Wednesday, February 25, 2009

We interrupt our regular posting...

... because I've been receiving spam like never before (on my personal accounts). It makes me wonder if it is because of Bacefook or simply because some people still don't know certain "rules" about email etiquette? No matter what, I feel it is my duty to inform you about this since I don't go all over the web publicizing my e-mail address I've been wondering how my address got publicized.

Hubby is very sensitive about security and confidentiality on servers and computers, confirmed that often our e-mail addresses are given out by people who forward message to others without deleting who the original message was coming from or by making the full distribution list visible.

For security & privacy reasons, here is what I'm suggesting to avoid propagation of virus infections and in order to respect everyone's privacy:

==>When you send an e-mail to many people instead of addressing it in the "TO" box, please send it in the "BCC" box (BlindCarbonCopy) that way your recipients don't see to whom the e-mail was sent.

==>Also, when you are forwarding an e-mail, please delete the names & addresses of the previous recipients, before sending it. We often forget to do so and that is how the names/addresses get publicized. When you forward a message including a message which is also including a message, go to the original message and do the forward from there, without forgetting to delete the names & addresses, that way the original is being sent and not a list of e-mail addresses.

I simply want to make you aware and may I suggest that you do make your friends aware as well.

I don't give my e-mail address to just anyone, and I would appreciate it being kept that way.

And now, back to our regular posting.
Thank you.

7 comments:

Green-Eyed Momster said...

Consider it done! I try to be private about mine and those addresses that I'm trusted with. I get all kinds of spam for Viagra, Cialis and "the rabbit" because I buy a lot of birth control, I guess.....
I don't trust Basebook. I don't know why.
Off topic, I'm going to wait until my mom comes to her senses. I've done what I can for her. Now she needs to help herself!
Thanks for stopping by!
Hugs!!

Charlie said...

I think any .com will sell their lists to anyone else, no matter what their "privacy" B.S. says.

Like TT said, consider it done.

Anonymous said...

I get a ton of spam on my gmail accounts, even on the ones where I've given the address out to almost no one. But I have a couple of old Yahoo mail accounts that get ZERO spam, even though I've used those accounts for three or four years. It's weird because Google is really good about blocking spam comments on Blogger, but they have to show you every single spam you get in gmail. On the bright side, I now know that Oprah Winfrey endorses acai berry for weight loss!

3carnations said...

It drives me nuts when people don't use BCC. It feels like an invasion of privacy when my email address is included with 25 other ones. On more than one occasion, I have received an email from someone else on that mass email to whom I would not have chosen to give my email address.

Anonymous said...

Spam either makes me extremely irritated or laugh at how poorly it is written. Usually it is the irritated.

As for forwarded emails, I rarely ever send them. Perhaps I'm tugging on Superman's cape, but I really am not that concerned about dying a horrible death if I don't send the email to 30,000 people at once. But that's a good point about removing the other email addresses - I think I'll pass this on to some of the people I work with that love to forward everything.

stinkypaw said...

Traceyt: Thank you and spammer are the pitts.

Re. your mom, trust your instinct.

Charlie: Thanks and you're right those lists have a big market I'm sure.

Janes: I wish I could spam them back! You should be proud, I was happy to see that you were using the BCC

flurrious: I like Google for their filters as well, and those berries don't work much if you ask me, looking at Oprah, anyway.

3C: I hate that when someone sends me something as if we knew each other. That is why I just love BCC.

Greenduckies: I think you have a better chance of dying of some sort of rare kitty infection than the chain letter thing!

Periwinkle Studio said...

I try to delete the addresses too because you just never know....

I hope things get cleared up for you soon because that is just ...ick! My work email get tons of 'triple x rated' spam and it makes me sick. There should be a better blocker out there.
(hugs)