BleepingComputer.com: E-Mail Spam

Howdy,

For the last month or so I have been getting 15 to 20 spam e-mails a day. I never open the links but I do click on the e-mails in order to delete them. From what I have read, the fact that I click on them tells the spammer that they are getting through to my computer. I don't know how to delete them any other way. ??

I use Outlook Express. I don't see any type of option in Outlook to block these E-mails. Maybe I am missing something. ???
I download Microsoft updates routinely and once in a while I will see a "junk mail" update. Is that suppose to be blocking these sort of things ?


Do I need a third party program to put a stop to them ?

Thanks for any help you can offer me.


Dennis

XP Home, SP-3, IE-8

First of all, are you using preview pane in Outlook Express?
If you are disable preview pane.
Instructions are here: http://cybercoyote.org/security/prevpane.htm
This will also tell why it's not a good idea to use preview pane.
Disabling preview pane will allow you to delete a mail without opening it.

Second, you can set up rules for mail in OE.
Open OE, then Tools/Message Rules/then Mail.
Create a new rule. You can have the mail sent to a folder when it downloads from the mail server or
Delete from the server which will send it into cyberspace, never to be seen again.

OR you could highlight the message without opening it, click on Block Sender or Create rule for Message (which brings up the same box as above).

This will not prevent all spam. Many times you'll get the same spam mail from different senders and different domains.
To better the chances against it, you will need to set up your rules to filter by subject line and message body.
As soon as you choose as option, a clickable link will show up in box 3-click that box and add specific words.
Make sure to save the rule by clicking OK to everything.
Hopefully this will cut down the amount of spam you receive.

Thank you for the detailed reply. I will get right on it !



Thanks Again,
Dennis

If you want to use a third party option I can suggest MailWasher. I have used the pro version for years and am very pleased with the results.

Thanks animal, I will take a look at it now and see if I can figure out how to use it.




Dennis

Let me know if you need assistance and I'll do my best.

Thanks. I looked it over and I am going to download the free version.

If I get in a bind I will post back.


Thanks Again,
Dennis

I should have been more clear I was suggesting the free version. Thanks for making that distinction.

More than likely someone you know that has your email in their address book is infected with either a virus, worm, or adware, malware and spyware. What happens then is the malicious program scans the address book and forges the from field so it looks like it came from someone other than the person who is infected. You or someone with adequate knowledge of SMTP need to look at the mail headers to find the originating IP so you can report it to their ISP.