How Do I Identify
an Email as Spam?
Almost everyone with an
email account has experienced spam in one form or another. In a general sense,
you may consider any unsolicited email message as possible spam. However, you
may actually wish to receive certain emails without you specifically requesting
them, so here are some tips to help you sift through your inbox and pick out
the spam from the genuine.
Many spam emails are incredibly
easy to spot, such titles as "LOSE 100 POUNDS IN 5 DAYS," and "EARN
UP TO $500,000 WITHOUT LEAVING YOUR HOME" are sure giveaways. Generally,
any email containing an "incredible offer", get rich quick scheme,
adult-related website, or "amazing new product" that you did not request
can quickly be classified as spam.
However a more advanced
spammer can use some tricks to disguise their emails. Often spammers will make
the email look as if its coming from somewhere that its not (ie. an email from
bill.gates@microsoft.com probably
isn't going to actually be from Mr. Gates). Since anyone can specify anything
they want in the "From:" line of an email, it is easy to
mask spam emails with dummy return addresses.
A sure way to identify an
email as spam is through its header information. The header
information contains a number of details about the actual route taken by an
email. If the "From:" line matches the information in the
header corresponding to "Return-Path:" and
"Received:" then chances are, the message is genuine. However,
if the "From:" line does not match either of these header
fields, then it is a good indication that the email has been forged and is probably
spam.
To access the header
information of an email follow the client-specific instructions below:
Email
Client |
Header
Instructions |
Microsoft
Outlook Express |
With
the email message open:
- Select File
from the top menu
- Click the Properties
option
- Select the Details
tab.
|
Microsoft
Outlook |
With the email message
open:
- select View
from the top menu
- Click Options
- The header information is
displayed in the box labeled Internet
Headers
|
Netscape |
To view the full
header information for all e-mail messages:
- Select View
from the top menu
- Select Headers
- Select All
|
Eudora |
From
the top of an opened email:
- Click the Blah Blah
Blah icon
|
|
NOTE:
you should NEVER open any file attachements in spam emails. These attachements
may contain viruses, spy-ware, trojan horses, and any number of other nusiances
or malicious software.
|