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Spam Inc.

In 2002, spam is not just a scourge, it's big business. Our investigator reveals who's behind the assault on your in-box and why stemming the tide won't be easy.

Daniel Tynan

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Want More Spam? All The Spam You Can Eat

You say you love spam and can't get enough? Want a full plate of it every day? If you do, don't use spam-filtering software or set up mail filters. Follow these instructions instead.

Be generous with your address: Always post your primary e-mail address to newsgroups, online forums, and every page of your Web site. That makes it much easier for e-mail extractors to harvest your address. It's like picking low-hanging fruit.

Don't read the fine print when you sign up: So they say they'll give you a free Web hosting account and spam you? It doesn't get any better than this.

Make it obvious: Use a simple name combo for your e-mail handle (like Bob123@yourisp.com). Dictionary spammers will fill your in-box in no time.

Support your local spammer: Send that check or money order for herbal Viagra or the home wealth-building kit today. You may never see any products, but you'll keep the spam industry strong and vibrant.

Go ahead, open it: HTML mail can run JavaScript, launch your browser (especially handy for porn spam), or send a "Found a live one" message back to the spammer.

Use a domain registrar that has poor privacy policies: Spammers love guaranteed-to-work e-mail addresses, and some registrars would love to sell you out.

Share your friends' addresses: When a site asks for names or e-mail addresses of your friends and family, do them a favor and sign all of them up. They'll be glad you did.

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