Your typical first post

I understand that on a internet security knowledge scale I probably rank at about a 4 or a 5 out of 10. This is a pretty rookie question, so please insert the obligatory remarks and jibes now.

Here is the problem. I am currently using eTrust EZ Armor, Antivirus & Firewall as well as AdAware, Spybot S&D & Spyware Blaster. I recently switched ISPs and in doing so made new email adresses for my wife and I. I have not had much time to email in the last week so I dont notice any problems. My wife, however, is receiving small amounts of your typical junk email (ads for viagra, Xmas sales, ect) than she never recieved before.

Am I wrong in assuming that my firewall, or one of the many other security programs Im using should be blocking/ weeding these out? If they should be than I must be missing how exactly to change email adresses in it. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

If not what would be my best method of weeding out this email junk.

Thanks

J

 

Welcome to Wilders

None of the normal "baseline" security apps such as firewalls, antivirus or antispyware programs will filter spam (or UCE - unsolicited commercial email) since they're not designed as such. However, there are many excellent anti-spam systems available as well as several excellent email apps which incorporate built-in spam filtering to varying degrees.

You don't say whether your email is collected from a server such as POP3 or IMAP, and read in a client such as Outlook, Outlook Express etc., or whether your email is web-based. Assuming it's POP3/IMAP, you can set up spam filtering quickly and simply using a dedicated anti-spam app such as Mailwasher or Spampal, to name but two from a market of hundreds. Many are free so you can try out a few and see which one you like the best. I personally use Spampal, available from www.spampal.com, but there are many others, each with their own adherents and despisers.

Happy hunting.

 

Hi JKBogle

Does you new ISP offer any kind of spam filtering for subscribers?

Regards,

CrazyM

 

I have found this problem whenever I have used the ISP email system. It is much better if you set up your own email through one of the other providers and can have more control.

When I did use my ISP I found that K9 did a very good job of clearing spam.

http://www.keir.net/k9.html

I don't think it does it at the server end though which means it still has to be downloaded but you do not see it. It is free and effective.

 

Hi JKBogle, welcome to Wilders.

None of the applications that you mention has any role in filtering email spam.

You should be looking at a product like Mailwasher Pro

Hope this helps...

Cheers

 

you could get a Gmail account. if you ask someone will give you one

 

Hi JKBogle,

To follow up on CrazyM's post - I thought ISPs did have spam filters. I subscribe to a small local ISP (fewer than 1000 subscribers) and it has a spam filter.

A couple of weeks ago, they upgraded their software and there was a glitch, and they had the filter off-line for most of the day. The influx of spam during that time made me appreciate how effective their filter is.

regards,

-rich

 

Not all. My ISP doesn't offer spam filters. It doesn't even offer email accounts. And it's a large ISP (hundred of thousands of subscribers).

Fernando!

 

Thanks Fellas

From just speaking with my ISp here is what I got. They say that the filter spam, but only if I use their online mail server. I use outlook express.

Im not so sure I buy this, and let me tell you why. When I check my mail from a remote location I use ALLTEL's online mail server. Then when I come home, Ill use Outlook express to upload/ download all mail. If I then go back to the online mail server, my mailbox is empty. Imm going to have to check my online box before I send recieve on outlook express to see if the message content is the same.

Thank you for the recommendations on the spam blockers. I have to say, Im been reading this forum for about 48 hours on this subjust and people recommend consistently 5 or 6 spam blockers. So far 2 of them have been mentioned in this post.

Ill try a couple out and see what it gets me.

Thanks

Jason

 

Try Outlook 2003 or Outlook XP. It includes a spam filter.
May be not the best but usefull.
Sincerly
Cadoul from France

 

Thunderbird handles spam quite well also....