Spam*

Unfortunately for Hormel Foods Corp., the much-maligned luncheon meat SPAM, has become a homonym for electronic junk mail. In the context of the Internet,

spam is...

Unsolicited	You didn't request it, or subscribe to a service.
Illegal	Most commercial ISPs do not permit their mailservers to send bulk e-mail. Many spammers will use mailservers from foreign countries, but fake the e-mail header to appear that it is coming from a reputable source (i.e. Yahoo! or IBM, etc.)
Un-returnable	Replying to spam e-mails is the WRONG thing to do. Usually, you will receive a message stating there is no such address, but most often, you confirm to the spammer that your e-mail address is valid.
Un-subscribable	Even if a reply to address or a link is offered, the goal is to verify that your email address is good. Then your name can be sold to other spammers.

Never REPLY... REPORT spam

Never respond to e-mail spam. Do NOT reply with the word "remove. Never! And, never sign up with a site that says they will remove your name from spam lists.

If you receive spam from an address such as "get-rich-quick@yahoo.com" or "porno_something@ibm.com", forward the message (include the message header) to "abuse@_____.___". Yahoo! or IBM may or may not list the address as active, but if they do, they will usually shut it down immediately. Most ISPs and companies have no tolerance for abuse.

	Where to complain about fraud and scams on the Net
	Spam.Abuse.Net
	Junkbusters
	Also see our other recommended resources on the next page

* SPAM is a registered trademark of Hormel Foods Corporation

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