Speedbrake Publishing

Spotting Unwanted Email

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Even if you have followed the Top 10 Tips for Avoiding Unsolicited Email and even if you use one of the many options for filtering unsolicited and unwanted email, you very likely still end up dealing with unsolicited and unwanted email. If your child is allowed to check email without adult supervision, make sure that she knows that emails with one or more of the following warning signs should be deleted without first being opened:

• The email, whether sent by a stranger or from a familiar address, has an unexpected attachment.
• The email is from a stranger and the subject line contains random words or characters.
• The sender is unfamiliar and the subject line is blank.
• The subject line indicates that the email probably has inappropriate content.
• The subject line is in an unfamiliar language.
• The subject line says that you have won some kind of contest or lottery.
• The subject line uses threatening language.
• The subject line warns that you are in some kind of trouble or danger.

Other Resources for Identifying Unsolicited and Unwanted Email
- U.S. Federal Trade Commission
      Internet consumer protection links
      Scams likely to arrive by bulk email
      Facts about unsolicited commercial email
      Tips for stopping spam
- U.S. Postal Inspection Service
- U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission
- Hoaxbusters
- Top 10 Tips for Avoiding Unsolicited Commercial Email

Other Tips for Effective Email
- Top 10 Email Realities
- Top 10 Email Tips
- Basic Email Style and Grammar Advice
- Advice for Using Email Attachments
- How to Recognize Unsolicited and Unwanted Email

Dr. Todd Curtis is the director of the AirSafe.com Foundation and an expert on the role using the Internet to educate the public about risk. This article was taken from his new book, Parenting and the Internet (Speedbrake Publishing, 2007). For more information, visit www.speedbrake.com.