What is Spam?

Spam is the email equivalent of junk mail or nuisance phone calls.

Spam can simply be defined as all unsolicited electronic mail sent out in bulk to individuals/organisations that have not consented to receive it.

Spam comes under a number of classifications:

• Unsolicited Commercial Email (UCE) which usually advertises a product or service.
  
• Unsolicited Bulk Email (UBE) which is used for things like lobbying.
  
• Chain letters and pyramid schemes and emails relating other fruadulent schemes such as phishing.
  
• Messages sent to a recipient who had agreed to receive mail but has subsequently opted-out
  
• Any email without an Opt-out facility.
  
• Where an Opt-out facility is provided but it is deliberately misleading or difficult to activate.
  
• Any email that does not have a valid address in the reply to line.

A full consumers guide on spam can be found at:

• Australian Communications and Media Authority (www.acma.gov.au) - Consumers Guide