The best way to reduce Spam is by adding a Spam filter to your Alliance e-mail address. Spam messages are diverted to a "greymail" box so you can read them if you choose to do so. The Spam and virus filter costs $2.50 per month. Dial 611 to have the features added to your Internet account.

The Federal Trade Commission also conducted a study to determine from where Spam comes. Here is what the commission found:

  • 100 percent of the e-mail posted in chat rooms received Spam.
  • 80 percent of the e-mail addresses posted at newsgroups and web pages received Spam.
  • 50 percent of addresses at free personal Web page services, 27 percent from message board postings and 9 percent of e-mail service directories received Spam.

If you want to use these types of services, you should consider using a second e-mail address just for these activities.

Do not reply to Spam asking the mailer to stop sending you messages. You're actually confirming that your address is active and could start receiving even more Spam as a result.