spmug 571 HOW TO FORWARD AN EMAIL MESSAGE

ÊGreatÊ Information; we can all learn something from this!Ê Do you
really know how to forward e-mails?Ê This was written by a systemÊ
administrator for a corporate system.Ê It is an excellent messageÊ that
ABSOLUTELY applies to ALL of us who send e-mails.Ê Please readÊ the
short letter belowÊ ...


ÊDoÊ you really know how to forward e-mails?Ê 50% of us do; 50% DOÊ NOT.
Do you wonder why you get viruses or junk mail (Spam)?Ê DoÊ you hate it?
Every time you forward an e-mail there is informationÊ left over from
the people who got the message before you and sent it toÊ you, namely
their e-mail addresses and names. ÊAsÊ the messages get forwarded along,
the list of addresses builds, and builds, and builds. ÊAllÊ it takes is
for some poor sap to get a virus, and his or her computer canÊ send that
virus to every e-mail address that has come across theirÊ computer.Ê Or,
someone can take all of those addresses and send junkÊ mail to them or
sell them to spammers in the hopes that you will go to theÊ site and
they will make five cents for each hit that they sell.ÊÊ That's right,
all of that inconvenience over a nickel and because someoneÊ included
visible email addresses in their forwarded message!

HowÊ do you stop it?Ê Well, there are two easyÊ steps:

1)Ê When you Forward an e-mail, DELETE all of the other addresses that
appearÊ in the body of the message (at the top).Ê That's right, DELETE
them. ÊHighlightÊ them and delete them or backspace them or cut them -
whatever it is youÊ know how to do.Ê It only takes a second.Ê You MUST
click the "Forward" button first though and then you will have full
editing capabilities for the body and headers of the message.Ê If you
don't click on "Forward" first, you won't be able to edit the message
atÊ all.

(2)Ê Whenever you send an e-mail to more than one person, do NOT use the
To:orÊ Cc: columns for adding e-mail address.Ê Always use the BCC: (
Blind ÊCarbon Copy) column for listing the e-mail addresses.Ê This way
the people you send to only see their own e-mail address and no oneÊ
else's. If you don't see your BCC: option, click on where it saysÊ To:
and your address list will appear.Ê Highlight the address andÊ choose
BCC: and that's it, it's that easy.

WhenÊ you send to BCC: your message will automatically say "Undisclosed
Recipients" in the "TO:" field of the people who receive it, providing
extra security and privacy to all the people in your AddressÊ Book.

(3)Ê Remove any "FW:" in the subject line.Ê You can re-name the subject
if Êyou wish or even correct spelling.

(4)Ê ALWAYS hit your Forward button from the actual e-mail you are
reading.Ê Ever get those e-mails that you have to open 10 FW: pagesÊ to
read the one page with the information on it?Ê By Forwarding fromÊ the
actual, final page you wish someone to view, you stop them from havingÊ
to open many e-mails just to see what you sent.Ê (Many people willÊ not
open all those emails for fear of getting a virus so your message mayÊ
go unread.)

HaveÊ you ever gotten an email that is a petition?Ê It states a position
and asks you to add your name and address and to Forward it to a number
of Êpeople or your entire Address Book.Ê The email can be Forwarded onÊ
and on and can collect thousands of names and emailÊ addresses.

FACT:Ê The completed petition is actually worth a couple of bucks to a
professional spammer because of the wealth of valid names and email
addresses contained therein.Ê If you want to support the petition,Ê send
it as your own personal letter to the intended recipient(s).ÊÊ Your
position may carry more weight as a personal letter than a laundryÊ list
of names and email address on a petition - and, again,you willÊ protect
the privacy of those in your Address Book and provide themÊ additional
security against viruses andÊ spammers.

SoÊ please, in the future, let's stop the junk mail and the viruses by
workingÊ together and respecting the privacy and security of oneÊ
another.