Spam

What does it mean

Spam is an unsolicited message that is sent in bulk by email, SMS, MMS, in chats, or in online discussions. It may contain advertising, phishing links, malware, or other harmful programs.

More info

The term "spam" originates from the year 1937, when it was used in a Monty Python sketch. The sketch sings about canned meat Spam, which is omnipresent and impossible to avoid. Nowadays, the term "spam" is used to denote any kind of unsolicited electronic communication.

Types of Spam

There are several types of spam, including:

• Advertisements: The most common type of spam is advertisements for products and services.
• Phishing emails: Phishing emails try to deceive people, to reveal their personal information, such as passwords or credit card numbers.
• Malware: Spam messages may contain malware, which can infect your device and steal your personal information.
• Fraudulent messages: Fraudulent messages try to deceive people, to send money to scammers.

How to Protect Yourself from Spam

There are several ways to protect yourself from spam, including:

• Use an anti-spam filter: An anti-spam filter can help you filter out spam messages from your inbox.
• Do not publish your email address on the internet: If you publish your email address on the internet, it is likely, that spam bots will capture it and start sending you spam messages.
• Do not click on links in spam messages: Never click on links in spam messages, as they can redirect you to malicious websites.
• Report spam: If you receive a spam message, you can report it to your email provider.

Spam represents a serious problem, which can have a negative impact on your privacy and security. It is important, to protect yourself against spam using various available methods.