consumers who use e-mail, are exposed to a variety of spam including objectionable messages no matter the source of the address. Some e-mail addresses posted to children's newsgroups received a large amount of spam promoting adult web sites, pitching work-at-home schemes, and even advertising hallucinogenic drugs."

How can you avoid spam? Mask your e-mail address: for example (johndoe@myisp.com)as johndoe@spamaway.myisp.com Be aware that some news group services or message boards won't allow you to mask your e-mail address and some harvesting programs may be able to pick out common masks. Consider using a disposable e-mail address service, such as hot mail or yahoo.ca, that creates separate e-mail addresses which forwards messages to your permanent e-mail account

If you work for a business or organization that wants to receive e-mail from the public, consider creating separate accounts or disposable e-mail addresses for that purpose, rather than having an employee's address posted in public.

Your choice of e-mail address may affect the amount of spam you receive because some spammers use dictionary attacks to e-mail many possible name combinations at large ISPs or e-mail services, hoping to find a valid address.