Time to Reduce Your Junk Email

How To Can Spam

If you’re sick of spam, take these steps to help reduce it from your email.

Don’t give out your address arbitrarily. These days there’s a space for you to fill it in on almost any form. Seems harmless, but companies sometimes sell or share their lists with other companies you don’t want to hear from.

Check privacy policies before you submit your address online. Reputable sites will tell you what they plan to do with your address. Make sure you don’t opt-in for emails you don’t want.

Use your spam filter. It works, but check occasionally for legitimate emails.

Don’t click on anything in a spam message. If you click a link, the spammer knows it’s a valid email address and will send more spam. The best option is to delete the email and add the sender to your spam filter.

Don’t be a spammer yourself. Some people consider those emails that warn of viruses or kids who need Christmas cards as a form of spam. Be wary of emails that say “send to everyone you know.” Check out hoaxes on sites like www.snopes.com. While you may have the best of intentions, your friends will appreciate it if you forward messages selectively.