Spam

What is spam?

"Spam" is unwanted, unsolicited commercial email, and in massive quantities it is annoying and potentially risky because it can include bogus offers that will cost you time and/or money.

Tips to Avoid and Minimize Spam

Use common sense, and don’t give out personal information such as usernames (LEA) or passwords, social security numbers, or financial information like bank or credit card account numbers. No reputable organization will ask for this type of information in an email or over the phone.
Try not to display your email address in public. This includes chat rooms, blogs, or social networking sites. Spammers use the web to harvest email addresses. You can unlist your Lamar University email address using Self Service Banner.
Turn your computer off when you are not on it. Hackers can’t get to it if it’s not on.
Don’t download unexpected attachments, especially from unknown senders.
Download free software only from sites you know and trust. Free software programs often contain malware.

LU and Office 365

Quarantined Messages

In the recently released feature of Office 365, your spam messages are placed in quarantine. You now have the ability to review, and if desired, release messages from your quarantine in the event that the program inadvertently detects legitimate messages as spam. These emails can be moved to your inbox by clicking on "release to inbox" in the spam notification email that individuals receive once daily.

To further reduce spam and phishing:

click on the email that you want to designate as spam;
click on the down arrow next to "Junk" in the column headings;
click on "junk" or "phishing."

"Clutter" Folder and Function

Clutter is a new mailbox management feature of Office 365 for Business.

Clutter differs from "junk" email because it comes from valid sources and/or people that you've interacted with before. The message isn't unsolicited (like junk), but it could be low priority to you. So the Clutter folder is basically your second-tier Inbox.

To move an email from Clutter to your Inbox, right-click the email and select "move to Inbox."

Should you turn Clutter on or off?

If you only get a handful of emails per day, Clutter might not be for you. However, if you receive 50 or more emails a day, the Clutter function might be a real time-saver long-term, since Clutter gets smarter as you use it.

To turn Clutter on or off:

Sign in to your Email Outlook account.
Click on the gear in the top, right corner.
Click "Mail" in the dropdown.
Click "Clutter" in the dropdown on the far left side of the screen.
Make your selections, and click "Save."

Look at privacy options and uncheck boxes before you submit your email address to a website.

Always look for pre-checked boxes that sign you up for email updates from the company or its partners.
See if the policy allows the company to sell your email.
Be wary of websites that offer free deals but want your email.