Everyone hates getting spam.

According to some, spam now accounts for 72 percent of all email messages. Junk mail is not just a nuisance and a waste of your time — it’s also become a common way to commit fraud and spread malicious software.

So what can you do about unwanted messages? There are no 100% effective ways to eradicate spam, but here are some tips that can help you significantly reduce the amount of junk mail you receive:

1. Block it. Make sure your PC is protected by antispam software that has the capability to automatically filter out annoying, dangerous or fraudulent emails from your inbox. Also, use the filters in your email software (e.g., Outlook or Thunderbird) to automatically delete spam.

2. Check in with your ISP. Does your Internet service provider filter your emails? Yes, we do quite a bit of filtering and prevention.

3. Protect your email address. Some companies, even reputable ones, will sell your email address to spammers for cash. So make sure to carefully read a company’s privacy policy before giving out your address. For instance, when you sign up for a service online, you may see some text at the end of the form that says “Yes, you may share my address with your third party marketing partners,” and often the check box next to it is already checked. Be sure to uncheck it. We can add some code to your website to hide an email address from “harvesters.”  This won’t help with spammers who already have that address, but will prevent future harvesters from getting it.

4. Do not respond to suspicious or mysterious emails. Any sort of response only confirms your email address and may result in more junk mail.