A Spam Solution So Simple It Works!

I hear people at work complain about their inboxes being over run with spam. They ask me about spam filters and software and I stop them and tell them they are going about it the wrong way. They are suprised to hear that I NEVER get it in my personal email.
It's not that I don't get spam - it's that I get it in email addresses that I know are going to get spam!
At this point you are probably wondering what I mean.
The key to not getting spam is to set up multiple email accounts. That way you have a personal account that you ONLY give to friends and other email accounts that are set up to take spam hit.

Here is how to cut the spam.

1. Setup multiple email accounts. Services like Yahoo! Google and Hotmail offer accounts for free. I have 5 across multiple sites.

2. Do not use the email account bundled with your service - you are opening up potiential security holes. If some hacks your email - they can potientially get your personal info like your credit card number or bank account if you pay online! Also some of the webmail services aren't as good as the services listed above.

3. Use one of your email accounts as a personal account and ONLY give it to friends.

4. Create one account just for bill paying and correspondence from utilities, apartment complexes, Paypal etc. This also helps cut viruses and spam. Why? because you will never open those emails in your other email accounts from phoney banks that are phishing for your information, because they are in the wrong email account!

5. Spam Accounts - create multiple accounts that you know are going to get spammed. These we can live with, because we know they are going to get hit and they are choking out the kitten pictures your mom forwarded to you from her sister! LOL
These accounts are great for using in online forms for contests and surveys and applications that want an email address and confirmation of membership.
They don't get an email address they can spam and you can continue to use their service. Speaking of which ...

6. Use your spam email addresses to sign up for online registration for sites that require it. Use these for the the fun things - not financial information.

7. Do not EVER EVER EVER EVER respond to an email from someone you don't know and do not EVER EVER EVER unsubscribe from some account you don't think you are signed up for. IF you do - you just told that spammer that they hit a vaild email and your inbox will explode with spam. It's better to get some spam than validate an address that is going to be targeted.

8. This one is for you web designers. This is common sense but it is worth a mention since a lot of people are learning more about HTML since Myspace and Hotmail hit the scene. Do not put your personal email address on any web page. It doesn't matter if you are putting it in a form or putting it in a mailto tag - don't do it! Spammers have crawlers that search the internet for these tags and hit them with spam. If you are going to do this - create a webmaster account or some other account you know will get hit with spam.

9. When you create your spam email accounts - do not put much personal info in them when signing up.
The services don't require much and why give spammers more info than they need if they wanted to looking up your account on an email service. My advice - put initals in for your first and last name (they don't even have to be your initials) and don't put in a correct birthday, but at least put in a date they will give you all privledges and won't prevent you access. that date is usually over 18. Out of habit I usually do my birthday but off by at least one number.

So what to do about that old email address that everyone already knows? I suggest what I call "scorched earth". Go through your address book and email everyone you care about and give them your new personal email address - this happens all the time - people can deal with it.
Login into all your financial and bill paying sites (banks, insurance, cellphone, cable, water, credit card etc.) and change the email addresses to your account to your new financial email address.

Enjoy your spam free email!