Get wise. Don't help the spammers do their work!

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Things you should never do

NEVER reply to SPAM emails.

If you reply to a SPAM email you are confirming that your email address is working. Friends have mine have sent abuse email back to spammers in the hope that they will stop send the emails. The truth is, no human being will ever see the reply.
More likely a computer program will get the email, see that the address is working and add it to their email list. This list will then be sold to other unscrupulous companies and you will receive more and more emails.

NEVER use the unsubscribe option on a SPAM email.

This is the same reason as above. If it is a dishonest company sending you spam, do you really think they'll remove you from their email list? Yet again you will just confirm that your email address is working. The result is going to be more spam.

NEVER buy anything offered in a SPAM email.

Let's face it, if nobody bought anything offered in spam emails, there would be no point in sending spam emails. The motivation for spamming is PROFIT.

The other more sinister danger is FRAUD. It is not uncommon for web sites to be set up to collect credit card numbers. The products they are offering may not even exist. Enter a credit card number in one of these sites, and you could find your card being used all over the world, and not by you.

Good advice for buying anything on the internet is to make sure the company has a postal address and telephone number on it's web site. If it is a UK company check the VAT number and company registration number. You can check that the company is genuine on the Companies House web site.

Check for the padlock symbol on payment pages when buying online. It is usually at the bottom right hand side of your browser window. The padlock symbol means that you are on a secure web site, and that your private information is being encrypted.

NEVER click on a link in a SPAM email.

This can be another method of confirming your email address is working. Result = more spam.

Spam - Unsolicited "junk" e-mail sent to large numbers of people to promote products or services.
Also known as Unsolicited Commercial E-Mail (UCE)