Avoid Getting an Avalanche of Spam!

Spam e-mails are not only annoying and time-consuming, but they’re also becoming more dangerous to your personal privacy and the security of your computer. Millions of computer users are getting infected, spoofed, and tricked by spam e-mails every year, forcing the user to pay hefty fees to clean and restore their PCs back to working order.

There are 3 NEW dangers that all computer users must be aware of:

1. An increase in hijacked and spoofed e-mail addresses. Spammers have discovered new ways to make it appear as though their spam e-mail is coming from YOUR computer. This could result in having your Internet connection terminated or put on hold by your ISP – all without your knowledge. That is why good spam blocking software will not only block inbound spam from your inbox, but also unauthorized outbound spam from your servers.
2. An increase in viruses-carrying spam. Accidentally open a spam e-mail carrying a nasty virus and you can end up with big problems ranging from the slowing of your system to more serious threats such as system crashes, data loss, identity theft, redirecting your web browser to porn sites, and more.
3. Phishing spam. A phishing e-mail appears to be a legitimate e-mail from a bank, vendor, friend, or other trusted source. The purpose is to trick you into giving confidential information such as bank accounts, social security numbers, passwords, and credit card information. It then directs you to a very convincing web site where you input certain information the spammer is trying to glean. In reality, this is a malicious third party that is going to use your information to open credit card accounts, access your account, steal money, and cause you other major identity and financial problems.

So what can you do about this?

First and foremost, it’s absolutely critical that you get a quality spam blocking software installed as a first line of defense. New government regulations haven’t done a single thing towards preventing or stopping spammers so the responsibility lies on your shoulders.

As you probably already know from firsthand experience, once you’re on a spammer’s list, it’s impossible to get off; and changing your e-mail address can be a major inconvenience especially if you rely on it to stay in touch with important business and personal contacts.

To reduce the chances of your e-mail address getting on a spammers list, here are five (5) simple preventative measures you can take that will go a long way in keeping not-so-delicious spam out of your in-box.

1. Use a disposable e-mail address.

If you buy products online or occasionally subscribe to web sites that interest you, chances are you’re going to get spammed.

To avoid your main e-mail address from ending up on their broadcast list, set up a free Internet e-mail address with Hotmail or Juno and use it when buying or opting in to online newsletters. You can also use a throwaway e-mail address when making purchases or subscribing to newsletters (see #4 below).

2. Pay attention to check boxes that automatically opt you in.

Whenever you subscribe to a website or make a purchase online, be very watchful of small, pre-checked boxes that say, “Yes! I want to receive offers from third party companies.”

If you do not un-check the box to opt-out, your e-mail address can (and will) be sold to every online advertiser.  To avoid this from happening, simply take a closer look at every online form you fill out.

3. Don’t post your main e-mail address on your website, web forums, or newsgroups.

Spammers have special programs that can glean e-mail addresses from websites without your permission. If you are posting to a web forum or newsgroup, use your disposable e-mail address instead of your main e-mail address. If you want to post an e-mail address on your home page, use “info@” and have all replies forwarded to a folder in your in-box that won’t interfere with your main address.

4. Create throwaway e-mail accounts.

If you own a web domain, all mail going to an address at your domain is probably set up to come directly to you by default.  For example, an e-mail addressed to anything@yourdomain.com will be delivered to your in-box.

This is a great way to fight spam without missing out on important e-mails you want to get. The next time you sign up for a newsletter, use the title of the website in your e-mail address. For example, if the website is titled “www.greatwidgets.com,” enter “greatwidgets@yourdomain.com” as your e-mail address. If you get spammed, look at what address the spam was sent to.

If greatwidgets@yourdomain.com shows up as the original recipient, you know the source since that e-mail address was unique to that web site. Now you can easily stop the spam by making any e-mail sent to that address bounce back to the sender.

5. Don’t open, reply to or try to opt-out of obvious spam e-mails.

Opening, replying to, or even clicking a bogus opt-out link in an obvious spam e-mail signals that your e-mail address is active, and more spam will follow.

The only time it is safe to click on the opt-out link or reply to the e-mail is when the message was sent from a company you know or do business with (for example, a company that you purchase from or a newsletter you subscribed to).

Want an extra hand in fighting Spam? Valeo Networks Can Help You Permanently Stop Spam from
Taking over Your Inbox

Our Anti-Spam services will perform the following:

• Eliminate pop-ups finally and forever.
• Quarantine virus-riddled spam before it ever gets to your in-box.
• Filter spam without blocking important e-mails from clients and associates.
• Clean out any spyware installed on your individual PCs or network.
• Bulletproof your network from viruses and other cyber criminals.

And If You Are Not Currently Hosting Your Own E-mail In House, Valeo Networks can provide services to help you:

• Save hundreds or even thousands of dollars on costly bandwidth and ISP fees by bringing your e-mail in house.

• Prevent your ISP’s spam filter from blocking important, non-spam e-mails you need to receive.
• Make it easier to set up new e-mail accounts.
• Stop employees from accidentally (or intentionally!) sending illegal, inappropriate, or confidential information via e-mail.
• Set up a safe and secure filing system to store all of your important e-mail.
• Eliminate the file size limitations on your in-box.

Here’s How It Works:

Simply call one of our offices and we will arrange to send one of our professional IT Experts to your office. Our IT Expert will evaluate your network for FREE and give you a straightforward situation analysis, and explain the options you have available for eliminating spam, spyware, and pop-ups.

So give us a call while you are thinking about it. You’ll be glad you did!

Don’t wait to protect yourself. Call Valeo Networks today for a free network assessment!

Valeo Networks, LLC (Valeo Networks) is a trusted partner in IT support and services, providing technology solutions that are designed to take your business to the next level. No matter what your IT requirements are, the Valeo Networks experts can create, implement and support a technology strategy that will fit your business and budget.

Call one of our regional offices, (805) 222-4977 (California) or (321) 848-0340 (Florida) to discover why many businesses count on us for dependable IT solutions today.

Valeo Networks – The IT Experts. Why Trust Anyone Else?