Randy Cassingham's Blog

Posted by Nanci, Maine on October 24, 2008:

I've been online since almost forever and a Premium True subscriber for about five years, and I click with abandon. Firewalls, AVG, common sense--bring your system up to speed. I almost never get spam. It can be filtered out, unless you abuse the 'net. Have a clue, y'all.

Posted by Marcy KY on October 24, 2008:

Google does a GREAT job filtering out spam for Gmail addresses. I get maybe one a month that slips by them. If everyone would just use Gmail, spam would not be a bother. Gmail allows you to forward everything to another address so they would screen it first and it allows pop3 access. I've used Gmail since it first came out and never use the three domain names that I own anymore. Sad!

Posted by Jarred, Washington on October 24, 2008:

You'll note that he specifically states, "I used a throwaway email address to access the site and now get between 100 and 300 spam messages per day (my 'real' email gets 5-10 spam messages per day)." So I wouldn't say he's got a low IQ - quite the opposite (well, except he went to a "free IQ test" site, which is a waste of time and energy).

Personally, I have an account at e4ward.com that seems to work well. Create an alias, and if you find it suddenly starts getting spam you just delete it. Actually, I think my ISP provides similar functionality, but I haven't bothered with it. I make it a point to always use an email alias that can easily be deleted if I'm giving out info to a potentially nefarious site.

Also, FWIW, Thunderbird does a great job filtering out spam. Doesn't save you from downloading all the email messages, but at least you can set it up so they quickly go to your trash. Then again, if you're like me you gave to scan the headers quickly just to make sure something important didn't get trashed on occasion.

Posted by Sue in Bremerton WA on October 24, 2008:

I took one of those free IQ tests, and before I got my score I had the same trouble. What they were looking for was what and where I shopped. And wanted me to check at least one thing. I wouldn't do it, did not get my score, but didn't get spam either.

However, recently I looked up kitchen cupboards that are sold at a chain hardware store. Then I found out that those same cupboards are sold at many of the chain hardware stores. I won't mention names, but they do. I did sign up for the cupboard site to send me a catalogue. Now I have gotten spam emails offering me coupons from four different chain hardware stores. Disgusting.

Posted by Grace - CA on October 25, 2008:

They were wise to use a throw away email addy.

I use yahoo - and they are pretty good about sorting the spam and not - after years on the net, I simply get spam.

Sometimes you are asked to do surveys also that specifically offer info from various companies -- it is always important to check the fine print and see what is promised.

This is also common on facebook, where many apps provide users with extra points or other bonuses for fulfilling specific ads. Those ads to pay more, but many are spam generators. I have one acct for that purpose alone. You do need to use a working address though - many of those offers require a response from the given address for credit/completion.

Posted by Walter - Florida on October 25, 2008:

Perhaps you ought to warn your readers that will answer the ads that say you get a free gift card from such and such a company that they are not affiliated with the company give away. Reading the fine print it says "we are not affiliated with the above company". And it is fine print but there anyhow.

Posted by Amy, New York on October 25, 2008:

I've been online for about 11 years now, and one of the first things I learned was that on a site that you don't know (and maybe don't trust), use a fake email address. I always make up an email address (and often, a fake name). Sure, I still get spam, who doesn't, but it really cuts down on the spam. Although I will say that some sites have gotten smarter and seem to check the email address you give, so I have gotten "caught".

Posted by Marilyn, South Carolina on October 25, 2008:

I went to Obama's website just to ask one simple question, but I did not submit the question because of all the info they required of me. To be honest, I did not scrutinize the site thoroughly to see if there was a privacy policy, nor did I see a notation about "info will go to 3rd. party" as I was SO annoyed at the request of so much private info that I got out of there ASAP. I was too afraid of my mailbox being inundated with political ads.

Posted by Ed, L.A. (Lower Alabama) on October 25, 2008:

There is a simple solution to this problem. Provider (Yahoo, Google or whoever) should tag ads that 'share' information with others and those that do not. This would allow the site that displays these ads to filter on that.

I'm sure that they already tag for other things. They certainly require this to be disclosed (they just don't require that it be disclosed enough (;-There are no such tags that I'm aware of, but I think it's a pretty neat idea -- especially if sites are able to select which sorts of ads they would take or not. Obviously "adult", but some would also choose not to take "alcohol", or "tobacco", or.... I have pointed this comment out to my contact. Thanks! -rc

Posted by Jim - Florida on October 25, 2008:

On Spamming; I have had my primary email address for 11 years or so. It is probably on every spam list there is. I used to get a couple of hundred emails a day (maybe a dozen I wanted). Upon your recommendation I got a Gmail account and have all my email forwarded through it. It has a very good spam filter. I recommend it as a first step to managing spam. Thanks for the Gmail tip, Randy.