How to identify and prevent receiving spam

Spam is a term that refers to the receipt of unsolicited email messages. Sending these unwanted messages is carried out with several different objectives and also using different systems and means of propagation on the network.

Unlike what most internet users believe, there are different types of spam strategies, and even though it is a term considered “old”, it is still widely used by digital criminals in an attempt to extort, steal, damage or hijack information and devices. , mainly from companies and professionals.

In this text, you will see what types of spam exist and their characteristics, some ways to identify spam messages and also an efficient way to protect yourself.

Types of spam

There are several types of spam with specific characteristics that differ from each other, however, among the most common are:

• Rumors (hoaxes) – messages related to false stories, which use social engineering with the aim of having the user (recipient) forward them to their contacts;
• Chain letters – messages that promise luck, wealth and other benefits to those who are forwarded to a number of people and contacts within a specified time;
• Advertising – promoting products, services and even political advertising, this is the most common type of spam;
• Scams – content with misleading opportunities and offers that promise false results, such as job offers or very lucrative business opportunities;
• Fraud ( phishing ) – messages with disguised content to deceive recipients, requesting the provision of personal data and passwords;
• Malicious programs (viruses and worms) – content with harmful information, attachments and links, which when opened can install viruses and cause loss of information;
• Pornography – sending pornographic content via email, often pedophile material. Security policies are important to prevent children from receiving this type of spam;

Among the most common are advertisements, which are normally harmless, and phishing, which have evolved a lot in recent years, creating new versions such as Smishing and Vishing , both with the same objective: stealing confidential information from the user that receive.

But what many professionals wonder, after all, companies are the main target of this type of message, is how to identify spam. And that's exactly what you'll see in the next few lines.

How to identify spam messages?

Spam messages can be well-crafted and deceive users, posing as genuine messages. Therefore, it is important to know how to identify these messages so that they are discarded and classified as spam. Here are some things to look out for to identify spam messages:

• Suspicious headers : incomplete sender and recipient information, both of which may contain nicknames or generic names. If the sender is unknown or the recipients are hidden, this is a strong indication that the message is spam and may contain harmful content;
• Suspicious subject : if the subject field is suspicious and unknown to the recipients, be suspicious. This field is used to entice the user to open the messages, so be careful;
• Attachments and links : email messages that contain attachments and links to be clicked can be harmful;
• One-time receipt : messages that say they will be sent once are generally spam;
• Options for leaving the list and removal : some spams justify the abuse of messages by stating the option of being removed from the list and suggesting removing the email from the register. Generally these messages are spam;

There are many ways for your email to end up on spam mailing lists. There are companies that sell lists to send advertisements and countless websites that use malicious methods to capture emails and even install viruses on computers, making them sources of spam.

It is important to avoid and be very careful when accessing websites with suspicious content, such as drugs, violence, pornography and games.

How to protect yourself from spam messages?

The best way to avoid receiving spam and security problems and viruses is to surf the web conscientiously. On the internet, similar precautions are necessary to those we take in traffic and when entering and leaving our homes.

Tips for reducing the occurrence of spam are directly related to the precautions recommended for internet users , so that they can safely enjoy all the resources and benefits it provides us.

Below are some important security and spam prevention tips:

• Preserve and avoid providing personal data, emails and especially bank and credit card passwords;
• Have separate emails for professional and personal activities, purchases and online registrations;
• Avoid clicking on suspicious links on websites, especially unknown websites and also on links in email messages;
• Precaution in accessing and clicking on promotions and opportunities for discounts and purchases can often disguise viruses and irregular registrations;
• Avoid registering on websites without first obtaining complete information about the websites and products or services offered. It is also important to look for references on other sites and acquaintances;
• Always enable the email anti-spam features provided by the provider of this service;
• It is important to use prevention tools on your computer, such as anti-spyware, firewall and antivirus;
• In business environments, use a system to block harmful websites , preventing access to malicious links sent as spam.

We know that it is practically impossible to avoid receiving unwanted messages, but by following these tips and browsing the internet with caution, it is possible to reduce spam and, above all, avoid security problems such as loss of information or problems with banks and credit cards.

I hope this text has helped you protect yourself on the internet and avoid headaches.

Until later!