Recent Comments
Comment by BaliRob on How Good is Your Cybersecurity? (March 23, 2023 01:07 PM)
@Bob K Malwarebytes used them on and off since their inception. Still have them in my Android where they failed abysmally to cure a virus intruder ...
Comment by RandiO on How Good is Your Cybersecurity? (March 22, 2023 06:21 PM)
This 'Oldster' has never used any other password manager than the ol' reliable (OpenSource) KeePass. My 560+ entry database stays local and hidden fro...
Comment by Oldster on How Good is Your Cybersecurity? (March 22, 2023 08:23 AM)
I believe that my cyber security efforts have paid off. I have never suffered a malware issue since the late 1990s when I got a virus from a program I...
Comment by Dave on How Good is Your Cybersecurity? (March 22, 2023 03:59 AM)
No problems at all since your first translation of PCMatic. Please continue with your awesome lessons Professor....
Comment by RandiO on How Good is Your Cybersecurity? (March 22, 2023 02:21 AM)
Thank you for your translations all these years (decade+?). Do my chances of getting hacked go up, longer I haven't been? Or does it mean that I am d...
Comment by Bob K on How Good is Your Cybersecurity? (March 22, 2023 01:49 AM)
One word: Malwarebytes. PS: No worries. -Bob K...
Comment by Steveg on How Good is Your Cybersecurity? (March 22, 2023 12:58 AM)
I haven't had a problem or given security a thought since I installed PCMatic. Good stuff....
Comment by Brian B on Should You X-Ray Your Computer? (March 18, 2023 12:37 AM)
Hi Bob, Can I just make one point to make it easier for dummies like me? You often give advice on software that allows users to check our machines an...
Comment by John Anderson on Should You X-Ray Your Computer? (March 17, 2023 04:28 PM)
I've been using Belarc to keep track of my computer for years. With the advent of a new desktop computer in 2021. Belarc currently shows two missing i...
Comment by lar p on Should You X-Ray Your Computer? (March 17, 2023 03:50 PM)
"When I saw the subject of your email, I thought you were going to talk about whether to put your PC through the airport x-ray machines. " same here ....
Spam Articles
Malware and Spam: Why Do They Exist?
Philosophers have pondered the nature of evil for ages. Perhaps you also have wondered how a medium meant for information sharing has become a minefield of privacy and security risks. Spam, viruses, ransomware, identity theft, data breaches, phishing, malicious links and other cybercrimes have become commonplace. Who does this stuff, and what the heck is wrong with them? Let's take a look at what motivates the miscreants who menace millions on the Internet...
...My Near-Perfect Spam Filter
Researchers estimate that about 45 percent of all email traffic is spam. But I rarely see any spam in my inbox. That's because Gmail blocks 99.9 percent of all spam, phishing and malware emails. Read on to learn how you can get near-perfect spam filtering, even if you don't use Gmail for your inbox...
...Here's How to (Maybe) Trace an Email
Thud... an unwanted, spammy email with an obviously fake “From” name just landed in your inbox, and you wish you could find out where it actually came from. Or maybe you got an email several days after it was sent? Read on to learn about some free tools that can help with both situations...
...Defend Your Inbox With a Disposable Email Address
Have you ever visited a website that required your email address to make a purchase, create an account, play a game, or gain access to information? I'm sure you have, and in some cases you've probably done so hesitantly, thinking that you might be opening your inbox to a flood of spam. A disposable email address provides a handy solution to this and other privacy problems. Read on to learn more...
...Hey, Are You an Accidental Spammer?
An anxious AskBob reader says: “Several of my email friends are complaining that I’m sending them spam emails. I’ve looked in my Sent folder and nothing odd shows up there. How can this be happening? Is it possible that someone has hacked into my email account, or is there another explanation?” Read on for the most likely answers to this mystery...
...Was Your Email Account Just Hijacked?
A concerned AskBob reader asks: 'Please help... I think my email account got hijacked, and now all my friends are getting spam, FROM ME! I am always careful with my password and online activities. How could this have happened, and what should I do?' Read on for my answer...
...Report a Spammer? (Read this FIRST...)
An irritated AskBob reader says: 'Every morning I find a load of unwanted spam emails have been dumped on my inbox. They advertise dubious nutritional supplements, fake watches and even attempts to steal my online banking passwords. I have tried filtering them out, but they keep on coming. I really want to report these crooks, but I don't know how or where. Can you help?' Read on for my tips on dealing with spammers…
...This is How Spammers Get Your Email Address
It can be maddening when your email inbox gets a fresh, steaming load of spam dumped on it. Equally frustrating is when spammers spoof YOUR address as the sender, and your friends all start asking why YOU are sending them unwanted sales pitches for dubious products. Understanding how spammers get your email address can help to prevent both of these problems. Here's the scoop on how spammers get ahold of your email addresses, and steps you can take to protect your inbox…
...Here's How to Send a Mass Email (and how NOT to...)
An AskBob reader says: 'I need to send email updates to a large group of people on a regular basis. But I've heard that if you do it wrong, you'll get tagged as a spammer, and your emails may not be delivered. What software or services do you recommend for sending emails to a list of people?' Read on for some good options, and a few you definitely want to avoid...
...Are You in the 51 Percent Club?
Over forty years since the first spam email was sent, it is still the favorite tool of crooks and criminals online. A report from security group F-Secure says that spam is the most common method used to distribute malware, phishing attacks, malicious URLs, and scams. Read on to see if you're in the 51 Percent Club, learn the tell-tale indicators of malicious emails, and the true origin of spam...
...Your Friends Think You’re Spamming Them?
A concerned AskBob reader says: “Several of my online friends are complaining that I’m sending them spam emails. I’ve looked in my Sent folder and nothing odd shows up there. How can this be happening? Is it possible that someone has hacked into my email account, or is there another explanation?” Read on for the most likely answers to this mystery…
...[ZAP!] Try This Near-Perfect Spam Filter
According to researchers, it is estimated that about 54 percent of all email traffic is spam. But I rarely see any spam in my inbox. That's because Gmail blocks 99.9 percent of all spam, phishing and malware emails. Read on to learn how you can get near-perfect spam filtering, even if you don't use Gmail…
...Can You Trace an Email? Maybe, Here's how…
So you just got unwanted, spammy email with an obviously fake “From” name, and you wish you could find out where it actually came from? Or maybe you got an email several days after it was sent? Read on to learn about some free tools that can help with both situations…
...HELP, Evil Spammers Hijacked my Email!
A desperate AskBob reader asks: 'Can you please help me, I think my email account got hijacked, and now all my friends are getting spam, FROM ME! I am always careful with my password. How could this have happened, and what should I do?' Read on for the answer…
...Here's How to Report Spammers (and how NOT to)
A frustrated reader asks: 'Every day I get a fresh load of unwanted spam emails, advertising dubious nutritional supplements, fake watches and even attempts to steal my online banking passwords. I have tried filtering them out, but they keep on coming. I really want to report these crooks, but I don't know how or where. Can you help?' Read on for my tips on dealing with spammers...
...Here's How Spammers Get Your Email Address
Spammers, scammers, and cyber-miscreants appear to have supernatural powers that enable them to guess email addresses accurately and quickly. But in reality, the bad guys harvest email addresses by pretty mundane means. YOU may even be contributing to the problem without realizing it. Here's the scoop on how spammers get ahold of your email addresses, and steps you can take to protect your inbox...
...[HOWTO] Fight Spam With a Disposable Email Address
Have you ever visited a website that demanded your email address to make a purchase, create an account or gain access to information? I'm sure you have, and in some cases you've probably done so hesitantly, thinking that you might be opening your inbox to a flood of spam. A disposable email address provides a handy solution to this and other privacy problems. Read on to learn more...
...Can You Get a Virus Just By Opening an Email?
Is it possible to get a computer virus by simply opening an email? It's true that email has been and remains one of the most popular attack vectors. Hackers, spammers, phishers and scammers are all knocking on the door of your inbox. But how easily can they slip in, and wreak havoc on your computer? Let's find out...
...Try These Spam Fighting Tips
According to researchers, it is estimated that about 56 percent of all email traffic is spam. But I rarely see any spam in my inbox. That's because Gmail blocks 99.9 percent of all spam, phishing and malware emails. Read on to learn how you can get near-perfect spam filtering, even if you don't use Gmail...
...Trace an Email? Here's how...
Have you ever received an unwanted, spammy email with a fake “From” name, and wished you could find out where it actually came from? Have you ever gotten an email several days after it was sent? Read on to learn about some free tools that can help with both situations...
...Here's Why You Need a Disposable Email Address
Have you ever used a website that demanded your email address to make a purchase, create an account or gain access to information? I'm sure you have, and in some cases you've probably done so hesitantly, thinking that you might be opening your inbox to a flood of spam. A disposable email address provides a handy solution to this and other privacy problems. Read on to learn more...
...Missing Emails? Tweak Your Spam Filter
Email spam is an annoying fact of online life that can never be avoided entirely. No matter how good your defenses, an unwanted message is going to appear in your inbox occasionally. Spam is irritating but relatively harmless if you simply delete it. The flip side of spam can be more serious. What if a legitimate message that you DO want to receive gets trapped in your spam filter? Here's the answer...
Help, Spammers Hijacked my Email Account!
A desperate reader asks: 'Can you please help me, somehow my email account got hijacked, and now all my friends are getting spam, FROM ME! I am always careful with my password. How could this have happened, and what should I do?' Read on for the answer...
...Spammer Got Your Email Address? (here's how...)
Spammers and scammers appear to have supernatural powers that enable them to guess email addresses accurately and quickly. But in reality, the bad guys harvest email addresses by pretty mundane means. YOU may even be contributing to the problem without realizing it. Here's the scoop on how spammers get ahold of your email addresses, and steps you can take to protect your inbox...
...Are You in the 14 Percent Club?
Forty years after the first spam email was sent, it is still the favorite tool of crooks and criminals online. A new report from the Finnish security group, F-Secure, reports that spam is the most common method used to distribute malware, malicious URLs, scams, and other bad news. Read on to see if you're in the '14 percent club' and some of the tell-tale indicators of malicious emails...
...Are You an Accidental Spammer?
A concerned email user asks: 'Several of my friends have complained that I am sending them spam emails. I have looked in my Sent folder and nothing odd shows up there. How can this be happening? Is it possible that someone has hacked into my email account, or is there another explanation?' Read on for the scoop...
...How Can I Report a Spammer?
A reader asks: 'Every day I am getting lots of unwanted spam emails, advertising nutritional supplements, fake watches and even attempts to steal my online banking passwords. I have tried filtering them out, but they keep on coming. I really want to report these crooks, but I don't know how or where. Can you help?'
...Spammers Hijacked Your Email?
A reader asks: 'Can you please help, somehow my email account got hijacked, and now all my friends are getting spam, from me! I am always careful with my password. How could this have happened, and what should I do?' Read on for the answer...
...How To Trace an Email
Have you ever received an email several days after it was sent? Have you ever gotten an unwanted email with a fake “From” name, and wished you could find out where it came from? Read on to learn about some free tools that can help with both situations...
...Google’s New Spam-Fighting Tools
Google estimates that nearly 60 percent of all email it processes is spam. But like most Gmail users, I rarely see any spam in my inbox. Google claims that Gmail now blocks 99.9 percent of all spam. Read on to learn how you can get near-perfect spam filtering, even if you don't use Gmail...
...Missing Email? Tweak Your Spam Filter
Spam is an annoying fact of online life that can never be avoided entirely. No matter how good your defenses, a spam message is going to appear in your inbox occasionally. Spam is irritating but relatively harmless if you simply delete it. The flip side of spam can be more serious. What if a legitimate message that you DO want to receive gets trapped in your spam filter? Here's the answer...
...Gmail Spam Filter Settings
Google Mail, or Gmail as it's often called, has one of the best spam filters in the email business. But no spam filter is perfect. Some spam gets through, and some legitimate emails get diverted to the spam folder. Here are some ways to tweak your Gmail spam filter settings for better results...
...How Do I Report a Spammer?
Every day I am getting unwanted spam emails, advertising nutritional supplements, fake watches and even attempts to steal my online banking passwords. I've tried filtering them out, but they keep on coming. I really want to report these crooks, but I don't know how or where. Can you help?
...Anti-Spam Email Filters
It seems I fight a never ending battle with email spam. I am diligent to mark unwanted email as spam, and I'm very careful about giving out my email address. I think it's time to create some filters to catch the junk that still gets through. Can you give me some tips on getting started with spam filters?
...Is Your Email Secure?
Many consumers are blissfully unaware of the threats knocking on the doors of their email inboxes. Popular free email service providers such as Google, Yahoo, and Hotmail, stop a vast number of threats at their mail servers without any attention from end users. But some threats still get through, so consumers using desktop email software, and businesses that operate their own email servers must defend themselves. Here are some of the email security software programs that get the job done...
...Spam Filters
Between 90 and 95 percent of all email is spam, according to security software vendor Symantec's last study in early 2009. So why isn't 90% of the email in your inbox unsolicited commercial email touting men's health products and get-rich-quick schemes? The answer is spam filters. Here's how they work...
...Antispam Software
Your Internet service provider has a spam filter, your email program has antispam filters built in, but still you get plenty of unwanted emails. One solution is to add another layer of defense to your inbox. Dozens of free and commercial antispam software programs are on the market, and millions of people use them. Here are some of the best anti-spam solutions...
...Anti-Spam Solutions
The average email user is bombarded with over 2,000 spam messages per year, according to a consensus of spam fighters. It's become more than just an annoyance, since spam emails can also be malicious. Here's the latest info on the damage that spam can do, and how to protect your inbox...
...Antispam Tools
Spam is a huge problem on the Internet. For many years now, well over half of all email traffic has been spam. Spam wastes much of the Net's bandwidth, slowing down legitimate traffic. On the personal level, few things irritate users more than unwanted sales pitches. Many spam emails are dangerous bait containing links to malware sites that can steal your identity. You need all the antispam protection you can get. Here are some effective anti-spam tools...
...Free Anti-Spam Tools
It seems like I get more spam than ever, and I'm not sure why. What free anti-spam tools can you recommend to help me keep spam to a minimum?
...Are The Spammers Winning?
It seems to be a given these days, as much as death and taxes -- spam (the email variety, not the canned meat product) is not going away. Back in 2004, Bill Gates predicted the death of spam in 2006. But today, studies show that 80-90% of all emails worldwide are junk email, and the tide is rising. What happened, and what can YOU do about spam?
...Revealing Your Email Address
Last week I did a search for dolls (I'm a collector) and accidentally wound up visiting an adult site that sells dolls of a very different sort! Now it seems like I'm getting a lot more adult-related spam than ever. So here's my question: Can just visiting a website reveal your email address, without your knowledge or permission? If not, how do spammers get my email address?
...Spam Blocker
I'm having a terrible time with spam emails. Suddenly I started getting dozens per day, and I can't seem to get rid of them. Is there a spam blocker or spam filter that's easy and just works?
...How to Stop Spam
It is estimated that 70% of emails sent over the Internet are unsolicited commercial e-mail. When you consider that over 35 BILLION emails are sent every day, the impact of spam is staggering. Here's what YOU can do to stop spam today...
...Create Currency Quickly
If you've been online for more than an hour, you've probably gotten one of those PHENOMENAL MONEY MAKING PROGRAMS that promise to make you 50 thousand dollars richer in short order. It's the classic David Rhodes Make Money Fast scheme, now legendary on the Net. Ever wonder if those things really work?
...Spam From Tourbus?
Not sure how to say this -- but just for fun I clicked on a credit card application, and then cancelled IMEADTELY!! Well, two months later my count as of this day: 2948 spams for credit cards, loans, easy credit, etc. Abut 370 spams a week, or about 53 A DAY! While I know money support is nice, and I don't subscribe to the paid edition of TourBus BUT if I did, would I get more moral staunchness on your part re: allowing spammers to use your site? SHAME ON YOU, BROTHER! -- PRACTICE WHAT YOU PREACH!!!!!
...Nonsense Words in Spam
What's the story behind all the weird, nonsensical words that appear in the text of spam emails? Examples: his acquirements entitled him to the honour. He possessed a large... she was not allowed to proceed. The Admiral's kind urgency... turned him on shore at the very moment, and he has been living with us
...Blue Security - Spam Solution?
BlueSecurity.com has a bold plan to go after spammers. Have you reviewed this outfit? If so, what say you about it?
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