6 Guidelines: Tips on Dealing with Spam that Comes into Your Email Inbox

My first exposure to the Internet was in the mid-1990's. I loved being able to access any type of information at my fingertips. I enjoyed getting emails from friends & family and being able to reply at the click of a button without having to lick a single postage stamp. I felt so special when I received my first ECARD full of animation and colorful graphics.

Email can be a great source of entertainment, tool for communication as well as a door that opens to a wealth of information, however, an unsuspecting ROOKIE Internet user can easily be inconvenienced. After picking up a virus - most likely from a link/attachment found in an email, I learned the hard way when my first computer crashed. The operation of the computer became sluggish, my computer screen was bombarded with multiple pop-up screens, and simply shutting the computer down became impossible. I had to pay $1300 to replace my computer.

When correctly executed, email advertising can be an effective method of marketing products and/or services. SPAM can be compared to unwanted telemarketing calls in the 'real world.' Abuse occurs when companies or amateur entrepreneurs send UNSOLICITED email to unsuspecting consumers. The majority of commercial email is harmless -- why would a company who wants your business want to harm your hardware? You need to watch out for the emails seeking to commit fraud, or gain notoriety by creating the latest viral epidemic.

The challenge is to distinguish the "good" emails versus the "bad" emails. Once you've got that skill learned, you can begin to enjoy opening your emails at least 99.9% of the time. Although this guide may not protect you from every negative aspect, these 6 tips will at least help you avoid some inconveniences.

1. Beware of False Prophets: don't believe everything you read.
I'm referring to the dozens of Diplomats wanting to work with someone in the U.S.A. to deposit their millions of dollars into that person's bank account, as well as generously sharing a portion of their funds for their trouble. Don't believe it! Chances are that the sender has blasted that same email to countless others in an attempt to solicit a response from the most gullible of recipients. Guard yourself from being conned by just deleting the email. Ignoring a suspicious email is one of your best defenses.

Another unfortunate trap is the promise of friendship. There are senders preying on lonely victims by presenting themselves as "wanting to chat" or sending invitations to go "see my new pictures." Don't let your vanity get the best of you! They may lead you to an adult site and expose you to photos that might be offensive to you and those nearby who may inadvertently glimpse onto your computer screen.

2. Beware of Wolves in Sheep's Clothing: don't click every link that is sent to you.
Links embedded in an email can be made to visibly look like it's going to a trusted site. However, once the link is clicked, you can either be misdirected to a commercial site or worse, trigger a latent viral program to wreak havoc on your computer. Even though you think the sender is your trusted Aunt Joan from Georgia, you are safer to keep your guard up. Sender addresses/names on emails can also be manipulated to reflect the name of a more trusted person or company.

You can defend yourself by examining the link before clicking on it. Use your mouse to right-click the link to reveal the true destination of the link. Choose 'properties' on the menu, then a pop-up screen will show where the link will take you. Watch out for links that contain a ".exe" because it indicates that the link is a "computer program." It can also be indicative an unwanted virus that can begin running as soon as you click the link.

3. Beware of PHISHERS: don't give your info to everyone who asks for it.
PHISHERS are fishers of info. However, their main objective is to obtain information to commit identity fraud. Sometimes PHISHERS will email mock-warnings of cancellation from trusted sites like Paypal, Yahoo!, or EBAY. They go as far as copying logos and front pages of legitimate sites to gain your trust in order to con you into providing your confidential personal info like credit card numbers, bank account numbers and passwords.

Before submitting your info online, guard yourself against fraud by investigating the links embedded in the email to determine whether or not you are truly entering into the legitimate site or a mock-site. Go further and contact the company yourself to confirm the validity of the email and forward them a copy of the email.

4. Beware of FREEBIES: not everything is FREE.
Free offers are plentiful on the Internet. Offers that have appeared in my BULK mail include free designer purses, free $500 gift cards to Wal-Mart, free Target vouchers, free airline tickets, free laptop, etc. Are they really free? Yes, they are free BUT there is usually a condition coupled with the freebie. In order to redeem the free item, recipients must first register for trial periods of X service or spend time filling out a survey. What you exchange for the freebie is your time to fulfill the condition as well as availing your email address to more email marketing. At times, the survey is so lengthy that the attempt to obtain the freebie is aborted, however, phone numbers, email & home addresses may have already been submitted; these companies can gain a profit by selling your personal information to other marketing companies.

5. Not All "Gifts" are Welcome: don't open every attachment.
Attachments can be entertaining and can be considered a free gift of diversion from the sender. However, attachments can also be the gate that opens up a virus into the safe harbor of your computer. Exercise extra care when the sender is someone that you don't know. Keep your curiosity in check and resist the temptation of opening every attachment that is sent to you. Again, avoid file attachments ending in .exe

6. Find humor and Consider Yourself "Special"
It is easy to become overwhelmed by the daily bombardment of mass emails sent to your inbox. Learn how to control your reaction by keeping a positive attitude towards the situation. For as long as you have email, you will always have mass emails to deal with. Once you can accept that fact, you can create your own 'state of mind': to get irritated or to just laugh at how ridiculous all the marketing you receive really is. With having read the latest subject titles in my bulk email --"We want to give you a digital camera," "21/f - Wanna chat?" from Jessica, to "Up to $1500 overnight" and "Get Paid for Your Opinion on Cigarettes" -- one can't help but smile and give these entrepreneurs an "A" for effort......or at least, feel a "little" special for all the grand attention they are courting you with.

Final Thought: when in doubt, just click delete!