Spam. It seems like it's taking over. What is spam, and what is being done about it? If you want more information about spam, this FAQ should answer most of your questions.

Spam - FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)

Q. What is Spam?

A. Unwanted email. These can include advertisements, chain letters, scams, and many more varieties. The most common are advertisements. Companies send these emails to large groups of people in hope that they will get a response. There is very little cost to the company to send this spam, so they have nothing to lose. Spam can range from simple ads to very offensive material.

Q. Why am I getting spam? How did they get my email address?

A. Spammers have many ways of getting email addresses. The most common are simpler than you would expect. Some spammers have programs that travel through web pages on the Internet searching for email addresses on those pages. They collect them into large mailing lists. Many websites also sell their customer lists to spammers. You may think you are signing up for a joke of the day, or horoscopes or simply becoming a member of a site, but your email address could be given to spammers. Some spammers simply guess a huge list of email addresses and send out the spam hoping that some of the addresses belong to real people. It is important to know, that WINCOM does NOT give out information or the email addresses of our customers.

Q. But my friend is with XYZ company and he/she isn't getting spam! Why am I?

A. All email providers are battling with the spam problem. Many factors may affect who gets spam. These include how long you've had your email address, how easy it is to guess, and how often you've given it out. In general, one email provider isn't better than another- everyone is vulnerable.

Q. What can I do to stop spam?

A. The truth there is no way for any of us to guarantee that we won't get any spam, but there are ways to reduce your chances.

1. Only give out your email address to people you know. For signing up on websites or for newsletters and such, a good suggestion is to set up an email account with one of the free online email providers and use this email address as a "dummy" address for sites that require an email address to sign up.
2. Don't reply to spam. Many spam messages include a link that claims it will remove you from the spam list. In most cases this is a lie. It will only confirm that your email address belongs to a real person and you will likely get even more spam. Remember, there are very few laws regulating the Internet and spammers don't have to tell the truth.
3. Don't forward spam. Some messages try to trick you into forwarding the message to a bunch of other people. They might even offer a prize or good luck if you forward it. These tricks will only make the spam problem worse.
4. Delete it. Don't read it. Don't buy the products being sold and don't visit the websites that the spam links to. If spammers don't get any response, maybe they will stop.
5. Lobby the government for anti-spam laws. The government is currently considering laws that will help fight the spam problem, show your support for these laws, and maybe they will get passed sooner.

Q. How big is the spam problem?

A. The spam problem is approaching a critical size. It is estimated that for the average email user, 28% of the email they receive is spam. Many people are getting more spam than legitimate email and experts say that soon the spam problem may become so big that email will no longer be a desirable form of communication. This has sparked increased interest by the government. It would be a big shame if people stopped using email because of the spam problem.

Q. What is WINCOM doing about spam?

A. All that we can. We have programs that filter out as much of the spam that we can, and we also block known spammers. Unfortunately, if the filters are too strong they will begin to block legitimate mail. It seems that as email providers like us develop new ways to block spam, the spammers develop new ways to get around it. Rest assured that WINCOM is staying current with the new anti-spam techniques and we are doing everything possible.

Q. Why isn't WINCOM blocking all of the spam?

A. As humans it is easy to look at an email and tell if it is spam or not. Getting a computer to do this is not so easy. Remember, computers can't think like we can. The best that spam filters can do is to look for certain words and phrases that are common in spam. Also we look at who is sending the spam. Unfortunately spammers are getting more creative by changing the spelling of certain words, just using common words or using pictures that can't be blocked. Unfortunately, it just isn't possible to block all spam, and we must also be careful not to accidentally block wanted mail.

In conclusion, spam affects us all to one degree or another. Sometimes it feels like we are helpless to stop it. We here at WINCOM hear the concerns of our customers and we do the best that we can. Hopefully in the future, new laws and technologies will help to reduce or even eliminate spam.