Spam and WSU AccessID E-mail
Spam and e-mail. They seem to go together. If you use e-mail, at one time
or another you are going to be subject to spam and scam attacks.
Although Wayne
State's e-mail system has a powerful filtering system, you still may be getting
a lot of junk mail and other malicious spam messages.
WSU's filter traps almost all e-mail viruses sent through the system whether
they come from outside the University or from a previously infected computer
on campus. The message gets through to you, the virus does not.
Then why are you getting spam?
- Because WSU does not stop messages from getting through. It only stops
viruses from getting through.
- Because spammers manage
to be two steps ahead. As soon as a message is halted, a new and slightly
different one pops up.
So, what can you do?
To manage incoming mail:
- Use an e-mail filter. WSU
WebMail provides a tool to filter out potential spam and channel it into
a Junk e-mail folder—after you log in, click Options on
the sidebar and then click Junk Mail Control. See
our
WebMail setup and features page. NOTE:
Check the Junk
mail folder regularly to make sure that legitimate mail doesn't accidentally
get put there.
To reduce the amount of spam:
- Assume mail from an unknown source is spam. Toss it or read it very carefully,
and don't respond unless you know it is legitimate.
- DON'T reply to "unsubscribe" from the list
and DON'T click on a "reply to remove" link. Spammers use those
methods to find "live" e-mail addresses. If they find out that yours is a
good address, they will send you more spam and possibly send your e-mail
address to other spammers.
- Read the fine print and uncheck any box that indicates
your agreement to receive promotional offers. Many vendors require
an e-mail address when downloading software, making an online purchase, or
registering a product.
- Consider—do you really want to submit your e-mail address if
you find that a Website will not protect your privacy?
- Read and understand the entire form before you transmit personal
information through a Website. Some Websites allow you to opt
out of receiving e-mail from their "partners"—but you may
have to uncheck a pre-selected box if you want to opt out.
- Use another e-mail address in public, including newsgroup
postings, chat rooms, Websites or in an online service's membership directory.
Spammers sometimes use these sources to harvest addresses. (You can get a
free e-mail account from Hotmail, Yahoo, Juno,
etc.)
To report a scam message:
Whenever you report an e-mail scam, it is important that you send the message
you received along with the full headers. You can display full headers as follows:
- In WSU WebMail – select the message in question and then click
Open at the top of the message.
- Using a desktop e-mail client – for
instructions on displaying full headers, go to http://www.spamcop.net/fom-serve/cache/19.html and
click your client's name.
If you believe you have been scammed, file a complaint
with the Federal Trade Commission. Visit their Identity Theft Website
at
http://www.consumer.gov/idtheft for
instructions.
If you note any suspicious activity, display the full
headers as described above, and forward the e-mail message to the Federal
Trade Commission (FTC) at uce@ftc.gov.:
Links to other resources
If you have questions
If you have any questions, contact the C&IT Help Desk by e-mail at
helpdesk@wayne.edu or
phone at 313-577-4778.
