What exactly is spam?

The term spam or junk is often associated with negative aspects, such as the unwanted delivery of messages. But what exactly is spam and how does spam work?

What is spam?

There is no uniform definition of spam because spam can occur as a phenomenon in many different areas.
The most well-known example of spam is emails received by users who, for example, have registered for newsletters or whose addresses have been bought out. Spam emails often have a personalized header and standardized text that trick users into taking advantage of offers, visiting websites or even opening file attachments that, in the worst case, are harmful to the computer. But there are also other types of spam, such as intrusive advertisements on websites that appear as pop-ups and initiate the opening of additional windows, or spam in forums or social networks in which paid people or automated bots spread texts en masse.

Is spam dangerous?

This depends on the type of spam and cannot be answered in general. Sending unsolicited advertising via email can be at least annoying, but spam can also be dangerous when spreading virus-infected links or file attachments.

How do I recognize spam?

Due to the often unknown sender of the email and a missing legal notice. In some cases, the spelling of the messages or forum posts sent is also an indicator that they are spam emails or spam posts. The links and attachments should not be clicked and the content should be consumed with healthy skepticism.

How do I prevent spam?

In the case of emails, many providers offer filters that filter out and separate spam messages into separate folders. These are based on spam email patterns. How to adjust this option can be viewed with the respective providers and is often clearly explained or even preset. However, if a dubious email gets through the filter, you should never click on external links or open attachments.

What do I do if I still click on such a link or attachment?

a possibility that the device has become infected with viruses and further investigations should be carried out using anti-virus programs .

What if I receive a lot of spam emails?

A simple option is to get a new email address. In order to prevent spam messages in the future, you should carefully consider which providers and service providers this is communicated to. If you are unsure, you can also create an email address just for spam, which is not in primary use and can be specified in unclear cases.

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