>Here's a story on spam: I created a Yahoo email account merely to access my other emails from a common point, "POP3 Access," maybe 2 years ago. Didn't use it for actual emailing. It was very quiet until a few months ago - them suddenly, my Yahoo address is full of spam everyday - lots of it pretty gross stuff, too.

I had exactly the same experience with a hotmail account to use instant messenger with ONE friend. That account used a pretty unusual combination of letters and numbers as my name. After a few weeks, I'm getting spam there too.

>I filter my regular accounts too - but to be frank, I don't mind spam or junk snail-mail nearly as much as telemarketers (or horrors - door-to-door salespeople!). Those are much more intrusive.

One filter I use in all my accounts is to drop email that doesn't include my email address as the recipient.

Telemarketers problems? Start asking a question and hung up in the middle of a word. They'll think it's a bad connection and you don't have to ask them to let you go.

Also, if you have a minute to spare, just ask to be removed from their list.

If I have the time and the inclination, I tell phone co. marketers that I get international long distance to china for 5 cents/minute and of course, they can't beat that so they stop.

Next male one that calls I'm going to play gay and start hitting on him.

Simply start yelling hello hello hello, as if you couldn't hear a thing.

When they ask for you simply say "I'm sorry, I'm not in right now. Want to leave a message?"

"Sorry, No hablo Ingles!"

"You have reached a government Intelligence restricted line. Hang up immediately or you will be arrested."

Be creative...

Alex