Consumer Advocate
September 1st, 2004
proudly presented by
PC World
Technology Advice You Can Trust
http://pcwnl.pcworld.com/t/209702/21421686/1/0/
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Useful advice on how to protect yourself against scams, attacks on
your privacy, and spam.
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September 1st, 2004
Privacy Watch: New Services Peep Into Your Inbox
Sr. Assoc. Ed. Andrew Brandt
You sent me an e-mail? My spam filter must have zapped it."
Lots of us have used this line, and chances are that a few times, like
when the message was a bunch of lame jokes from Uncle Morty, it wasn't
the absolute truth. But the excuse won't work anymore if Uncle Morty
starts using one of the new services that track whether you got an
e-mail and what you did with it.
These services, from MsgTag ($20 with a free trial) and DidTheyReadIt
($50 per year, with a free trial), insert a small piece of HTML code
into outgoing messages. When the recipient opens the message in an
HTML-compatible e-mail client such as Outlook or Outlook Express, or
with a Web-based mail service like Hotmail, either service can track
the message.
If you're curious, you can get specifics on these services at their
Web sites:
MsgTag
http://pcwnl.pcworld.com/t/209702/21421686/754804/0/
DidTheyReadIt
http://pcwnl.pcworld.com/t/209702/21421686/515982/0/
Both MsgTag and DidTheyReadIt can tell senders when the message was
received and when it was opened. DidTheyReadIt goes a few steps
further, allowing the sender to find out how long the message window
was left open and whether a message was forwarded.
Our "Spam Slayer" reporter tried DidTheyReadIt for a couple weeks, and
he shares what he learned in "Track That E-Mail":
http://pcwnl.pcworld.com/t/209702/21421686/754805/0/
The purveyors of these services argue that there's a real need (beyond
simple nosiness) for them. A certain percentage of legitimate messages
do get caught in spam filters, and using return receipts won't always
ensure that your missive gets through. "Most system [administrators]
will turn off all return receipts by default, and some e-mail
services, like Hotmail and Yahoo, don't allow return receipts at all,"
says Alex Rampell, CEO of Rampell Software, which sells the
DidTheyReadIt service.
But does that concern justify empowering people to snoop into your
e-mail reading habits? In some circumstances, these services could be
downright dangerous. DidTheyReadIt grabs the IP address of the
computer you use to open an e-mail message, and then uses that address
to determine your location, right down to the city you're in. The
service "gives you the location [of the recipient] and a link to
MapQuest," Rampell says. Imagine how helpful this would be to a
predatory adult who's in e-mail communication with a child.
If you want to protect your privacy, both services are fairly easy to
defeat. The easiest solution is to disable the display of HTML content
or of embedded graphics in your messages. Doing this will also prevent
the majority of phishing e-mail messages from displaying properly; so
in general, it's a sensible thing to do. The downside is that you
won't be able to see any other images--including ones you might want
to see--that are embedded in the body of messages. (Image files sent
as e-mail attachments will still get through, however.)
For people who use Outlook (versions 2000 through 2003) and don't want
to turn off HTML in mail messages, former Netscape programmer Mike
Belshe has created a free program called NoSpyMail that can detect and
block Web bug elements in messages without requiring you to turn off
HTML in your e-mail client software. Belshe's Web site has more
information:
http://pcwnl.pcworld.com/t/209702/21421686/754806/0/
To my mind, your inbox should be your own personal domain. Let's do
what we can to keep it that way.
Have a question or comment? Write to Andrew Brandt:
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Read Andrew Brandt's regularly published "Privacy Watch" columns:
http://pcwnl.pcworld.com/t/209702/21421686/515652/0/
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Top News From PC World
* Hall of Shame & Hall of Fame
We spotlight people and products that pester us...and the heroes
saving us from annoyances.
http://pcwnl.pcworld.com/t/209702/21421686/754773/0/
* Onkyo's DVD Changer Spins a New Tune
Here's a hands-on look at the moderately priced, multiformat DV-CP802.
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* Check out all of today's news...
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Editors' Picks
Best E-mail Utilities: Find Lost Messages, Improve Outlook
Feeling constrained by Outlook? Encrypt e-mail, locate lost messages,
and kill spam with these programs.
http://pcwnl.pcworld.com/t/209702/21421686/737197/0/
Sam Spade v1.14
Level the playing field against spammers with this network-query suite
of tools.
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PGP Freeware v8.0.3
Encrypt your e-mail messages and ensure they are not intercepted by
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DBXtract v4.50
Extract mail messages from individual DBX files.
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OEBackup v2.9.0.3
Free utility may not be pretty, but it backs up OE files and settings.
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PocoMail v3.1
Keep your e-mail virus-free with this client.
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Mozilla Thunderbird v0.7.1
Download the mail client for Mozilla's browser.
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X1
Locate lost files, email messages, attachments and contact
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For a full list of this week's Editors' Picks, go to:
http://pcwnl.pcworld.com/t/209702/21421686/737197/0/
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Five newcomers, including Best Buys from LG Electronics and Sharp,
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Check the latest prices on Flat Panels/LCD:
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* Top Multifunction Printers
The print speeds of both inkjet and laser MFPs impressed us, but copy
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Check the latest prices on Printers:
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See all Reviews:
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