Steps to Reducing Spam in Your Inbox

Spam first made its mark in the world in 1978 when Gary Thuerk, Marketing Director of Digital Equipment Technology sent an email solicitation to 400 employees at Arpnet. The email created a few sales, but it also created fierce backlash. Today, more than 180 billion spam messages are sent out each day to over 1 billion Internet users. This staggering statistic makes it clear why spam is such a major problem for Internet users. Many companies are working hard to solve the spam problem, but the first step to stopping spam starts with the consumer.By following the steps below, Internet users can reduce the number of spam email messages they receive in their inbox.

Before an Invasion of Spam

Software:
Choose email providers that offer built-in spam protection services. Look for service providers that promote a high success rate of blocking spam email.

Spam Filters:
Spam is a cat and mouse game. Spammers are constantly looking for ways to bypass filters. Regularly check your spam filter software if you’re using non-web based email to make sure it is up to date. If you’re using web-based email,m make sure your webmail provider is working hard to protect you from spam.

Improve Security:
A firewall may be one of the most important applications on a computer. It acts as a barrier between hackers and the computer, and prevents access to unauthorized information.

Limit Email Dispersal:
When performing online transactions, thoroughly scan the page for any checked and unchecked boxes. Some companies will word these boxes in a way to increase the likelihood of a consumer opting-in to their email campaigns.

Shop From Known Vendors:
Shopping from known vendors can greatly reduce the threat of spam email. Many companies are guilty of selling email addresses to third parties, which are then used for spam. The company’s privacy policy is supposed to list their intended uses of your personal information, such as whether they will sell your email address to third parties. Consumers can check the Better Business Bureau’s and the FTC’s (Federal Trade Commission) websites for lists of reputable companies and for lists of violators.

Once Spam Becomes a Problem

Internet users should avoid opening spam. It should be immediately deleted. Pay close attention to the senders email address as most spammers use deceptive subject lines intended to promote opening. If opened, avoid attachments, which may contain viruses, and do not purchase goods or donate to charities solicited in the message. Many spam email messages will have unsubscribe links at the bottom of the message, as dictated by the CAN-SPAM Act.

If consumers find themselves with an inbox full of spam, they can also report the spam emails to their Internet Service Provider.

There are numerous companies and organizations designed to regulate the Internet and protect users. But, it is important that Internet users are informed of the threats of spam. By following the stated suggestions and by not falling victim to the ploys of spammers, users can help put spammers out of business, and keep their inbox free of junk email.


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Internet Fraud Explained

To express it generally, Internet Fraud is any fraud scheme that uses the one or more components of the Internet. Websites, chat rooms, emails, message boards and even instant messaging facilities are some of the many components of the Internet used to conduct Internet fraud these days. Unfortunately, due to the speed at which the internet and all of its increasing capabilities are expanding it is getting increasingly difficult to keep up with the Internet scams out there.According to the FBI, “Internet auction fraud was by far the most reported offense, comprising 44.9% of referred complaints. Non-delivered merchandise and/or payment accounted for 19.0% of complaints. Check fraud made up 4.9% of complaints. Credit/debit card fraud, computer fraud, confidence fraud, and financial institutions fraud round out the top seven categories of complaints referred to law enforcement during the year.”

Effectively, this means that almost ½ of the fraud complaints out there originate from Internet transactions. Of the Internet fraud present out there, some of the main types include the following:

Credit Card Schemes - Involves the use of fraudulent or illegally obtained credit card numbers to purchase services or goods on the internet.

Investment Schemes - Involves the use of the internet, spam emails and fraudulent company information to inflate or deflate the stock price of a public company in order to profit without the Buyer or Seller being aware.

Identity Theft - Involves using the personal details of someone other than you without the knowledge of said person to obtain funds whether they are through credit card applications, bank loans or other.

Business Opportunity - Involves the promoting of a business opportunity scheme (typically “Work from Home” scheme to exact monies from unknowing victims for business materials or information to enable the Work from Home experience but fail to deliver said information in the end.

Auction / Wholesale - Auction and Wholesale purchase scams are some of the most prevalent scams operating currently. Typically these schemes offer seemingly unbelievable prices for quality genuine goods but often either fail to deliver or deliver counterfeit goods instead, if at all.

Whilst it is becoming increasingly difficult to avoid internet fraud, particularly if you are firm on getting the best deal ever, there are a few measures that you can take when approaching your transaction online.


Reducing Internet Auction Fraud

- Read and understand entirely the details of the auction, how payments work and all costs involved. All facets of the transaction should be understood before you make your first bid.
- Learn about the buyer protection offered by both the site and the Seller. If you are unsure about any of the procedures then email the respective party involved and keep the correspondence as your proof incase problems arise and they need to be provided.
- Gather as much information as possible about the Seller. eBay and similar auction websites often provide the facility to obtain Seller information once you have won the auction, but it is often better (if possible) to obtain this information before you place your first bid. Check with country relevant authorities for business registration information.
- If possible, use a payment method that offers you levels of security including chargebacks and refunds. Major credit cards and similar payment facilities such as 2CheckOut and PayPal offer facilities to dispute purchases and assist in payment recovery.
- Escrow services can provide incredible peace of mind when dealing with larger transactions due to payments being held until the satisfaction of the Buyer ultimately releases the funds.


Reducing Business Fraud

- Typically regarded as Wholesale fraud, this business to business fraud occurs when a smaller business attempts to purchase significantly reduced-priced stock from a larger Company with infinitely greater “buying power”.
- Research the company you are intending to trade with. Be sure to read through as much information as possible about the company obtained through your search engine results. Be careful to discriminate between useful information and those posted by merciless competition as you may be missing on a genuine good deal. Overall, if you find yourself presented with several instances of “business fraud”, chances are you might be next if you proceed further.
- Be weary of businesses operating with free email addresses. This is not to say that they aren’t legitimate, just proceed with caution. Most successful businesses with developed websites will often have their own domain in their email address, and not and hotmail or yahoo extension.
- Once you find contact information of a business, try to communicate with them along these channels to be sure that they are active and not simply random numbers or email addresses included in an attempt to alleviate your anxiety before you purchase.


Reducing Investment Fraud

- Do your research before investing in a company. Check with the relevant authorities as to the legitimacy of the enterprise, the Website alone is not enough.
- Be wary of unscrupulous emails claiming to provide any kind of opportunity to make money. Scammers well versed in the art of conning you out of money will often request only a small amount at first.
- If you are thinking of investing your hard earned money into the cause, be sure you acquainted with all of the terms and conditions of the investment. The investment may turn out to be real but you may ultimately receive much less than expected due to the clauses in the terms and conditions.


Reducing Credit Card Fraud

- Do a background check on the site you are purchasing from before you enter in your details.
- Check to see if the site is secure on the page you are entering your credit card details on – usually indicated by a padlock in the right-hand corner of your web browser.
- Verify the business information provided by the company in their contacts page. Check to see whether they have an actual physical address, phone numbers and valid email address.
- If possible, use a payment method that offers you levels of security including charge backs and refunds. Major credit cards and similar payment facilities such as 2CheckOut and PayPal offer facilities to dispute purchases and assist in payment recovery.
- If any part of the transaction appears questionable you should contact your card provider immediately so they can monitor the transaction.


In the unfortunate instance that you are adversely affected by a fraudulent internet based scam, you can file a complaint online directly with the Internet Fraud Complaint Center (http://www.ifccfbi.gov) – a joint initiative by the FBI and the National White Collar Crime Center.


As frightening as I may have made it appear to trade on the internet, there are definitely bargains to be found. With effectively billions (if not trillions) of dollars traded as a result of internet transactions daily, there are certainly profits to be made out there. Remember, if a transaction looks too good to be true, it usually is. Always proceed with caution.


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