| If you are in anyway up with the times, email is an | | | | want to sign up for a news letter or forum. This way |
| important part of your life. You cannot live with it | | | | you will only check the second one when you need |
| (because of spam) and you cannot live without it. If | | | | your coupons or you have to click a confirmation link |
| an email address is out there and visible you can bet | | | | or what ever you signed up for. You know that no |
| it will end up on a spammers list for sure. Common | | | | other real email will be coming to this box so you can |
| ways spammers get their list are: | | | | simply delete all the mail everyday without having to |
| - Hacking servers and stealing databases from poorly | | | | go through each one. |
| protected accounts. | | | | The second email is for your inner circle and work |
| - Harvesting software that will scour the Internet and | | | | contacts. This email will not go out to anyone other |
| take any email that is posted on a forum or website. | | | | than a select few and thereby giving you piece of |
| - Dictionary attack. | | | | mind that no spammer will be mailing you - hopefully! |
| If you use one of the free email services to create a | | | | When you pick your name make sure it is a |
| new account, do a little test. Create a new email | | | | combination of you first and last name along with a |
| address and then wait a few days. It is almost a | | | | few numbers. Spammers love to pick popular names |
| guarantee that you will have email waiting for you | | | | like John, Mary, Mike and etc. |
| from a spammer unless you have used some of the | | | | Then they simply add numbers starting with 1 to the |
| tips I outline below. | | | | name, easily creating a list of hundreds of thousands |
| To combat against this problem there are a few | | | | of emails to spam too. So it's much better to use |
| things you can do that will greatly reduce the spam | | | | your fist initial and then last name or first name and |
| you receive. | | | | then last initial and then a random number. You also |
| I recommend you have two email addresses. One will | | | | want to go to your email settings and set up filters |
| be your private email that only the very important | | | | to help block unwanted mail. You will never be able to |
| can have. The second will be used for all other email | | | | completely stop spam, but by follow these few |
| needs like when you go shopping and they ask you | | | | simple rules you can greatly reduce the spam you |
| for an email address to receive coupons or when you | | | | receive to your private email address. |