Frauds and Scams - Spam

Canadian consumers can now sign up for a free service to reduce the amount of unsolicited commercial e-mail they receive. The Canadian Marketing Association (CMA), in co-operation with the Direct Marketing Association in the U.S. and other international direct marketing associations, has introduced a Web-based e-mail preference service (e-mps).

Consumers can register at www.e-mps.org , a Web site operated by the U.S. Direct Marketing Association, where e-mail addresses are added to an opt-out list. Marketers belonging to Direct Marketing Associations in participating countries cross-reference their mailing lists with the suppression list to delete the addresses of individuals who do not want to receive e-mail solicitations.

Marketers are not required to remove the names of their existing customers, and the service does not apply to marketers utilizing opt-in lists where individuals self-select their receipt of e-mail advertising.

Tips

Join in the fight against spam by remembering the following general words of advice:

• USE an alias e-mail address (other than your personal address) if you post to newsgroups or bulletin boards .
• AVOID opening unsolicited e-mail. Spam usually means scam and the message may contain a virus that can damage your computer.
• DO NOT buy products from or reply to a company that spams - it only encourages them to continue spamming.
• SEND a complaint to your Internet Service Provider - if enough people complain, the spammer will be refused access to the system.
• DO NOT reply to or forward "chain-letter" e-mail.
• CONSIDER buying filtering software to block spam and junk e-mail.

Links

• Please visit the
  Canadian Consumer Information Gateway
• Industry Canada
  • Task Force on Spam
  • SPAM IQ Test
• Junkbusters Tips
• Privacy Commission of Canada Personal Information Protection - Legislation
• Spambusters Tips
• Visit the Public Safety Portal for one-window access to government information, services and programs related to public safety and security in Canada.