I just received a forwarded email message that the sender emailed to a number of friends and colleagues.

Several other people have sent the message to their friends and colleagues, too.

How do I know?

Because all those names and addresses are all listed, right there in the email message,  for everyone and their dog to see!

Spammers LOVE these types of viral emails. They start them (1) all the time, knowing that inexperienced, ignorant or thoughtless people (2, 4) will put the names and/or email addresses of their friends, etc (3) right there in the message for those spammers to eventually harvest (5) and add to their mailing lists, and to the lists they on-sell to other spammers (6).

I receive up to 3,000 spam messages every day. My filters remove about 95% of them, but fresh ones keep arriving that I have to remove manually.

So I really, really, REALLY do NOT appreciate having my email addresses displayed in messages that are broadcast all over the Internet for spammers to harvest all over again.

So let me ask a favor of you, whenever you decide to re-broadcast these kinds of messages:

1. If you MUST send it to all your friends, please DO NOT put their names and addresses in the “To:” or “Cc:” fields.

This makes them visible to spammers and clutters up the email message, increasing the wasted bandwidth even more.

It also puts YOU in breach of most countries’ privacy laws, exposing YOU to possible prosecution and heavy fines.

These people have NOT given their permission to have their names and email addresses broadcast publicly. By forwarding them in an openly-viewable email message like this, you breach their right to privacy… and you break the law.

2. Instead, enter their email addresses into the “Bcc:” field (BLIND Carbon Copy), where they will NOT be visible to recipients.

That way, you’ll actually help to reduce spam instead of actively encouraging and supporting it.

3. If you insist on forwarding messages that contain other peoples’ names and/or email addresses — even though YOU didn’t put them there — remove them before sending.

Laziness, ignorance or thoughtlessness on your part are not valid defenses if authorities decide to prosecute you.

Thanks!

PS: Do me an even bigger favor, please, and don’t include my name or address!

PPS: Some people are either slow to learn (dumb!) or terminally stupid (even dumber!). They continue to ignore this advice and play fast and loose with their own futures — and their own bank accounts, homes and other assets. So here’s what will happen if you continue to publish my name and email address in this way:

1. If you do it once you will be sent a link to this page, a warning that you DO NOT have permission to share my private information with others and a request not to repeat the offence.
2. If you do it twice, you will be sent another link to this page, a reminder that you DO NOT have permission to publish my private information, plus a DEMAND that you not repeat the offence.
3. If you do it a third time, you’ll discover that third time is decidedly UNlucky. A formal complaint will be lodged with the appropriate authorities (including the Australian Privacy Commission, which enforces the Privacy Act, and ACMA, which enforces the Australian Anti-Spam Act). 
4. Your name and email address will be added to my email black list, which automatically filters and trashes any messages you send me in future.
5. Your name and email address will be added to the various Real-Time Black Lists and Spam URI Block Lists on-line. Most email services and ISPs subscribe to these services, so that your email address — including the domain name used — will be blocked and a high percentage of the people you mail to from that email address will never receive your messages. (It can take months to have your name removed from these lists, and you can lose your email address and have your Internet access terminated for abuse.)