Academic Technologies
 Spam and annoying emails 

                               

Many annoying, strange, or offensive email messages arrive at Barnard everyday.  One component of Barnard's safe computing policy is Anti-Virus scanning for all incoming and outgoing e-mail messages, using Clam AntiVirus software. The software successfully scans e-mail attachments, detects viruses, and removes the infected attachment from the e-mail message.  For more information, see http://www.barnard.edu/mins/emailfiltering.html . 

Other messages have unwanted or offensive material. You should just delete these. They often include large graphic files which will use up your limited email space allocation. These messages generally include a "click here to unsubscribe" option.  If you click on this, you just confirm that you are a good target for additional emails.

Several employees in the Barnard College and Columbia University community have reported receiving fraudulent emails from online@chase.com. These emails request that you change your password. The emails look authentic but are fraudulent. Chase representatives have been notified and ask that you not respond to any of the emails.  If you have received and responded to the email by changing your password, we advise you to contact your branch immediately. (from Barnard Human Resources Office, 03/17/06)

Everyone receives:

  • hoax emails with an appeal to assist a citizen in a foreign country reclaim an inheritance. These are phony. Just delete them. 

  • announcements that "You have just received a virtual postcard from a family member!".  These are almost always phony. Just delete them.

Most email programs (Webmail, Thunderbird, Outlook) allow you to create a filter on your own account. This can be configured to immediately move mail from a particular sender into the Trash or another folder. The Help Desk can advise you about setting up a filter.

There is no simple "fix" for the spam problem. The College continues to explore options to control annoying email. If you receive a particularly horrible email, please forward  it as an attachment to spamreport@barnard.edu   with your comments.  You will not receive a reply.  The email team reviews these messages periodically as they adjust the College spam filters.    

Call the Help Desk 212.854.7172 for:

  • information on setting up filters in Webmail or another email client
  • assistance in receiving legitimate attachments that are blocked by the automatic filtering system
  • sympathy

Last update 03/18/06