"Spam" is unsolicited and usually unwanted email. It is worse than junk mail because it does not pay its own way and wastes valuable time and resources to wade through it to get to the real email. If you want more information on this aspect, follow some of the links below.

You can delete the spam and go on with your life, or you can complain to the company that provides email service to the spammer.

The easiest way to do this is to forward the email to the company. Most ISPs (internet service providers maintain an account called "abuse@xyz.com" for example:
   abuse@hotmail.com
   abuse@msn.com

Before forwarding the message, be sure the "headers" are showing. Most programs have a VIEW ALL HEADERS in their menus. For specific email program instructions, you can look at this link from SpamCop.
These headers will show the ISP staff where the message really came from and which account to check. Sometimes the spammer will pretend to have an email address at some place like "hotmail.com" but its really coming from another location. You can learn to read the header yourself and also forward the message and headers to that ISP.

SamSpade.org is a tool to help track down the real source of some of what you see in the headers.

You may just get back emails from the ISPs telling you they will check into it, but sometimes you will get back a very satisfying email saying the offending account was closed. Of course the serious spammers will have other accounts, but at least not that one.

If you are unsure what to do, either delete the spam or forward it to the PGUSD System Administrator (bcates@pgusd.org) who will notify the ISPs and possibly block that email in the future.

• SPAM is not like bulk mail.
• FAQs about SPAM
• SPAM-fighting techniques
• SamSpade.org

• Anti-Virus Software
• Anti-SPAM Software
• Reporting spammers