One of my most favorite section in any magazine is the Q&A. Flipping through this month’s PC Magazine, I was rather shocked and dissapointed at the answer Neil J. Rubenking – the software expert at PCMag.
Let’s see what ruffled my feathers. A reader asked them what’s the truth to the rumors about using numbers in email addresses to help reduce spam.
The answer given (in a nutshell), was to simply be more careful with your email address. That I have no trouble whatsoever with. Because that’s pretty much the best you can do.
But what is in the long explanation to get to this very quick and simple answer is what I want to bring up.
“When you buy something at a small, lesser-known online store, there’s a decent chance they will sell your address to spammers.” and, “Sign up for a newsletter? Your address could certainly get sold.”
What? So, this guy just branded you and I as likely shady business people. Why? Is it because all small online businesses are automatically scammers and sell outs? This I know for fact is totally untrue. Is there any study? I want to see figures. Heck, even if I did see figures, I’m not so sure they weren’t done to support the interests of some other organization.
But the article does not stop there. Rubenking writes, “Even if it’s a big, reputable store that gets your cash, the store’s records could still be stolen or leaked.” Ah! I see. As a subscriber to PCMag, I can expect my information to be stolen or leaked some time. Thanks guys.
