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Spam: Avoid Being the Victim and the Perpetrator
What is a Spam?
Avoid Being a Spam Victim
Avoid Being a Spam Perpetrator
Additional Spam Prevention Resources
Disclaimer: This material is meant for informational purposes only and not to be used as legal advice. Please consult an attorney for legal advice related to your particular situation.
Spam is the unwanted junk email that no one likes. Did you know that owning a website can put you at risk for receiving spam emails? Or, if you send emails to your potential or existing customers, you may unknowingly be guilty of spamming.
Here are some tips to prevent your website from falling victim to spam as well as some tips for not spamming your customers.
Here are some tips to prevent your website from falling victim to spam as well as some tips for not spamming your customers.
Posting your email address on your website puts you at risk!
Spammers use harvesting software that scans the web for email addresses in order to add to their database. Falling prey to spammers can be costly – they can overload your email system, making it difficult for legitimate clients to reach you.
How to Protect Yourself
- Don't spell out your email address like this: youremail@yourcompany.com
- Do conceal your "mailto:" link inside JavaScript code - visit Carnegie Mellon University's Spam Overview Website for a step-by-step guide on hiding your email address with JavaScript
- Do use a contact form. That way you're still easily accessible to clients, but not to harvesting software.
If you send emails to clients/customers The CAN-SPAM Act most likely applies to you.
This law is enforced by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and applies to all commercial emailers. It requires that all emails sent for commercial purposes meet the following requirements:
This law is enforced by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and applies to all commercial emailers. It requires that all emails sent for commercial purposes meet the following requirements:
- No Misleading or False “To” or “From” Information
Make sure your recipients know the message is “from” you and “to” them.
- No Deceptive Subject Lines
Make sure your recipients can tell what the email is about before they open it. Don’t conceal the contents of your email within a misleading subject line.
- Must Contain an “Opt-Out” Method
Always give your recipients an option to stop receiving further emails from you – either by means of a return email address or an opt-out link at the bottom of the message. The CAN-SPAM Act states: “Any opt-out mechanism you offer must be able to process opt-out requests for at least 30 days after you send your commercial email. When you receive an opt-out request, the law gives you 10 business days to stop sending email to the requestor's email address.”
- Must Contain Your Physical Postal Address
Your real address must be listed within the body of the email.
- Must Be Identified as an Advertisement
Commercial email must have a clearly stated notice that the email is for solicitation or advertisement.
- Preventing Spam: Bulletproof Solutions by Smashing Magazine
- Spam Overview (including step-by-step guide for using JavaScript to conceal your email address) by Carnegie Mellon University
- The CAN-SPAM Act: Requirements for Commercial Emailers by the Federal Trade Commission