spam
Spam describes any unwanted marketing message you receive in your inbox. It’s unsolicited, commercial mail – the digital equivalent to the junk mail that lands on your doormat.
Unfortunately, even the most careful internet user is likely to receive spam at some point. There are numerous ways spammers can get hold of your email address, from simple guesswork to automated ‘harvesting’ of addresses.
Spam is irritating and can cause problems. Children particularly are vulnerable to the marketing messages of spam, as they don’t always understand the cost of services being offered.
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keeping your email address safe
With so many techniques for gathering email addresses, it’s unlikely you’ll ever be able to cut spam out altogether. But there are measures you can take, to minimise the chances of spammers getting hold of your email address. Here are just a few.
Orange free anti-spam service
Anybody who’s got an Orange email address can use our anti-spam service, free of charge. It automatically filters your incoming emails, and ‘tags’ any messages it recognises as spam – so it’s easy for you to delete them, without opening them up.
online spam – talking points for children
Children are particularly vulnerable to spam, as they often don’t understand the full implications of what they’re being sent. Here is some advice which should give them a clearer understanding of the risks of spam.
where to next?
For details on access to official information, and how to protect personal information, visit the Information Commissioner’s office.
For information on how to activate a fraud alert, click here.
For general tips on internet safety click here.
Information Commissioner’s office