SPAMMING

What is spam?

Spam emails are emails sent to you without consent. It is email that you don’t want and didn’t ask for, and its content can cause embarrassment and distress. However, it’s worth remembering that the sender generally doesn’t target recipients personally. The same spam email can be sent to millions of people at the same time and the addresses can often be guessed.

What does the law say?

The Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations 2003 cover the sending of email marketing. This legislation says that organisations must only send marketing emails to individuals if you have agreed to receive them, except where there is a clearly defined customer relationship.

Many spam emails come from outside the UK. The ICO can only investigate complaints about marketing emails from identifiable UK senders.

As a lot of spam comes from overseas, the Information Commissioner has an agreement with a number of overseas bodies to cooperate and exchange information to try and stop spam emails that are sent from those places.

What can I do if I’m getting unwanted emails?

If you receive marketing by email from an identifiable UK company that you don’t want, you should first use the ‘unsubscribe’ link or email the organisation to ask them to stop (remembering to keep a copy of any correspondence). Tell the sender about the problem and allow them time to put things right. In many cases things can be resolved quickly without us getting involved.

If you continue to receive unsolicited marketing email despite unsubscribing or asking the sender to stop, we may be able to help.

What can I do to reduce the amount of spam emails I receive?

·         Be careful who you give your email address to.

·         Consider having separate personal and business email addresses.

·         Choose an email address which is difficult to guess.

·         Don’t advertise your email address, for example by putting it on the internet.

·         Check privacy policies and marketing opt-outs carefully. Use them to tell the organisation not to send you emails.

·         Avoid responding to spam emails. Replying indicates that your email address is live. You should not reply to emails unless you know and trust the sender. Many complaints received by the ICO are about well known, legitimate companies who offer opt-outs. In most cases responding to the opt-outs in these emails should stop the problem.

·         Don’t click on the adverts in spam emails. By clicking on spammers’ web pages, it shows your email address is live and may make yourself a target for more emails. It can also reveal your computer’s IP address.

·         Use a spam email filter on your computer. These are programs which work with your email package to sift through new emails, separating spam emails from wanted emails and blocking them. Most packages are successful although sometimes block good email too. Also, they can’t stop the spam emails being downloaded before being blocked. New spam email filters are being developed all the time; you can search the internet for one that is suitable for you. Many Internet Service Providers (ISPs) also offer filters which work by examining content and using blacklists to restrict spam emails. Again, these sometimes block good emails as well as spam emails and you might have to pay for them. For more information on the services that are available to you, please check with your ISP.

·         Keep your systems well maintained. Hackers and spammers can exploit software problems, so most software companies issue product updates and patches that fix known problems. Updates are generally available through manufacturers’ websites and are usually free to download and install. You should also consider using anti-virus software to protect against virus programs that can destroy computer files and are increasingly being exploited by spammers.

·         Check privacy policies and marketing opt-outs carefully. If you buy something online or subscribe to a service, check the company’s privacy policy before giving your email address or any other private information. Consider how the company uses your information and whether they might send it to other people within their organisation or to other organisations.

10 tips on how to help reduce spam

Follow these guidelines to help lower your risk of receiving junk e-mail.

1.    Take advantage of the Junk E-mail Filter in Microsoft Office Outlook 2007     Office Outlook 2007 helps to mitigate the problem of spam by providing the Junk E-mail Filter, which automatically evaluates incoming messages and sends those identified as spam to the Junk E-mail folder.

2.    Block pictures in HTML messages that spammers use as Web beacons     Office Outlook 2007 has an additional anti-spam feature. By default, this feature blocks automatic picture downloads and other external content in messages if the content is linked to a server. If you open a message that has external content when this feature is turned off, the external content downloads automatically, inadvertently verifying to the server that your e-mail address is a valid one. Your e-mail address can then be sold to a spammer. You can unblock external content for messages that come from sources that you trust. For details, see Block or unblock automatic picture downloads in e-mail messages.

3.    Turn off read and delivery receipts and automatic processing of meeting requests     Spammers sometimes resort to sending meeting requests and messages that include requests for read and delivery receipts. Responding to such meeting requests and read receipts might help spammers to verify your e-mail address. You can turn off this functionality. However, read and delivery receipts and automatic processing of meeting requests are useful features that you should not be afraid to use within a secure corporate network.

 NOTE   Delivery receipts can be turned off only by your e-mail server administrator.

Turn off read receipts    

1.    On the Tools menu, click Options.

2.    Click E-mail Options.

3.    Click Tracking Options.

4.    Under Use this option to decide how to respond to requests for read receipts. Only applies to Internet Mail accounts, click Never send a response.

Turn off automatically acceptance of meeting requests    

1.    In Outlook, on the Tools menu, click Options, and then click Calendar Options.

2.    Under Advanced options, click Resource Scheduling.

3.    Clear the Automatically accept meeting requests and process cancellations check box.

4.    Limit the places where you post your e-mail address     Be cautious about posting your e-mail address on public Web sites, such as newsgroups, chat rooms, bulletin boards, and so forth. When visiting public sites, you might want to use an e-mail address that is different from your main e-mail address. Remove your e-mail address from your personal Web site. Whenever you list or link to your e-mail address, you increase your chances of being spammed.

5.    Review the privacy policies of Web sites     When you sign up for online banking, shopping, or newsletters, review the privacy policy of the site carefully before you reveal your e-mail address or other personal information. Look for a link or section (usually at the bottom of the Web site's home page) called "Privacy Statement," "Privacy Policy," "Terms and Conditions," or "Terms of Use." If the Web site does not explain how your personal information will be used, consider not using the services at that site.

6.    Watch out for check boxes that are already selected     When you shop online, companies sometimes add a check box that is already selected, which indicates that it is fine with you if the company sells or gives your e-mail address to other businesses (or "third parties"). Clear this check box so that your e-mail address is not shared.

7.    Don't reply to spam     Never reply to an e-mail message — not even to unsubscribe from a mailing list — unless you know and trust the sender, such as when the e-mail message comes from a service, an online store, or newsletter that you have signed up with. Answering spam just confirms to the spammer that your e-mail address is an active one.

8.    If a company uses e-mail messages to ask for personal information, don't respond by sending a message     Most legitimate companies will not ask for personal information to be sent in e-mail. Be suspicious if they do. Such a request could be a spoofed e-mail message disguised to look like a legitimate one. This tactic is known as phishing. If the possible spam appears to be sent by a company that you do business with — for example, your credit card company — then call the company to verify that they sent it, but don't use any phone number that is provided in the e-mail. Instead, use a number that you find by using other means, such as directory assistance, a statement, or a bill. If the request is a legitimate one, the company's customer service representative should be able to assist you. The Junk E-mail Filter also includes phishing protection to help identify and disable suspicious messages.

9.    Don't contribute to a charity in response to a request sent in e-mail     Unfortunately, some spammers prey on your goodwill. If you receive an e-mail appeal from a charity, treat it as spam. If the charity is one that you want to support, locate their telephone number or Web site to find out how you can make a contribution.

10. Don't forward chain e-mail messages     Besides increasing overall e-mail volume, by forwarding a chain e-mail message you might be furthering a hoax — and meanwhile, you lose control over who sees your e-mail address.