Unfortuantely it is increasingly difficult to avoid spam altogether.

However, there are various things you can do to minimise the amount of spam you receive.

Mailing lists

Subscribe with some caution and be sure that you subscribe only to "closed" lists where it is impossible for other Internet users to get your email address just by emailling a query the list server.

Bear in mind that many mailing lists have public archives that are published on the web. While most well-run mailing list servers will remove or disguise your email address in some way, some may not, so check to make sure your email address won't appear in web-based archives.

Usenet newsgroups

Consider using a fake From: address or a secondary address you don't mind receiving spam to.

Newsgroups have historically been a very common place from which email addresses have been harvested for spamming purposes. This is not so much of an issue now just because not that many people use Usenet news anymore.

Email addresses on web pages

Consider not putting your your email address on your web page(s), or at least not your main email address (e.g. create a secondary alias just for listing on your web site).

This may seem a pretty drastic step, but a lot of email addresses are "harvested" from web sites by automated spam programs.

Almost all your site visitors will be using forms capable browsers so you could consider installing a "feedback form" or similar instead of using your email address directly.

There are also a number of tricks such as using JavaScript to disguise your address so that spammers find it harder to pick up.

Filling in web forms

Be careful when filling in any forms on other people's web sites. Some forms are returned via email and will automatically provide the web site owner with your email address. Other times you'll be asked to type it in.

Of course not all web site owners will use your address improperly, but it can be very difficult to determine who's ethical and who's not until after the event. Don't automatically assume that your details are safe just because the web page is run by a large or well-known company.

Check the privacy policy of the site (if provided) and also where they are located - your local privacy protections (if applicable) may not apply if the site is covered by another country's laws.

If you have a catch-all email address with us, you may like to consider using a different email address for each company you deal with, e.g. if you have a supplier called BigCo and your own domain name is yummycookies.com.au you could make an address just for BigCo to use such as bigco@yummycookies.com.au.

The attraction of this is threefold:

• It can make sorting your incoming email easier as you can automatically file or redirect messages sent to that particular email address.
• It gives you a means of tracking who is distributing your email address, e.g. if you get a unsolicited email from AnotherCo and you can see it was sent to bigco@yummycookies.com.au you know that BigCo has passed on your email address.
• Finally, if you ever decide you don't like BigCo anymore and don't want their email, you can block that particular address so any future messages to it will bounce.

Web browser security

Upgrade your web browser(s) to the latest major version and keep an eye out for security updates from time to time. Some very old browsers suffered from security bugs which may reveal your email address to every web site you visit, without your knowledge.

Choose to browse happy and use a browser other than Internet Explorer, which has numerous security issues as well as not comforming well to Internet standards.

We use and recommend the Mozilla Firefox web browser. Firefox is open-source and available free of charge for Windows, Mac, Linux, FreeBSD and other operating systems.

Responding to spammers

As a general rule, don't ask spammers to remove you from their lists. They've already proved they are lacking in ethics and manners by sending you unsolicited commercial or bulk email; many spammers don't have too much respect for "remove" requests.

In fact, it is not uncommon for "remove me" email addresses or web sites to actually be used to collect your email address again, as it then proves you are alive and active, and thus makes your address more valuable (so it may then be sold or traded with other UBE companies...)

Don't support spammers

One would hope it would go without saying, but.. don't support unsolicited bulk email by purchasing from companies that send spam to get your business.

If no-one at all responded to UBE, it would be a waste of time and money for the businesses that use it.

Reporting spam

If you receive spam messages you may like to consider reporting them to an anti-spam service such as SpamCop.

This can cause spammers and their supporting ISPs to be blacklisted which then means other Internet users can choose to reject, tag or de-prioritise futher mail from known spammy senders.

Spam from Australian businesses is illegal under Australian law, as is spam sent outside of Australia on behalf of an Australian. If you suspect you have received spam from an Australian business you can report spam to the ABA.

Last updated 07 Apr 2005

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