There is no Internet user who wouldn’t suffer from spam at a higher or lower levels. Hundreds of junk emails are sent to active Internet surfers and business owners who have trouble identifying the real emails in the bulk messages. Software companies have come up with a solution in the form of free and paid spam blockers.
Anti-spam tools can be classified in three different categories, depending on how they operate. Plug-ins for email clients is one first category of spam blockers. Such programs are installed on the computer and perform the complete download of the spam before sorting and eliminating it. For some users this may not be the ideal anti-spam option.
Spam blockers are also available as stand-alone applications. Such software runs on the computer that requires constant communication with the email server. The mailbox is checked for spam several times per hour, and every time unwanted emails are identified they are immediately deleted. Such spam blockers consume bandwidth and resources.
Spam filters of the server side type make a third variant of spam blockers that are usually installed by major email servers such as Yahoo! Mail or MSN. The incorporated software scans your messages for peculiar phrases or writing styles that appear aggressive. Spam filters are definitely not infallible, and many dishonest Internet users have found ways to fool the filters.
Spam blockers could be a problem for Internet marketers that use opt-in listings to advertise their products and services. The problem is that e-commerce mail messages may not reach the recipient because they get deleted by the spam filters or the spam blockers installed on the prospects’ computers. There are nevertheless ways to change the content of the emails and and thus be able to pass the filters.
Statistically, spam blockers stops about 90% of the total number of unwanted messages, which in fact is a great way of preventing computer infections with the viruses that are often sent in such emails. There are even very advanced anti-spam systems that can delete 99% of spam.
When shopping for an anti-spam tool, check those spam blockers that are compatible with your computer and email service. Also make sure that you won’t have difficulties of installation, and find out how high the level of blockage is. The cost is also an issue as the most effective tools are the priciest on the market.
