Spam is getting me down

I suspect spam is getting us all down. There’s still a small amount of spam tumbling through our letter box, but not as much as there used to be and at least it keeps the recycling bag topped up so that's not so much of a problem. It’s the phone calls, tweets and emails that get me down because they're out of my control.

I may have blogged about telephone spam calls before so apologies if I’m repeating myself. [I’m not really turning into that dreaded elderly aunt who tells the same anecdotes each time you visit... am I?]

We get so many spam telephone calls that I have been known to blow my Acme Thunderer whistle down the line. I know it’s cruel and I know they’re only trying to earn a living but when the phone keeps ringing with INTERNATIONAL OUT OF THE AREA displayed, what’s a girl to do?

The official advice, when I reported the problem to BT, is to never answer, but last week my cousin was abroad and it might have been him so I answered. I didn’t recognise the voice so I said, ‘I don’t know you, do I?’ He responded with a string of expletives. I hung up. That really is no way to sell anything.

My Gmail account filters out email spam very effectively but I keep hearing of people who have had their emails hacked into so that all their contacts think they’re stranded in Spain with no money. This has just happened to a lovely blogging friend, Ann Best, who blogs at Ann Carbine Best's Blog. Hopefully no money was handed over by anyone but Ann now has the hassle of setting up a new email account and contacting people. Has this sort of scam ever worked? Is there anyone out there who would really send out money without further investigation? I suppose there must be or it wouldn’t keep happening.

I’m guessing that everyone on twitter has been followed by a sewer specialist after mentioning toilets... No? Just me then! Last week I tweeted about having a scale and polish and was followed by a dentist! I tweeted with my mouth closed for the rest of the day. Seriously though, what I find offensive are those spammers who expect me to fall for the line, ‘This photo of you made me laugh out loud’ with a link. I don’t click on those links as I was born many thousands of days ago and I always block and report them which is satisfying because they instantly drop off my timeline.

The problem is that, even on Twitter, as soon as one spammer has been hit on the head another pops up somewhere else. So until effective legislation can stop them, all we can do is follow the official advice:

• Don’t answer
• Ignore all contact
• Don’t respond  in any way................ erm.............. sorry........... can't stand it......

                                ........... weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!! 

How do you cope with spam?