Spam is more than just canned meat.
These scandalous e-mails try to provoke their victims into various scams. And whether it is for a new prescription drug or fake credit card companies asking for vital information, spam filters daily through CU’s WebMail service.
Not all spam can be blocked by CU’s Information Technology Services, they do filter through 3 million e-mails per day, according to Greg Stauffer, ITS public relations.
Of the e-mails that are discarded, phishing spam is the most serious of scams, and it uses pop-up attachments to get people to give up vital information, like credit card numbers and bank account info, according to ITS.
In order to protect students and faculty from spam and phishing, ITS’ Web site offers programs such as virus scans, which can help keep e-mails from infecting computers.
The annoyance of spam has led students to express their views on some the worst spam mail they have received:
“The spam I dislike the most is the fake prescription drug e-mails. I hate it. It is so annoying and I don’t like it.” Dan Sax, sophomore English and Russian major.
“The most annoying spam is the penis enhancement pill e-mails. I am a girl. I don’t have a penis, and so I don’t want the pill.” – Katie Swanlund, CU Green Peace employee.
“I hate the e-mails that offer you these jobs that are supposed to make you a lot of money. I paid $35 to a company like that and it turned out to be so stupid.” – Chanel Wing, junior psychology major.
“I don’t like the penis enhancement e-mails either. I wish they could tell if I was a girl so I wouldn’t get them.” – Amber Camus, junior psychology major.
“Spam is annoying no matter what it is. I just don’t like it at all.” – Brendan Wu, junior marketing major.
For more information on spam, phising and ways to protect your computer and identity, go to www.colorado.edu/its.
