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Frequently Asked Questions
What is spam?
Spam is Internet slang for unsolicited e-mail. It usually involves a pitch to get the recipient to buy a product or visit a commercial web site.
So, what's wrong with spam?
Plenty. First, it consumes resources, such as Internet bandwidth, computer processing power, and disk space. It wastes users' time by constantly having to sift through their mailbox, deleting the junk. This often leads to accidental deletion of legitimate e-mail. It also exposes users to offers and websites that distract them from work. Spam frequently contains, or points to, objectionable content. This can offend users and subject employers to legal liabilities.
Why do I get spam? Why has it increased so much lately?
Spammers harvest e-mail addresses from numerous sources. Anytime you have ever provided your address to any site, it may have been resold. They can also "discover" addresses by using random queries against mail servers. As we fight back against spammers, they have to send out more and more spam to generate the desired response level. This is creating an "upward spiral" in the volume of spam.
So, can MailAssure really reduce spam?
Yes! While the history of each address and/or domain causes results to vary, the vast majority of spam can be blocked.
Does MailAssure block all spam?
No! Nothing does. This means that, while you can show a good faith effort in protecting users from spam, you will still have exposure and potential liability. That's just part of Internet e-mail, and likely always will be.
Will MailAssure block legitimate e-mail?
Not often. While we work hard to fight spam, we avoid the kind of aggressive techniques that put legitimate e-mail at risk.
What else does MailAssure do?
Glad you asked! MailAssure includes a powerful anti-virus engine that detects and rejects virus-laden messages. It rejects e-mails with attachments that have little, if any, legitimate purpose (such as the VBS scripts that the Melissa worm empoyed). It also serves as an e-mail spooler. If your server or Internet connection fails, the MailAssure system stores your e-mail until you are back on line. It then sends over your backlog of messages, so you never miss a beat!
Is MailAssure expensive?
Actually, NOT having MailAssure is expensive. The service costs just pennies per day per user. The reduction in spam alone should easily cost justify the service.
Why can't I just use the built-in filtering in Outlook?
To put it simply, because you are so outnumbered! Remember, MailAssure uses the daily monitoring of numerous internal "spam trap" e-mail accounts, the work of our technical staff, and the input of our clients to provide a "cooperative approach" to the war on spam.
Why can't I install my own anti-spam system?
You lose the "cooperative approach" discussed above, plus you have to maintain it. There is a definite "economy of scale" that allows us to maintain our servers and sell you this service for less than what you can accomplish yourself. To recap: doing it yourself costs more and is less effective.
How long is the commitment? What if I sign on, then decide I want out?
We don't think that's going to happen. To show our confidence, there is no commitment. The service is month-to-month, with no setup fee.
I'm sold! How do I get started, and how long does it take?
You can often be protected by MailAssure in a matter of a few business hours. Select the "How to Order" button below and sign up today!
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