Below is a listing of general recommendations on how to handle spam that should help in reducing spam.

General recommendations

  • Be careful where you post your e-mail address. Never post in chat rooms, news groups, or other public places. If you need to post or send your e-mail, send it to a specific person, set up a temporary e-mail account, or make the e-mail hard to read, like “support computerhope.com”.

  • If you are concerned about a company sharing your e-mail address, register the site with a fake e-mail address. For further information, see: Where can I get a quick temporary e-mail address?

  • Never buy products or use services that solicit to you in an e-mail.

  • Never send e-mail or reply to an e-mail requesting to be removed or unsubscribed unless you are familiar with the company. Some individuals and companies use this reply as a method of verifying the e-mail is valid and using this information to subscribe you to other mailing lists. If you do not know the individual or company, delete the e-mail.

  • When filling out a form on the Internet, look for a check box for receiving a newsletter or sharing your e-mail with a third-party. If the box is checked, click it to uncheck it.

  • When signing up for any e-mail list, see if the company has any SPAM or e-mail sharing disclaimer. See Computer Hope’s legal page for our example.

  • Be careful where you send your e-mails. Sites that require you to sign up or request an e-mail for free products, free services, or contests commonly share your e-mail as a method of generating revenue.

  • Don’t send or recommend a friends or families e-mail address unless you are familiar with the service.

  • Consider using a complicated username, for example [email protected] is easier to guess than [email protected] Many spam programs spam a long list of common names to a domain. If your username is common you’ll get hit with this form spam.

  • Never forward an e-mail claiming it can track the e-mail when sent or help generate revenue for a certain cause when forwarded. These e-mails are commonly called chain mails and are commonly false, helping individuals get additional e-mail address for SPAM.

  • Send an e-mail with the e-mail header to the ISP or web host of the user who is sending you the spam. Below is a short list of some e-mails.

  • How to view an e-mail header.

  • E-mail [email protected] to file a complaint against an AOL users.

  • E-mail [email protected] to file complaints for MSN and Hotmail e-mail addresses.

  • E-mail [email protected] to file complaints against Geocities users.

  • E-mail [email protected] to file complaints against Sprint users.

  • E-mail [email protected] to file complaints against USA.NET users.

  • E-mail [email protected] to file complaints against Earthlink users.

  • Use the Yahoo abuse form or e-mail [email protected] to file complaints against Yahoo users.

As shown in the examples above, it is common for the e-mail to file complaints as “abuse”, “postmaster”, or “spam” @ the domain name.

  • Send a full copy of SPAM or deceptive e-mail including the e-mail header to [email protected]. The FTC uses the unsolicited e-mails stored in this database to pursue law enforcement actions against people who send deceptive spam e-mail.

  • Check with your ISP (Internet service provider) for their SPAM policy. Many ISPs have SPAM blocking mechanisms in place and may even allow you to forward to them the SPAM messages you receive, helping prevent the same e-mail reaching you in the future.

  • Finally, consider changing your e-mail address or getting another e-mail address and only letting friends, family, or the people you want e-mails from know about the new address. Today, most e-mail providers are pretty good at protecting you against spam, but Google’s Gmail is still the leader in spam protection. If you are thinking about changing your e-mail address we highly recommend considering Gmail.

  • How to change an e-mail address.

E-mail rules

Many e-mail programs allow users to set up rules to help filter the e-mail as it comes into your computer. You can create a rule that moves e-mail from individuals in your address book to a new folder or only keep e-mail from users listed in your address book. Below is an example of how Microsoft Outlook users can set up rules.

A spammer may also spoof an e-mail address, making it look as if it’s coming from somewhere else.

  • Open Microsoft Outlook.
  • Click Tools and then Rules Wizard.
  • In the Rules Wizard window, click the New button.
  • Select Check messages when they arrive and click Next.
  • Select from people or distribution list.
  • Click the people or distribution list link.
  • Add each person or a distribution list, and click Ok.
  • Click Next.
  • Choose move it to the specified folder.
  • Specify the folder.
  • Click Finish.

Today’s e-mail programs can set up rules or filters to help control incoming e-mail. These rules help sort, delete, and manage e-mail more efficiently.

Users using Microsoft Outlook 97 must download the Rules Wizard before it can be used. The Rules Wizard can be downloaded from our download updates page.

Outlook users

  • In Microsoft Outlook, click Tools and then Rules Wizard.
  • In the Rules Wizard window click the New button.
  • Select Check messages when they arrive and click Next.
  • Check With specified words in the subject or body and click Next.
  • Specify words that you want to look for when message arrives.
  • Select option to delete it or permanently delete it and click Finish.

Thunderbird users

  • In Mozilla Thunderbird, click Tools and then Message Filters.
  • Click New and set the Filter name and rules.
  • Once completed, click Ok and then highlight the filter, select where you want it to run, and click Run Now to test the filter on any mail you currently have.

Commonly used words

Below is a listing of words used in SPAM and other mail that you may not want to receive. These words can be applied to rules in various e-mail programs and blocking tools to help prevent mail from being received.

When using any rules, be careful how the rules are set up or what words are used as they may mistakenly delete e-mails you may need. Set up additional rules for family and friends to prevent this from happening.

See commonly used words that you may also want to add.

See commonly used words you may also want to add.

Finally, we apologize as some keywords below may be offensive and vulgar. These words are only listed to help set up a spam filter for commonly used spam words.

When using any rules, be careful how the rules are set up or what words are used as they may mistakenly delete e-mails you may need. You can fix this by adding additional rules for family and friends.

  • How to block or unblock an e-mail address.
  • Does an antivirus program prevent spam?
  • See the e-mail and SPAM definition for further information and related links.
  • E-mail help and support.