How To Avoid Spam

There are a number of simple things that one can do to avoid spam. And the good news is that it does not need to be expensive. In fact if you know where to look, most of it can be free.

The simplest, effective no cost solution is to run a free firewall program from one of the well know trusted Internet security experts. Remember that to avoid spam, your firewall will not be much help if it is off. It needs to be on and active at all times.

Also in your download preferences, never make the mistake of setting it to "automatic download". This option renders all your spam prevention techniques useless. With this option enabled, your computer will be downloading something really nasty before you have the chance to object.

Under no circumstances whatsoever should you ever download executable files. These are the files that end with .exe. You can kiss goodbye all your well thought out plans and efforts to avoid spam if you download an .exe file, no matter how innocent-looking it is. By downloading .exe files, you are allowing hackers and spammers to dig and worm their way into your computer and wreck havoc. Even when it has been sent in an email from a friend or your forwarding some funny email, be extremely careful.

In cases where you start seeing your computer behaving strangely or making some funny noise after you've visited a suspicious website, the right thing to do is to hit your control-alt-delete keys. Most likely it will be a sort of Trojan horse and if looks like one or something strange to you hit those control-alt-delete keys again and restart your computer. Or simply switch off your computer and out up that firewall defensive wall.

Yet another way of helping you avoid spam or thwarting hackers is by running anti-spy ware and anti-virus on a very regular basis. There are plenty of freeware programs of this sort online that will help you a great deal in protecting yourself and getting to avoid spam and reduce it at all costs.