A couple of simple precautions and software available online can dramatically reduce the amount of spam you get.

Spam's really annoying because we pay to download it and then we can't find the e-mails we really want!

So, find out how to stop those endless invitations to lose weight, buy college diplomas or subscribe to any number of religious, adult or dodgy services!

Why you get Spam

The internet holds thousands of e-mail addresses and provides an irresistible audience for salesmen.

Because the net is so vast and mailing is so cheap (no postage fees!), there is little incentive for spammers to narrow down their mailing lists.

So the child in Aberdeen receives the same advert for Viagra as the pensioner in Chicago. AOL recently said that a third of their network was used to deal with spam.

What not to do

Don't act too fast - some responses might just make matters worse. Here are some golden rules:

• Don't reply, ever!
• Never buy anything from a spammer. Don't make spamming worth the effort - plus you'll get even more spam once they know you're willing to buy.
• Think twice before forwarding chain-letters or petitions. Mass-mailings like this still constitute spam and the lists of addresses on them are later used by spammers.
• Don't 'mail-bomb' the spammer who seems to have singled you out. The address included in the spam is probably forged or belongs to a mailbox the spammer ignores.