It is often clear from the Subject line that a message is junk, so you may not even need to open the message to read it. If you receive any unwanted email, the best approach in almost every case is to delete it immediately. We also utilise a technique called sender verification to help block spam. Known spamming sites are blocked from sending mail to Sussex. The Sussex system uses a spam-detection system called SpamAssassin, and while this does help block a huge amount of spam, it cannot block all of it.
We have had complaints from people who thought that their privacy had been invaded, and who forgot that they had published their email addresses in journals and on websites advertising conferences. Chat sites may make your email address visible, and software exists that 'harvests' this information. Companies are much more likely to do this than individuals. If ever you contact anyone off site via email there is no guarantee that your email address will not be disclosed to someone else or made available to others. IT Services regularly receives queries from people on campus asking how the sender obtained their address and how to stop the messages. The main drawback of using email is receiving a constant flow of unwanted and occasionally offensive email. 961What should I do about unsolicited, unwanted, spam or junk email?
