Spam: What to do about it?

Definition: “Spam” is a term used to describe an email message of any content (but often commercial in nature) that was sent indiscriminately to large numbers of recipients on the Internet. To qualify as spam, a message must be unsolicited.

It is important to note that many annoying or unwanted messages do not qualify as spam. In the fine print of many online purchases or newsletter subscriptions, you have probably given a company permission to email you in the future and to sell your email address to other companies. This is legal and would not be considered spam because while their audience may not be appreciative, it was not indiscriminate.

What to do about spam?

When you receive a message sent to your @lps.org account that you believe to be spam, you have three options:

1. Delete it
2. Move it to your spam folder in Gmail
3. Ask for advice from LPS Computing Services

1. Delete it

Most filtering of unsolicited automated mail is handled by the LPS spam filter before these mail messages reach your Inbox. But if a truly random or indiscriminately addressed email message does reach you, there is likely little harm in deleting the message. A quick stroke of the delete key and your problem has gone away.

2. Use the Spam Label in Gmail

Gmail offers some of the best spam filters in the world.

If you find a message in your Inbox that is spam (or simply unwanted) you can drag it to your SPAM label in the left sidebar of Gmail.

Gmail quickly learns your preferences for what you consider spam and begins to preemptively file messages from certain senders into your Spam label. This is a useful feature but always remember that it is possible that a message could be put in the spam label that is not really spam. You should check your Spam label periodically to ensure that you are not missing any messages. Move messages that should not be marked as spam from your spam label to your Inbox or another appropriate location.

The contents of the Spam label are automatically deleted after 30 days, otherwise you can delete the messages at any time before then.Is this message a scam?

If any of the following tell-tale signs of an email scam are present DO NOT respond to the email or follow the instructions in the message in any way:

• You have never done business with this company
• You are being told that there is a problem with your account and you must click a link to address the problem.
• The sender’s email address does not match the company legitimate address (@company.com)
• The message contains an impersonal greeting (Dear account holder, Dear web mail user, etc.)
• The message looks distinctly unprofessional (spelling mistakes, all capital letters, etc.)
• The message has a frightening or aggressive tone
• The message asks you to share your passwords, bank account info, or any other personal information via an email reply or link contained in the message
• The message claims you have won something you did not sign up to win

• Common Online Scams (OnGuard Online)
• Internet Crime Prevention Tips (IC3)

3. Contact LPS for Advice

If you receive a message that you are unsure or uncomfortable with, please contact LPS Computing Services for advice. We know what official messages have been delivered recently and have a pretty good eye for spotting scams, frauds, phishing attacks or other unsavory messages that may be out there.

You may request advice by forwarding any suspicious message directly to Rob Smith in LPS Computing Services at rsmith@lps.org.

To report potential e-scams, you can visit the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) and file a report. The IC3 is a partnership between the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the National White Collar Crime Center (NW3C).