Keeping the Spammers and the Internet Thieves at Bay
Bernice Ross, www.realestatecoach.com
I recently heard someone describe their computer as a satanic machine that can ruin your business, give crooks access to your bank accounts, dupe you into doing stupid or embarrassing things, and make you sick because your infected computer uses your name to send out pornographic and virus laden emails to your mailing list. Worse yet are virus programs that grab your email address from someone else's infected computer and then use your email address as an alias to broadcast more spam or more viruses. You can tell when this has occurred because you will receive "bouncebacks" from the thief using your address to hide their illegitimate actions. While there is nothing you can do about someone else's infected computer, you can keep spammers and Internet identity thieves at bay by doing the following.
1. Protect Your Email Address
Never use an email address at one of the big ISP or free email companies as your "primary" address; i.e. yourname@aol.com, yourname@msn.com, yourname@earthlink.net, yourname@yahoo.com, etc. No matter what you do, you will receive tons of junk mail. Instead, create an email address with a minimum of 12 characters that include both numbers and letters.
For example, 436JMQ567Jones##@aol.com. To create an address you can remember, use a combination of old addresses, phone numbers, license plates, or other numbers and letters that are easy for you to remember. I currently have two addresses I am using and receive zero pieces of spam at those two addresses. Use this as your underlying address and NEVER post it anywhere public.
2. Your Public Address
Real estate professionals need an easy to remember email address. We also need to be able to post our contact address on our website and other public places that are subject to receiving spam. The challenge is what is known as spidering search engines. Legitimate companies such as Google, Overture, and MSN use these tools to help people locate information on the web. Sadly, professional spammers use the same technology.
There are two main strategies for coping with this issue. First, use the highest level of spam protection available either through your ISP or spam blocking software. This requires anyone who emails you for the first time to copy a code on to their computer before they can contact you. This will reduce your spam to almost zero. Because most people find this annoying, it may also reduce how many legitimate leads contact you.
The better strategy is post your email address within a graphic on your website. In other words, you will no longer have a link that pastes directly into the visitors email address line. Instead, visitors will have to type the address into their email program because the address is embedded in a logo, picture, or other graphic on your site. Although it requires an extra step for your website visitors, the reduction in the spam, viruses, and worms you receive may well be worth it.
3. Use Aliases
Have a separate alias address you use for newsletters, purchases on the Internet, etc. This address forwards to your underlying address that you never give out. If you start receiving spam at one of these addresses, simply create a new address and forward it to your same underlying email address.
4. Turn Off Your Email Auto-Responders.
This is my virtual assistant's pet peeve. Every time we send out a newsletter, we get about 20% of our list sending us messages like these:
"I'm away from the office showing property and will contact you when I return" or, "I'm on vacation until the 30th. Please contact me after that date."
The challenge is you are now replying to every spammer who contacts you and telling them, "Here is my legitimate email addres. Feel free to use it!"
When spammers identify legitimate email addresses, they sell them to other spammers. The result is a doubling or tripling of the spam you already receive.
5. Don't Unsubscribe!
Never "unsubscribe" from junk mail unless you legitimately subscribed to the service. For regular everyday spam, unsubscribing just confirms for the spammer that your email address is legitimate and your address will be sold to other spammers.
6. Don't Respond to Links Within Email.
If you receive a request from what appears to be a legitimate service provider, contact them by telephone or go to your browser and type in the company's name. Do NOT use the link in the email since this can be a cleverly designed copy that looks like the real company's website.
To contact Bernice Ross email her at bernice@realestatecoach.com.