Preserved Topic: what do you do about spam?

spam is nasty... anyway, i have been getting junk like "how to cut your bills in half"
it is always from a different email addy and if i ask them to remove me the email bounces back. should i just start up a new email?
I set up a webforwading thingy with domainZero so the only email addy i put out on the web is Mr.brain@cerebralboy.com and that forwards to my hotmail. i was thinking if i got spam it was cuz the spammers got Mr.Brain, so i could just change it... it didnt work...

I simply trash all spam e-mails...

Also, I would suggest you not to leave your e-mail address anywhere on the web (i.e. web pages) and to always use spam blocking by adding words NOSPAM or similar to your e-mail address (for example, I like to write my e-mail like this: misterNO@SPAMmax.co.yu).

i dont use hotmail!

I usually have a hotmail account that I use to screen my email. If I'm signing up for anything on the net I'll use the hotmail one so my real email doesn't get spammed so often. I also give out the hotmail account when I don't know the person emailing me personally.

i really like to keep my net presence low...

Never respond to spam unless it is from a "legitimate" source, for instance if you get apple's monthly letter or from a store you bought something from. If you respond to a bunk mailer it just tells them that you are alive and checking your email.

OpticBurn is absolutely right - you're only telling them you are there if you return e-mail. Then they will comply with their innitial statement - you won't get e-mail from them, but you'll get e-mail from everyone they sell their list too, with a higher price, cause' they can assure the buyer it's not a dead box.

If you have a web-based account - look at your filtering options - they don't always work, but I have reduced my weekly Hotmail junkmail from 350 or so, to about ten, just by asking it to filter all mail with headers like: "XXX", "Hardcore", "re-finance", "Home Loan", "Assets", "Credit Card" - and stuff like that . . .

Next: when you sign up for accounts for anything, unless nessasary, use totally false information - the most they'll do is drop your account if they find out. Re-directors are good - Use e-mail accounts that forward to other e-mail accounts, and then, if the box starts filling with junk, drop the forwarder, and pick another. Also, if you get e-mail from friends, and this is pretty major, ask then to PLEASE DEAR GOD remove you from they're group mailing lists!!!! There are assholes out there that JUST collect those e-mails, and sell the addresses to marketing companies. Unless you have to, try to remove identifying browser information from you're preferences, or if you're REALLY anal, set the thing to ask you before accepting cookies. Then you'll know who's tracking you.

There are some really good e-mail accounts to choose from if you're looking for alternate boxes:
www.operamail.com www.mailandnews.com www.lokmail.net - (integrates PGP encryption - really nice) www.safemail.com

Just run a good search on alternate free mail providers. MailandNews supposrts direct e-mail forwarding - look around . . .

There are THOUSANDS of ways comapanies can get a hold of you're info, and there are databases out there that have business oriented psychological profiles of you that probably would amaze you, but you can take steps to remove yourself digitally. One step: don't ever go to www.doubleclick.com! Wanna get really anal: dowload PGP and encrypt your e-mails so no-one, including Yahoo's word bots can market crap to you based on e-mail content, (yes, they do collect it, it says so RIGHT in their privacy policy).

If you're REALLY interested, there was a great book written about it, but I don't remember the name right now . . . Crap, what was it . . . well, anyway, it talked about the progression of interenet security, the clipper chip, things like that . . .Maybe someone else knows what it was called?? Wait, it was called "Data Smog"!!!

Anyway, good luck, and I hope this helps . . .

groovy man!
alright! I looked b4 at the filters but i didnt find it... hmm... I got it now.

hrmm... i might have to do that some day, see what dirt i can find about myself for free. I know if you wanna pay you can find 'bout anyting 'bout anybody... crazy.

Yeah, cool - have fun!