When attempting to prevent spam, users should use several different strategies to protect him or herself.

• Keep your computer's anti-virus software up-to-date and install a firewall.

• Unprotected high-speed internet connections are vulnerable to infection by viruses that are programmed to open gateways, also known as proxies, to relay spam. By not keeping your pc secure, you may unknowingly be a courier for spam.
  
  

• When signing up for a mailing list, read the terms and policies.

• Signing up for a mailing list usually results in wanted or solicited email, but the list provider should disclose whether signing up will result in the sale or trade of your email address to other parties. If so, you will most likely also start receiving emails from other parties as well.
  
  

• Do not post your primary email address on a web site.

• Spiders also scan web sites for email addresses. You can alter your email address to help protect it, but remember that email harvesting software can read html code, so be sure to remove the "mailto:" tag.