Spam

Spam^G, otherwise known as the unsolicited junk emails, can affect businesses in two ways.  Businesses need to be wary of both receiving and distributing spam.

The Receiving Threat^G
Opening spam emails can put you at risk of contracting computer^G viruses^G, worms and other malicious code that is capable of disabling your corporate network or opening vulnerabilities that allow hackers to view and steal corporate, employee and customer data.  (Links to other Spam areas on the site)

The Distribution Threat
Distributing spam should also be a concern for you.  Specific laws have established requirements for the type of commercial emails you can send to customers and potential customers.  While the emails that you send will not purposefully contain viruses and worms, sending spam emails to customers can raise the ire of customers and the Federal Trade Commission. 

As a result, all corporate emails to customers must abide by the following guidelines as stated in the CAN-SPAM Act of 2003:

• Do not use false or misleading subject header information
• Do not use deceptive subject lines
• Provide all email recipients with the option to opt off of your distribution list
• Ensure that your opt-off option is still working for at least 30 days after you send an email
• Identify your email as an advertisement and include your valid physical postal address

Reporting^G Deceptive Spam
If you or your employees receive spam email that appears to be deceptive, forward it to spam@uce.gov. The FTC uses the spam stored in this database to pursue law enforcement actions against people who send deceptive email.